13 January 2012

The Apartment Hunt

Well, it's officially that time of year where I have to grow up and organize myself a place to live, unless I plan on sleeping under the bridge, which I don't.  Unfortunately, finding a place to live in any German student city is a total bitch right now.  Here's why:

1)  German high school used to go until the 13th grade.  For whatever reason, the German government redid the system so that it now only goes until 12th grade.  That means this year and this year only, the 13th and 12th grades graduate at the same time, and are both looking for apartments.

2)  Germany just ended the mandatory two-year service for guys, army if you felt like blowing shit up, civil if you preferred driving a bus full of old people to and from the nursing home.  That means that the boys this year are not starting two university two years later than the girls.

All in all, there are now three times as many students than normal trying to get into university this year.  Which is a major bitch if you're looking for housing.  All the dorms in Göttingen have a 3-16 month waiting list, which is why I just said, "fuck it, I'm finding an apartment."

But apartments are also super difficult to find, and competitive to get into, because, let's face it, there are eight million people trying to get the same three spots.  So I have been on an intense search this week.  Here is a list of my dream criteria, some of which are more negotiable than others:

--Less than 250 euros a month (317 dollars).
Negotiability:  Would consider going up to 250 euro and 99 cents.
--One to three roommates.
--Mixed gender roommates.  Negotiability:  I could live with all girls.
--Central location.

People I refuse to live with:
--All vegetarians.
--All Baptists.
--All boys.

So those were three ads I did not respond to.

With that being said, I'm emailed my top 10 favorites, and received a response from three, one of which was a "Sorry, we already found someone," one of which was a "Come on Sunday!" that has not yet responded to my, "Ähm...could I come on Monday?" and my favorite of which said, "Come on Monday!"  My favorite is right in the middle of town, 272 dollars a month including heating and internet, two girls and one guy.  I'm off to go check them out first thing Monday, and hopefully by then I'll have gotten a couple other "Come and see us!"s.  However, as frustrating as the 30% response rate is, but as one of my German friends pointed out that this is one situation where it helps to be foreign.  I generate interest before they even meet me, just by virtue of being American.  Yay, I think.

In other news today I met up with an Indian guy and a French girl who live in the area, both of whom were super awesome, and we've already got plans to hang out again. Tomorrow, Other American and I are roadtripping with County Cork and South African Dude to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and possibly the army base as well, seeing as how they're all of about thirty feet from each other.  Not much to see at Bergen-Belsen seeing as how the British burned it down (before the army lived there), but Anne Frank died there, and I think there's a memorial or an exhibit or both. Clearly, exactly the right place to visit with hungover soldiers.  At any rate, I'm sure it'll be an adventure.

Adios!

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