Housing Search

Hey everyone,

I found an apartment. The only reason I need a whole blog post for this and not just a Facebook status is because it was such a long a tedious process. 

On Sunday (9/2), I had an apartment viewing in the Northeast side of the city outside of the wall. I liked the location because it is a 10-minute walk from the train station. The landlord was an incredibly nice woman who flattered me by saying I spoke Italian very well. The crazy thing was, the apartment was beautiful and she was willing to give me the keys right then. Because she was on her way to the airport for a two-week business trip in Brazil, I felt the pressure of saying yes on the spot and took the keys. I left the apartment without signing a contract or giving her any money.

The apartment is on via Stalingrado and requires me to cross a bridge to reach the apartment. This had made me a little nervous because there are high-speed cars driving into and out of the city and I was on a tiny sidewalk. Also, there was a sketchy guy that rolled down his window and stared at me from the passenger side of his friend's car. But, I was pleased with having found an apartment and just ignored that.

As the days passed, I realized that I hadn't asked the landlord if there was wifi. This is super important, I don't need to express that to you. So, I texted my roommate and found out that we do NOT in fact have wifi in the apartment. I stressed and walked to the program office and spoke to Danielle (our Student Coordinator) and she said that it was nearly impossible to get internet installed so, I should buy a wifi key for my laptop. The key itself can be about 50-70 euros and then there's a monthly fee of 20 euro. This was just an added expense I was not pleased about. 

While I stressed about not having internet, I received an email about another apartment with a landlord that also did not mind that I am only in Bologna for 4 months. This apartment is on the Southeast side of town and is near Giardini Margherita on via Borgognoni. This park is like a mini-Central Park and is absolutely breath-taking. I saw the apartment yesterday and instantly clicked with the girl who would be my roommate. She told me she couldn't give me an answer until the following evening, so I continued to research the wifi key options.

Then, this afternoon, the hotel clerk asked me about my housing search. The moment I told her about my street, she freaked out and told me it was unsafe and the hotspot for prostitution and drugs. Yeah, I was pretty shocked. At that moment, I thought I really needed to get out of that apartment and wanted the one on via Borgognoni. I emailed Magda, my potential roommate and she informed me that I could have the room! I was so pleased. God really blessed me because I was homeless again for about 30 minutes. But, now I am living near the park and not far from my classes.

Yes, I am on the opposite side of town as the train station, so I might have to take a cab there sometimes, but I have friends living nearby and I am safe. These two weeks have been incredibly intense and nerve-wrecking, but I am pleased to say that God has done it again! I feel blessed. I never doubted that He'd reveal to me what was right for me. I'm just shocked by how explicit my revelation was. He really didn't want me to make the wrong choice.

Anyway, I'll post pictures of my room/apartment/neighborhood after I move in tomorrow at 18:30pm. It is incredibly green and beautiful. I'm so excited to live there for four months.

Ciao for now, amici!