yes, but....

I often get questions (from Americans living in America) that are some form of this: "do you have ______ where you live?"  Fill in the blank with just about anything :)  I love that people are curious about our lives here, and I mostly enjoy answering all the questions. 

And the answer is, most often, "yes, but....."  Yes, technically we have almost everything one could ever think of, but there is usually something pretty different about 'our version' and I always feel like I should qualify my answer.  [yes, i love to be understood ;)]

Here's what it sounds like
 
Q: Do you have washing machines over there?
A: Yes.  But, they are small, slow, ineffective.  It's not hand washing, and I am grateful.  But every time I return to America I am stunned by the difference between American washing machines and our teeny-tiny inefficient equivalent :)

Q: Do you have McDonalds?
A: Yes.  But, they have a different menu (the newest offerings are burgers topped with mashed potatoes and red bean flavored McFlurries - though they also carry the more traditional nuggets and cheeseburgers, you can also 'super-size' a value meal).  Oh, and they are crowded.  Like imagine the most crowded McDs you have ever been too and triple the number of customers.  Now picture them all shoving to the front counters like ordering next is a life or death question.  You've pretty much got the idea :)

Q: Can you take walks around the neighborhood?
A: Yes.  But, we do it SOOOOO much more than car-crazy America.  When we spent six months in the States I missed my stroller.  Sure, I still used it, but not nearly as much as I do in  China.  And I love all the walking.  I love being outside, I (mostly) love all the interaction with the neighbors and living in this kind of community.

Q: Do you have a dishwasher?
A: Yes.  But, it's a person!  And I LOVE having help.  Xiao Ren blesses my socks off with hours of dishwashing (four days a week!) and mopping and all kinds of other sweet ways she serves us. 

So, here's the one for today.

Q: Do you have neighborhood swimming pools?
A: Yes. But :)

The city we now live in has super fun hot and humid summers.  Call me crazy but I grew up in the south and it just feels like home :)  So there are two pools within short walking distance of our apartment.  One is still water-less, and I'm not sure if they plan on opening because honestly, if you haven't opened by July 1 then what's the point?

But the second is such a treat!  (though the walk there is yucky and usually leaves me stressed out).

One corner of the pool has a sloped entry that is paved with little brown stones and mimics the look of a beach.  I think it looks really cool and it's perfect for easy wading 

and head dunking :)

The sloped entry disappears into the deeper blue-tiled section of the pool where we love to swim.  Usually by the time I've gotten everyone to the pool I'm drenched in sweat and ready to get in the cool water! 

The whole scene looks like this

It's definitely gotten a lot more crowded since elementary schools just let out for the summer.  But it's a big pool and there is plenty of room for everyone.  There is also a separate children's pool area complete with double slide, but I didn't manage any pictures of that.  I did get out early to dry off and snap these few pics of the kids before we came home yesterday.

And it's always worth an attempt at a group shot, right?

So, where's the "but" from my "yes, but.... " answer?

Here are a few quirks:
1. the hours.  Open from 1:30 to 5:30 and then again from 6 to 9 or 9:30 (I guess the closing time is dependent on the whims of the staff that day?).  No pool picnics, no going in the morning hours.  I was hoping for long mornings swimming with pb&j by the pool.  oh well.

2. the lifeguards.  Actually, this is maybe the first time I've ever been to a pool here with lifeguards.  So I'm grateful for that.  But I will say I'm not too impressed.  They smoke.  On duty.  enough said :)

3. the pool/deck design.  It's kind of like an high-intensity bicep workout/obstacle course for a stroller.  I mean, seriously, just who did they think was going to use the pool?

4. the other swimmers.  We white-skinned folks are pretty unique around here.  Yesterday afternoon a little boy in goggles followed us around, swimming under the water to get a real close look at our legs.  It was a little unnerving :)  His curiosity was finally satisfied and he left, but I was loosing my patience by the end! 

So, now I feel understood.  Yes, we have a neighborhood pool.  Yes, we love it.

But.....