A Deluxe Apartment in the Sky

I am just days away from moving into my new dar! Today a woman from Peace Corps came and gave me the go-ahead to move in. Before that happens, the water needs to be turned on and the sink needs to be reattached to the wall in the bathroom. I also need to buy a fridge if I intend on eating when I move in. Right now I don't care if I have to live off of crackers and water, I'll do whatever it takes!

The house is exactly what I imagined myself living in. It is very centrally located on the main road and only a few steps away from the taxi stand. It is on the second floor above a bakery. The smell of cookies is not too overpowering - more like one of those cookie-scented candles. And a warm croissant breakfast will only be a trip down the stairs! Inside the house there are two rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. The entire house has beautiful Moroccan tiling on the walls. The bathroom has a Turkish toilet, but I can overlook that because my MulDar (House Owner) installed a shower for me and will soon install a sink. Because of this, I splurged and made a very expensive purchase: an electric water heater. And that of course means HOT SHOWERS! The kitchen is average-sized with plenty of countertop space, but only one electrical outlet, so the MulDar is rerouting another one into the room. Both the bedroom and the salon (living room) have balconies! This is really uncommon and I couldn’t be happier because that means I will have plenty of sunshine lighting up my house. The balcony in the bedroom is smaller with only a guardrail. The bedroom also has a window. The salon has the big balcony with double doors and enough space to place a few chairs, plants, and a grill on. I plan on grilling out a lot. Also, I am going to start gardening and maybe grow some herbs. Standing on the balcony, I can look directly across the street to the Neddi Niswi, the women’s center I work at. I joked around with my Moudir that if there’s ever a time I’m not felling well, I could just wave at them and yell, “I’m too sick today!”

There is a staircase to the roof, which is huge and completely private. I told Megan I am going to buy some hand weights and run laps around the roof pumping my arms above my head while listening to my music…and I’ll add while wearing a swimsuit. That’s how private it is.

So, this week I will slowly move my things into the house and on Sunday I will buy my fridge. I was planning on buying a fridge in town but there are not any smaller ones available and the price is much too high. So, that means I need to go out of town to find a better deal, but because I can only travel on Sunday-Monday I need to wait until Sunday. Do-able. That’s only five days away.

I can’t believe how incredibly lucky I have been finding things to furnish my house with. I need to give a huge thank you to Reema, a former PCV who donated most of her belongings to me. From her, I got an oven/stove, three couches, a table, pillows, and tons of kitchenware. Thank you, Reema! My host mom is giving me some of her old plates and things and the rest I needed I bought last weekend at the souk. The only thing I can think of needing now is a dresser or something to keep my clothes in. And maybe a bookshelf.

So, think of me on Sunday and know that I will be dancing around my OWN house with the biggest smile on my face. Frhana Bzaf!!

30 January 2007