T-22

i finally got my official residency start date - july 1.

i think i also finally found an apartment. after all that searching and stress, i will probably end up taking the apartment that the current resident has. that of course means i cannot bring the pugs with me unless i disguise them as very ugly children.

two things i learned about apartment hunting:
1) ask the waitress at a local restaurant. they are a wealth of information about where to live and where not to live, as well as potential slumlords.
2) if you call about an apartment, and the rent sounds too good to be true, it probably is. i called a place in downtown chilli. the rent was $375. fantastic! however, when asked what was included, the landlord said, "water and sewage. there's a stove and a refrigerator, but if they go out, they go out. that's on you". what the hell? i have never encountered a similar comment from a landlord. ever. does that mean if i have to buy a new stove i get to take it with me when i leave the apartment?