apartment hunting sucks...

...in December. It's 20 degrees out and I have to run around Haebongchon and Kyungridon looking at garbage apartments. This was fun in DC in May when I had a month to figure out where to move. Not so much when it's freezing and I need to make a decision within 3 days.

So here's the story. My head teacher Hanna informs me on Friday that our new foreign teacher, Michael from Cali, will be joining us at the end of December. And I thinks to myself, where will Mike live??? I HAVES AN IDEA! Why doesn't Mike take my place, this will save BITS the hassle of finding a new place and putting down more key money, and I'll take one for the team and move out. Hanna says she'll run this by Christine, the school Director, and get back to me.

Monday, December 14th, I'm in class and Hanna comes in and tells me I have 350,000 won allowance a month for rent and I need to be out by Dec. 27th. I leave the 24th for a week for Christmas vacation. This gives me exactly 10 days to find a place, pack, and move out.

So I immediately begin searching places and calling realtors. Monday evening I go and check out a place with Simon realty. It was kind of smelly and had waaaay too much lace going on. It was ok but Liz and I decided we could do better. Then after Alejandra (craigslist) shows up an hour and half to meet me [she was at the police station getting finger printed for punching her boyfriend...yeah] she shows me her place. Cheap, good area, fully furnished. Definitely an option.

Tuesday. I have appointments with two more realtors. The first lady shows me a super cheap eh-apartment. It's in the basement and doesn't really have too many redeeming qualities. Apartment 2 is a three bedroom (I'm looking for a two) and it's pretty nice with fridge and washer, but no furniture. Eh pass. I text to see if Alejandra's place is still available. Response: GONE. crap.

Realtor dos. This dude picks me up and says he only has one place in my budget (actually a lot cheaper than my budget) so we're off to go check it out. He drives around. Parks. Runs around looking at numbers. Gets back in the car and drives. We repeat this a few times and he finally gives up and says he can't find the place. ugh seriously?

I'm feeling beat down, stressed, and COLD, so I head for the metro. As I'm walking I notice Itaewon Realty Consulting. I stop in. The woman speaks no English but gets a translator on the phone to find out what I'm looking for. We head out in the cold and she shows me the best place!!!! 3rd floor Kyundridon, roofdeck, wrap around balcony, 2 good sized bedrooms with beds!, cute blue kitchen, cute blue bathroom, and some storage. PERFECT. I totally love it, so now it's up to Liz to check one more place tomorrow (cheaper and fully furnished) and this place and we'll make a decision. Yey to getting out of boring-Bongcheon. Hanna and I were laughing at how lame Bongcheon is today at work.

Now I won't have to move out on the weekends, just commute 40 minutes back and forth all week :) I'd rather commute to work than to the bars...