Lately, things haven't been going smoothly for us. For a couple of weeks, we have been looking at houses as our rental contract is ending soon. But it seems like we will be staying here for another year. We have checked many houses, but they are old and expensive... Not to mention the new houses, which we could never afford. I don't want to live in the countryside as it's inconvenient for me since I can't drive. What can I do without shops or kindergartens nearby... I'm not lazy, I could ride a bike, but if it's rainy or hot in the summer, I don't feel like doing it.
The houses we could possibly afford need a lot of renovation. Taiwanese people really don't take care of their homes. Seeing so many houses, we would most likely be asked to take off our shoes. I hate that! The houses are full of dust, and nobody cleans them whether they live there or not. Why do I have to take off my shoes to step into dust, hair, and who knows what else that covers the ground? Even one time when we viewed a house, the family still lived there, and we were asked to take off our shoes again. The house was really messy, and I don't understand why it doesn't bother them to live like this.
Anyway, we found one house that we both agreed would be okay. Then... every time my mother-in-law always needs to check everything. They came and viewed the house, but she thought it was expensive and wanted to talk with the owner herself. Days passed, and the owner didn't respond, and the house was sold out!! It's in the city, a community-style house with a small garden. She knows nothing about Tainan and doesn't understand the prices here at all. It's difficult to find an affordable house like this. I was so angry with her... They have other houses in the same area that are 2-3 million NT more expensive!!
Another time, we went to see another house. Maybe it wasn't as beautiful, but it had the basic things that we needed. Also, the size was bigger than other houses, so it didn't seem too expensive as it was close to a busy area. We both agreed that the house was okay for us. My husband checked all the documents, and everything seemed fine. He signed the agreement documents and paid the fee. The house is on a dead-end road, but there are only about 5 houses in a row, so it's pretty close to the entrance. It turned out that part of the road belongs to several people... I don't understand how a road can belong to people and not the government. Anyway, if they wanted to block the road, they could just do it, and nobody would be able to enter their homes. Luckily, we were able to cancel the contract and get our money back. That wasn't easy, as once you sign the documents, the salespeople don't let you go easily! They are not honest and just want to get rid of bad houses as fast as they can.
Currently, we are having no luck finding a new place. If we didn't have a parking lot issue here, we could keep the rental for another year. But I'm also tired of living in this small apartment. Our son is growing up but doesn't even have a proper room as we store everything in there... It looks more like a storage space than a room, but there is no other place to keep our things, cake boxes, etc. It's crazy how fast houses are selling lately. Are people really that rich...
Also, we were so desperate that we went to a temple to ask God if we could find a house soon. Usually, I don't care about religion and don't want to go to a temple or church, but I just felt annoyed with the current situation. When going to the temple, you need to prepare offerings for God, such as fruits, cookies, or drinks. The amount has to be 3, 5, 7, or 9. Not every fruit is acceptable, but I don't really know the difference. I just remember a few that we could use, such as bananas, oranges, grapes, pineapples, or sugar apples. We placed the offerings on a plate and took several incense sticks. The Mazu Temple in Shanhua has 9 incense burning places (honestly, I don't know what to call them). We visited every enshrined God in the temple and prayed. In the end, we asked God if we could find a house in the near future. Every temple has sticks with words on them, and we took one and checked the drawer to know the answer. Well, it was pretty clear, "don't move," because now is not a good time...
