Settling in, but not settling for second best

So, we aren't settled in, because we had to find a place once we got here. Before we could do that we needed a bank account and for both of those, we needed Michelle's work contract. So the first couple of days we got phones, looked for apartments, and got to know the city and then embarked on getting all of Michelle's necessary paperwork in order to get her work contract. We went to meetings, got to know the other people teaching in the city, and ate lots of Spanish food.

We got her work contract two days ago, and some friends of ours (two teachers, Troy and Joey and Joey's wife Heather) found a place. Another friend of ours, Jorge (we met him at church on Sunday) talked to his parents and they are letting us rent a room in their house until we found a place.

So once Michelle got her national ID number, we set up a local bank account, so her school can just pay her by direct deposit. And we got her contract, so yesterday we started calling people advertising on a real estate website about available apartments. Here comes the miracle.

Yesterday afternoon, we got an appointment to go see an apartment that night. We called 8-9 that matched what we were looking for, and found one that wasn't taken, not available yet, and the landlord was in town to show it. We went and looked at it and it was ok. It felt a little cramped, the location was close, but not ideal, the furniture was newer, but the decorations were a little odd (nude statue lamp, painted close up of the fingers from the Sistine Chapel complete with painted cracks, etc), the Kitchen was large, but not very nice. On the whole it was okay. 6/10. Michelle was really excited that we found a place that had enough room, was in our price range, and was available immediately. With some rearranging it could be pretty great. It reminded us somewhat of our last apartment before we moved in. It had potential, but I felt apprehensive about it for some reason.

That night, we came home and prayed about it. Michelle said that she felt okay about it, but not like it was "the one" or anything. Just that it would work if we wanted it. I had felt a similar impression. But I wondered why I was so apprehensive. I think I felt that we could find something better for the money. I also felt impressed to look on the website again. By this time it was really late and we needed to go to sleep, but I did anyway. After putting in all of our parameters, the first one to pop up was one I hadn't seen yet. Turns out it was posted at 6:45 that night. We had left after calling around at about 4:30. And had been out all evening. Most people advertising said to call them in the afternoon or evening. Spaniards don't do much in the mornings. Well, this lady said mornings worked best for her.

So we woke up at about 8:45 and called her. She was available and Michelle set up an appointment for 9:15 that same morning!! Most people needed way more time than that. We got dressed and hurried out the door. It was about a 5 minute walk from where we were staying and is only two blocks from Troy, Joey, and Heather's new apartment. We met Manuella, the lady renting it out, and took a fifteen minute tour. Michelle and I like it very much. It was about as furnished as the other one, was less cramped, and had a brand new, never before used, more spacious kitchen. It was just what we wanted and all for €100 less a month. There was no apprehension and after I took a couple minutes and prayed about it while Michelle spoke with Manuella, we told her we'd take it. It was a good thing too, because we spoke to her this afternoon and she said that a TON of people had been calling about it and she just said, "Sorry, it's taken." They will clean it all this weekend and we can move in Tuesday.

We are very blessed and both very grateful.

Michelle is remembering her Spanish very well and both of us are learning quite quickly.

The weather here is hot and very humid. Also, being closer to the equator makes the sun soooooo much hotter, because it is all concentrated more instead of spread out over the earth's surface. We sweat all day and Michelle had to snuggle with a cold water bottle instead of me in order to fall asleep a night.

Hollis