both canceled, but i'm not surprised at my boss canceling though. this seems like it goes along with her crazy disheveled personality.
in the morning i went to a new cafe in my barrio. two weeks ago, i saw an "illy coffee" sign in there front window . i'm so happy i stopped in. illy coffee was just how i remembered it. ummmm, and their medialunas were large and didn't have tons of sugar on top (many places drown their medialunas in sugar glaze, each time i see this i think "my poor teeth"). the cafe also had the tv on which helps with my listening skills. i drank my coffee, listened to the tv and studied for an hour. (10 pesos - $2.80) (*exchange rate changed again)
afterward i walked to a volunteer agency. each day the agency has volunteer opportunities that are in a nearby villa or slum. i'd just have to pay 20 pesos for a t-shirt so that the community can identify me and 22 pesos round trip for transportation each time i volunteer. the volunteer opportunities vary. mostly teaching, reading, playing sports, cooking... i'll write more on the organization if i choose to volunteer; which i hope i do.
when i left the volunteer agency, i called a woman who i've been in contact with about renting an apartment. i wasn't far from her place, so i walked over and met with her.
(my current apartment was only temporary. there are two students that normally live here, but they are home on summer vacation from university. they needed someone to live here and watch the cat. they'll return on feb. 27th. i'm starting my search now, knowing it will take awhile)
Apt. #1.
there are more good things about the apartment than bad.
the bad things:
$450 rent a month (which would include: maid, wi-fi, electric, heat, water, gas). the other 'bad' thing (but i may be am being picky) is that the apartment lies in a 'city' part of the city. it doesn't have many trees lining the street and the street is very busy as oppose to where i am now which feels like more of a neighborhood than being 'in' the city.
the good parts:
the roommate is older, a woman and she's argentine / american. she has the apartment nicely decorated. my room would be average size but there is an attached private room that is narrow, which i could use as an 'office'. this room has an amazing view since the apartment is on the top (the 12th floor). the 'office' room has a door that opens up onto a large wrap around balcony, that wraps around to the living room and kitchen area. she owns a small chichiwawa dog. i normally don't like small dogs but he was so adorable. he looked like he had a pit-bull head on a tiny body.
if i start to pick up contract work, the price wouldn't be a problem, it would also be awesome to work in front of a large window that overlooks the city. for now, i should keep looking. this was only my first.
(photo below: all the way on top: would be my office window (right). next to it is the balcony that wraps around the front side of the building)
(photos below: a religious shrine housed in a building 'meter' alcove )
once i came home i headed back out to pay the bills. i'm paying the bills on this apartment and deducting them off my rent since my roommate is out of the country.
you can either pay your bills at a 'bill paying store' (not sure what other services they offer), or you can pay at the grocery store.
i went to the grocery store. i just rip off the bottom portion of the bill, the cashier scans it, i pay her and she gives me a reciept.
while i was in the grocery store i bought a bottle of wine. i was curious to how good the 3.74 pesos bottle tastes ($1.07). a whole bottle of wine for $1.07! it's not bad, but it's not the best i've had. (i'm sure it's somewhere a step or two above 'maddog'). next time i'll go with the $2 bottle.
money spent today
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10 pesos - illy cafe latte & 3 medialunas
3.74 pesos - bottle of wine at the supermarket
7.90 pesos - 3 empanadas
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21.64 pesos ($6.18)
2 comments:
Yill, we hope you can find a way to stay in a barrio with lots of trees and parks. But a view is pretty nice, too. Whatever you do, don't get lost.
yes, i hope to stay in my barrio too! i know that i'm living in a city of 15 million, but i love that it doesn't feel like it, it feels more like a small town with the advantages of the city.
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