After 5 months of living with host families I finally moved into my own apartment! I am so excited and it feels great to be on my own. This is actually my first time living by myself and I love it so far. I’m not too lonely though, Katie, the other volunteer lives in the apartment upstairs so we see each other all the time.
Katie, my site mate
It was easy to find the apartment because volunteers have been living here for years. The landlords are actually a little, um, selective, as in the only rent to foreigners, probably because they can charge more. A Japanese volunteer moved out just in time for me to move in and left lots of stuff for me. Peace Corps gives each volunteer a settling in allowance of about $250 dollars which is enough to supplement an apartment that already has the basics. Unfortunately many volunteers move into completely empty apartments and often spend their own money to buy a bed, fridge, stove, the basics. I on the other hand got very lucky! I have couches and chairs and tables and a bed and a large fridge and a two burner stove and tons of kitchen supplies.
I came in at a good time because lots of other volunteers were leaving and have passed their stuff on to me. So I will probably buy a blender, a steamer, a garlic press, a mirror and maybe a few other things and still have money left over from my settling in allowance.
There are five apartments in the complex with three of them occupied. Andrea & Bernardo and Robert are Peace Corps volunteers who just left, so now the complex feels a little empty. Robert actually married one of the daughters of the landlords and they lived here together and he extended for two years and has just now gone back to the states with his Honduran wife after living here for 4 years! The landlords have two houses attached and live there with the grandparents, four daughters and their assorted children who are very entertaining.
The complex is about 10 minutes from downtown so that makes it very convenient. It is also very safe (mom, I hope your reading this). There is an outer gate that nobody comes in and the landlords are always here. I feel 100% safe here.
I love being able to cook my own food, although I’m not very creative so I need to work on expanding my repertoire. I love being able to play my music whenever I want. I love being able to have a whole room to work out in and not have people watch me. I love cleaning my apartment and keeping it perfectly organized (yes, I’m neurotic). I love living close to town and being able to walk home for lunch. I love having electricity and running water and a toilet that flushes just about every time. Overall I just love it all (except when the electricity goes out)!
Another perk to living here is the incredibly cute little boy of the landlords. Tommy is two and absolutely adorable and full of energy.
The only downside to moving out of my host family’s house is that I no longer have a washing machine and have to go back to the old fashioned way and wash my clothes in the pila. It is however one of the nicest looking pilas that I have ever seen and they wash it almost every week, so I don’t have to take care of that myself.
The roof is where we hang our clothes to dry and there is a great view of the city.
No comments:
Post a Comment