a new apartment

I made a big decision yesterday. I decided to move downtown. I have been thinking about what to do next semester, and I haven't decided yet. But I have decided that I won't teach full time. So, I was talking to a friend about this on our walk from the office home Wednesday evening. She told me that a guy we know had decided not to take an apartment that he already had an agreement on. He was going to pay the deposit and then walk away, but he offered to just pay the deposit (three months rent) and then leave it for me to pay the rest if I wanted it. The rent is very reasonable, about 70 bucks a month, for a two (small) bedroom apartment with a combined living room/kitchen. It's partially furnished (TV, beds, small wardrobes, fridge, washing machine, etc.) and is pretty new. It's also pretty central, but still not far from the university I teach at now, in case I decide to teach one or two classes next semester.

So, I looked at the apartment early yesterday morning and had to make the decision before noon. I decided to just take it. I was a little nervous about making a big decision in such short time, but I feel good about it. I think it would be hard to find another apartment for that price, plus now I don't have to go apartment hunting! It also has a sort of "view" overlooking the nearby military base park. It's much better than overlooking more apartment buildings or a street.

I probably won't move in until the end of the semester, but I don't feel guilty about that because the guy who I am helping out has already paid for the first three months. I can shop for a couch, paint, get new curtains, and then move in slowly. What I am most looking forward to is actually having a kitchen, with countertops and shelves, instead of cooking on a one burner stove that's on a desk on my back porch and washing dishes in a kitchen instead of in my bathroom. And, whether I teach or not, it will help me to have a separate place so I have a school life and a home life where I can study and do other things.

We have the next week off of school! We were going to only have three days, but now we have four days. Since most students wouldn't return for the Friday classes (how crazy is it to come back to school on Friday?), we (the English conversation classes) have rescheduled those classes to meet either on a Saturday or evening of the following week. Yay! A restful week of couch shopping, getting caught up on grading, and some language study time is ahead!