2007年11月17日

City Home in Rachada: My new resident palce in Bangkok

Finally, with the help from Serena, I find a nice apartment to stay. Although, it still over my budget a little and not so near to the Phayaithai Campus. But, it's nice, clean, safe (I hope), convenient and also with whole furniture.

Passing alone the lane and cross the road there's a Robinsen Department Store, Carrefour,
Jasco (like the Tesco in Taiwan) and also a luxury Department Store with California Gym. And it take around five mins to the Thai Culture Centre which is almost like the National Music Hall and Theatre. And there's MRT(subway) that I can take.

Ok, the following pictures are my new community and my apartment. And because I will move tomorrow, and I'm afraid that I won't have internet for one or two days, so I hope you can see it first. After I moved in, I'll put other pics for you.


The Gate of Community: City Home


Swimming pool in the community



Sense of the Community


The scanner of finger print to entre the building (totally against Serena's and my position to this point, but unfortunately, we don't have a choice.)







My Room and the view


Restaurant under my building


Small convenient store in the community


And we also have an internet cafe in the community

2007年11月11日

曼谷居大不易

從來沒想過在曼谷找房子這麼困難。連續看了一個禮拜的房子已經折磨我心性到失去耐心的地步。(是的,我失去耐性了)(尖叫)差點導致我不理性的走進Siam那邊的購物商場準備瘋狂大肆血拼一番。不過最後還是在「既然都沒錢租房子怎麼還有錢血拼」的理智下阻止了自己。(你看,我真的瘋了,這根本不是平常的我)

Timo說的好,it's not hard to find one. Clean or nice or safe not complex or not too expensive. But if these conditions are combined together then it will become a difficult job.

更沒想過曼谷的房價比台北還要貴。一間好一點的套房隨隨便變都要上萬。是的是套房,沒有客廳就是單純房間的套房,在某些地段都要上萬元。當然,這也有可能是因為我都延著BTS(Sky Train)的沿路找,但是當我開始往巷弄走,裡面的公寓也要這個價錢時,我不禁開始對自己產生懷疑。

我在曼谷嗎?我在泰國嗎?
但是我吃一碗麵還是20或25Baht,在學校中餐也是差不多這個價錢。一瓶礦泉水7Baht。
那究竟房價跟物價怎麼有這麼大的落差?

今天跟Serena一起去看房子,最後我們的結論是,這房價是被西方人給養壞胃口的。如果他在紐約,再簡單的一間房子都要上千美金。即使他不住紐約,房價也絕對比現在的曼谷還要貴出許多。所以,這些西方人當然不會覺得這樣的價錢太貴,他們也幾乎不殺價。所以,如果我們看的都是這類要租給外國人跟泰國中產階級的地方,當然就是這個價錢。

我又好奇了,到底住這些地方的泰國人做些甚麼職業呢?

但是更深的反省還是來自於自己。
究竟我是不是因為無法放下否些台灣人或外國人的身段,所以當我看到那些三四千的房子時,頓時又覺得左右鄰居非常的複雜,根本無法放心自己住在那樣的環境。但是我在台北也住過夜市旁啊,朋友住在三重很亂的地方我也不覺得有多恐怖。
這一定是我太過中產的偏見!(或者我心裡其實還是覺得都是泰國人的地方很複雜)

我問Serena說,是我太中產嗎?她說,你本來就很中產!我說,你這個一個月住一萬七的女人還要說我!然後兩個姊妹就又在大街上笑笑鬧鬧的走下去。

但是我還是不敢一開始就住在很locoal的地方,語言是個大問題。至少稍微貴一點的地方,樓下門房或者房東英文都還可以略為溝通。萬一出了什麼問題,可能也不會到雞同鴨講的地步。至少我是這麼說服自己,還有這一點是比階級更重要的喔。(心虛)

唉,我只能說曼谷居大不易。(看來要再去拜四面佛了)