ItwaslikeloveatfirstsightwhenIvisitedBeijingin2008,rightaftertheolympics.Mypreviousbossallowedmetotakeasabbaticalof3months.Iwantedtoexploreanewworld.Andforme-livingintheNetherlandsfor25years-ChinawasamysteriousnewworldthatIwantedtoexplore.Istartedanadventurewhichwouldchangemyviewontheworld.Andmyviewonaccommodations.ThefirstmonthIstayedinahutonghostel,nearZhangzizhonglusubwaystation.WithacozycourtyardinatypicalChineseroom,whichmeans:bathroomtilingonthefloorwithmysteriousblackhaironit,alotofgreasystuffonthewallandthebathroomwascoatedwithmold.Mymainquestionatthetimewas,whydopeopleputbathroomtilingonthebedroomfloor?Peopleseemedtobehappywiththewayofliving.Afteronemonth,Iwastransferredtoanewaccommodation,nearBeixinqiaosubwaystation.Cheapashell,buthygienewasn’tawordthatcouldbefoundinthehotelsdictionary.Apositivenoteaboutthisroomwasthattherewascarpetonthefloor.Problemwas:thecarpetwasdusty.Result:Iwassneezingthefirstdays.AfteracoupleofdaysthesneezingstoppedandIgotusedtotheroomandstartedfeelingcomfortable.But....Atnightinthehotel-whenthesunwentdownandthepeopleoutsidestartedtoplaychessinthehutongs-roomdoorswentopenandwholefamiliesstartedtotalk(read:scream)toeachotherandsmokinginthehallway.Thespectaclewouldlasttillearlymorning.SometimesatnightIwaswonderingifIwasonacrowdedmarketstreetorinahotelroomwhereIwastryingtogetsomesleep.Apparentlytheylikedtosocializewithdoorsopensothateverybodycouldhearthem.Eventhemusicinmyipod,couldn’tblockthevoicesfromoutside.Don’tgetmestartedonthecigaretsmoke.Onemorning,IwokeupearlytogotomyMandarinclasses.Agiganticwhitebedsheetwaslyingonthefloorinfrontofmyhotelroom.Noideawhathappened.AtfirstIthoughttherewasadeadbodyunderneaththesheet.Thesheetwaswetandcoveredwithblackstains.AftertwodaysIfoundoutthattherewasaleakage.Thesheetwasstillthereafter3days.Thepeopleinthehotelcouldn’tspeakEnglishandeveryformofcommunicationinthehotelwasinChinesecharacters.Askingasimplequestion,butmoreimportant:gettingaclearandsatisfyinganswerwasquiteachallengeandtookalotofti