Small Town

I visited Small Town last week for three days to find an apartment and to do some research around the campus and the town.

I saw a bunch of places: two that were very inexpensive (rent-wise), but completely unliveable (I would be depressed if I had to go home to those apartments at the end of each day), three 1-bedroom apartments, and one 3-bedroom house (belonging to one of LAC's profs who will be on sabbatical next year).

One of the apartments was my first choice with respect to the actual apartment (i.e. I really liked the apartment itself), but it was a 15-minute walk from campus and no utilities were included in the rent (in the winter, heat might be as much as $200-300 each month). So, I went with my second choice apartment: rent includes utilities and is literally 2.5 blocks from the campus (I'm so close, in fact, that I can use the campus' wireless internet!). (The third apartment had inexpensive rent, but the landlord creeped me out.)

Seeing the 3-bedroom house turned out well, too. I had originally decided to live with next-to-no-furniture this year. But the prof rented her house to a family with their own furniture. Since she needs a place to store her own furniture and I have an unfurnished apartment, she's loaning a bed, a dresser, a dining room table (with chairs), a couch, and two armchairs to me.

Sweet.

People at the campus and around town were very helpful. Local stores will supply most of my needs (no loose leaf tea to be found, but I'm bringing that from Hometown). And the town is so small that I'll certainly be able to live without a car.

Who knows? I might actually survive living in Small Town until next May.