Flat, Sweet Flat

Wednesday September 16

Exactly a week ago we were above the clouds flying over the Atlantic Ocean. It’s crazy to think that already a week has gone by in our journey. So much has happened just in these past three days, I’ll try to fill you in.

I’m trying to think if anything exciting has happened to us…

Anything wonderful or awesome…

Something really worth mentioning…

…Really racking my brain here…

oh yeah…

WE FOUND A FLAT!!!! WE HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE!!!!!!

I’m so happy I could wrestle a wildebeest. I’ll tell you the whole story. On Saturday Angela and I were on the World Wide Web for a little while searching for flats. Our #1 mistake we made, both in the states and Thursday and Friday, is that when we were searching for flats we searched all properties (even ones that were put on the market who knows when). Since all the ones we enquired about had been rented, we figured we’d try only enquiring to flats that were placed on the market in the last week. Sweet. We got a solid list of six flats; all reasonably priced and placed within the area.

Monday rolls around, and Angela and I hound these property managements like crazy people. We got a hold of all flats but one, which was at the bottom of the list anyway. We’re able to set up appointments within the next two days (two on Monday afternoon, three on Tuesday). Happiness.

So, we skip school and take a little stroll on to our first viewing. We arrive. It’s on okay neighborhood. Not too noisy. The windows look pretty dirty and so does the building. Another hopeful guy was already waiting outside to view it too. He was a really quiet guy, timid, but you could tell he needed a place bad. It’s those quiet ones you need to watch out for.

We’re chatting for a little bit, nothing big. All of a sudden a taller, hairier man with glasses comes strutting (like he means business) to where we’re standing.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” He says as he throws his hands down. “I just walked all the way from here,” pointing at his little map, “and arrive only to find out that I’m in competition with THREE other people?! This is absolutely ridiculous, don’t you think?”

He turns to me. I’m honestly afraid. I don’t want to answer the question because I think he’d punch me if I said the wrong answer. So, me being Dan The Almighty Brave Warrior…

“Yeah…it’s pretty crazy man.” With my head to the ground. Haha wuss.

He stops and looks. “You’re American? Are you a student?”

“Ye…” He interrupts.

“That’s interesting, me too. I’m from Greece myself. Let me tell you, it’s easy to find a place in Greece. You show up, tell the owner you’d like to live there, and they say ‘cool’ and let you right in. It’s nothing like this pla…”

Blah Blah. The guy talked so much and I think us three just pretended to listen to him because we were afraid to offend him. We couldn’t get a single word in there. He looked like a Greek John Lennon.

The PM (Property Manager) finally comes and lets us in. Not too happy. The kitchen was really small and a tight space, I felt claustrophobic. The shower had mold on the bottom of it. The off-white paint on the walls was falling off. The carpet was dark red and looked like it was ancient and never cleaned. In all, the place was worth what it cost. It was the cheapest property on our list. We give the PM a smile and a handshake and head on our way.

We go straight to the next flat. The most expensive property on our list. After that “unpleasant” experience Angela turns to me and says, “Look, we’ve only got four more on the list. I know this place is pushing our expenses, but if we really like it and can move into it this week, let’s go for it. We can’t afford to sit on a really good one if we find it.”

My babe is so smart. Sheesh. She has saved my life twice since we’ve been here did I tell you that? I still don’t understand which way the cars are coming so I kinda just cross the streets sometimes. She has actually performed the all-theatrical tug-on-the-left-arm technique you see in movies. Afterwards, I turn to her, batter my eyes, and we fall in love and live happily ever after.

Anyways, that’s beside the point.

Arriving to our next flat, we see THREE other people standing outside. I almost feel like acting like a maniac and kicking and screaming so that I can scare them away. Ha but Angela and I just have faith in what the good Lord wants for us.

Chris, the PM, shows up. Really nice, well dressed, good looking guy with a lot of charisma…Mr. Lady’s Man. He opens the door to the flat…and…

Que the choir…

HALLELUJA! HALLELUJA! HALLELUJA! HALLELUJA! HALLELUJA!

It was absolutely beautiful. When Angela and I were at home and imagining what our flat would look like, it looked exactly like this. We turn to each other, “This is it” was barely whisper out of our mouths. We practically run over to Chris and tell him we’re interested and get all the details.

“That’s great! I’m glad you’re both happy with it. I understand you two are students and need a place pretty badly. If it were up to me I’d give it to you. I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you stop by the office right now, pay the holding fee (to take the flat off the market), and I’ll have a word with the landlord and try to get you guys in.”

“Chris…that sounds great man we’ll do that right away. Thank you so much. Just real quick…where’s the office and when can we move in if we get it?”

He looks as excited as we do. “The office is about a minute away from the Meadows (a really big park that was quite-a-ways from where we were), and you can move in as soon as next Monday.”

Monday? Oh no…that sucks. This means we’ll have to extend our stay at this temporary place and who knows how much money that’ll be. I think we knew it’d be worth it though.

“Oh dang the Meadows are pretty far, I don’t think we’ll be able to make it to the office before five…is there anything else we can do?” We sounded a little desperate, I’m sure.

“Em, yeah. You can go to and Bank of Scotland, give them this account number, place £400 pounds into that account, and you should be set.”

Angela and I roadrunner out of there like there’s no tomorrow.

Unfortunately, my left foot has been bothering the heck out of me since Sunday. Angela took a look at it yesterday and noticed the top of my foot was a little swollen. “You definitely strained something…does this hurt?” She pulls and pushes my toes. “YEP!” She laughs, “Yeah, you strained something alright.”

Of course, on Monday I didn’t know it was strained. So we’re speed walking and looking for a Bank of Scotland and burning cals at the same time. We’re passing street by street, and business by business and no dice. My foot is killing me and I want to amputate it. We pass a clock…4:50. Ten minutes! She starts walking faster, leaving me behind because I’m really hurting. I can see her in the distance, but she’s too far to hear me. Casually, I turn to my left to see what I can see, and what do my eyes behold? A Bank of Scotland. Angela must have been walking so fast she walked right past it. Funny how God works in mysterious ways. I’ve He hadn’t put me in excruciating pain, we would’ve completely missed it. Thanks God.

We walk in with literally a minute to spare, pay the fee, and BAM…we’re golden. The flat is officially off the market, and on our way to be ours.

The next day Chris would call us and tell us the good news. We were approved for the flat, it was ours. I was so happy I could’ve kissed him. He gave us all the details and told us he was able to speed up the move in date, since he knew our situation. We’d be moving in this Friday now. Perfect.

These past three days couldn’t have been better.

We had our first class, which we’re really looking forward to. They’re going to take us on three field trips (Edinburgh Castle, a whisky distillery, and a few other places). Also, on Tuesday we met up with these two girls (one from El Paso, the other from Las Cruces) and had some mean sushi. It was delightful, superb, and exquisite and so was the company. Things are really looking up for us and we thank God because we can feel him guiding us. We’d definitely be lost without Him.

Cheers,

Angela and Dan