It's another year of apartment living. However this year I am on the ground floor of a home. I'm beyond the basketball court in the back half of the home on the right. I'm about two blocks from Owen's school and offices. This neighborhood is, without a doubt, the best in Yangshuo. These buildings contain single homes. The long building contains eight homes built with no space between them...like a row of townhouses. Each home in this neighborhood has four floors. Many home owners rent rooms, apartments or both.

My apartment is through this gate and through the accordion gate just beyond. Both gates have locks. But there is no gateman this year! We have a private little patio area between the gates with some potted plants at one end and some seats - you can see one of the seats to the right. And in this patio area is the line for drying laundry.

Through the gates and the sliding doors is the living room. This apartment is for those of us with VET(Volunteer English Teachers). Carly, a Texan, is just stepping out of her bedroom. The middle bedroom is ready for a third volunteer who should arrive this week. The corner behind Carly is the "VET office" which consists of two shelving units full of materials. You've probably spotted the hot water tank and necessary hoses above the table. This is the hot water for the showers in the two bathrooms behind that wall.

Here's a the other side of the living room. We have a hutch for storage of dishes and other items, a TV and DVD player, bottled water, and a refrigerator. Beyond the refrigerator through the sliding door is the kitchen.

The teachers before us left a well-stocked kitchen. We have two burners, a toaster oven, a microwave, and a small convection oven....but we eat most meals out! For weekends and for breakfast, though, it's nice to have the kitchen. It is what made apple pie for the DuTou staff possible!

Here's my bedroom. I'm here for the year so I have the larger room with the heater/air con wall unit, the extra TV and the double bed.

And here's my bathroom. Look - I have a bathroom sink this time! Each bedroom has its own bathroom, so nice!, and mine has the Western toilet.

No, I don't believe this is a typical apartment in China....it's not even typical in Yangshuo. But sharing it is very typical.