Bathrooms in Beijing

It was good to move closer to Tsinghua University, in particular to Huaqing Jiayuan. Instead of a forty-five minute commute from Beiyuanlu North subway station, we had/have only a ten minute walk.

The only reservation we had about Huaqing Jiayuan was one we had when we first looked at the place in August: the arrangement of the bathrooms--in particular, the lack of a dedicated shower area. You know how, in the U.S., bathrooms usually have either a bathtub with a curtain, or a shower stall? Well, in Huaqing Jiayuan, no such thing exists. In other words, the shower is right there, out in the open. Therefore, the water from the shower falls to the floor and then travels to a drain in the floor.

We learned a few things as a result: first, keep the bath tissue covered, specifically in a covered canister. Second, watch where you're pointing the shower head. Third, wear flip-flops when taking a shower, and also if you have to enter the bathroom afterwards, before the floor is dry.