From Here to There, and the Subluxations Between: House Hunters International

So in every immigrant’s new life, there comes the issue of where to live. Here were my options: take the recommendation of the bosses and go for the place that wouldn’t be ready for three weeks OR look around with rental companies who are looking to make their cut. First I tried the rental company, because three weeks in a hotel can add up:

the house i looked at was really neat and in a good location, but the shower is right over the toilet so the bathroom floor would always be wet, and it sort of stinks, the kind of stink that would never go away cuz of the drain pipe. But its right on a really central street lined with trees, with a little "rosario market down below" and a bar just around the corner called 17 cowboys, lots of little pho stands, and tree lined streets. Pleasant. So you walk down this little alley past side stall hair salons and other eateries, past little hanging cages with a songbird each, and then you turn left into another short alley and there are some really tall narrow buildings lining this charming little mini alley. So its got a pretty front gate from floor to about 10 feet high, and it's locked. Beyond is a small courtyard where you could potentially park a motorbike. It turns out to be a "homestay" with the owners living downstairs and two apartments upstairs. The other apartment is an american couple. I'm told the owner speaks good english. There is a maid, and I can probably convince her to do my laundry for cheaps. So you step up to their bottom level, and keep in mind tall and narrow, cuz their house is spread up five levels, with the top two being the apartments. Honestly feels like a tree house. There is a bridge over a tiny pond going into their kitchen. The wood steps are a dark beautiful color, and you climb up to the second level and see a piano and a guitar, and a family room in general. Then its a stair climb, but again, beautiful winding wooden stairs as you pass a wall decorated with adorable regional pots. then you get to the fourth floor, and at the landing you see a door to the left and to the right, both which are locked. The maid flings open the door to the left, and it is a tiny kitchen area with a fridge, cupboards, counter, a hot plate, and a dinky kitchen table. Mona said, I betcha that fridge stinks! The door to the right leads to the living area, opening into a living room with the ratty furniture, go past the tiny bathroom, decent sized bedroom with no mirrors, and a little balcony where you can sit outside. A wall of windows face the stairwell, but there are curtains that can be let down.

all this for 500/month. pros: feels like a birdcage/treehouse, cage within a cage situation due to the fact that you would have to get past the gates and a whole family and my locked doors to get in. Probably the family would look after me a bit, and would potentially have friends upstairs. great location, probably 1 mile to work. cons: less privacy, stinky. and my friend helping me said it might be more embarrassing to bring someone home. thanks. for. that. info. lol.

Option 2: Take this 70 square meters apartment and hope it turns out great. Nice view of a lake, private, down an alley filled with police officers families, so much less chance of crime. Cons: Not as attractive of a neighborhood. 1 mile from work from a less awesome direction. At first the land lady wanted $500/mo, $1500 due upon looking, and $1500 due upon move in, No wash machine. My boss had a nice little chat with her, telling me one must make demands, and got it down to $1350 every three months with a wash machine. When the lady said she was worried about me running off, my boss claimed responsibility for me. She got my back!