So let me just preface this by saying that we live in a great apartment. It is big, high tech, has luxurious features, and is in the “hip” spot according to all the locals. We really do like it. That being said, there are some very . . um. . “quirky” things about it.
For example: our laundry situation. Now we had been told prior to coming to not ship over our American washer and dryer. They would provide us with one over here that worked with the gas hookups, etc. Also, we understood that traditional Korean washers and dryers were of the two in one variety and were much smaller than what we were used to. Logically we assumed that also meant the laundry rooms would be much smaller. After looking at several apartments, including the one we ended up renting, this was definitely the case. We figured that was no problem though since we were going to be supplied with “Korean size” ones.
Well today our provided washer and dryer were delivered. Imagine my surprise to find they were brand spanking new American style front loaders. HUGE. Well it was obviously going to be a tight fit but thank goodness they could be stacked right? Wrong. The Korean deliveryman looked at me like I was crazy when I tried to suggest it (my first thought was that my hand gestures explaining it weren’t translating well) and instead just shrugged and left seeming satisfied with the solution that they both fit in the room but the dryer would block the laundry room door from closing. Not to mention the dryer was perched awkwardly on a little ledge and looked as if it would come flying off and crush me at the first hint of a tumble dry. Needless to say I wasn’t too thrilled.
Then a few hours later another man showed up to hook it up. To his credit he was at least distressed about the inability to shut the laundry room door but seemed flustered as how to correct it. Again I tried to explain the stacking concept and was again given a look of confusion. I ended up resorting to calling my realtor to act as an over –the- phone interpreter. We came to an agreement that he would come back later that evening when the Hubs was home from work to help him rearrange the appliances. I assumed that meant stacking them. Once again I was wrong. He proceed to have Hubs help him juggle the washer and dryer through a complicated movement process (incidentally was very humerus to watch unfold since they didn’t speak the same language). End result? Dryer is now stuck BEHIND the door. Yes, it does give me the ability to shut the laundry door but it also turns changing laundry from the washer to the dryer into a 6 step process and a low grade acrobatic performance (okay I’m exaggerating but it really is ridiculous). Oh, and it is still balanced on the ledge. Although he did take the time to build us a nice little wooden brace to make it a little more stable so the chance of it falling on me is now reduced from 110% to maybe 60%. And he made sure to wrap the laundry door knob thoroughly with bubble wrap since it smacks into the dryer every time the door is opened. Lovely.
Our assessment is that since they just aren’t familiar with American washer and dryers here that the concept of stacking was foreign to them. In any rate, thanks to Ebay we have a stacking kit on order. Now, for the real kicker. Let me show you the end result of “hooking the dryer up”:
Yes, you are seeing that right. Apparently Korean dryers don’t have the same type of exhaust mechanism that American dryers do so there was no exhaust hole to hook it up to. So the "solution" was to build a nice little wire hook to hold the dryer vent out the window while it is in use.
More to follow on that later once I find some other Americans who live here who can confirm or deny if this is in fact considered normal here. . .
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