I am knocking on all kinds of wood, hoping that I don't pull a "Bush" prematurely declare "Mission Accomplished," (no offense to my mom and our other Republican readers) but it seems as though yesterday we found a house! Sincere thanks to everyone who played "Operation House the McDonnells" from afar. We had a number of strong entries in this year's competition. The happy housing award goes to Lothar Smith, of the Netherlands, a friend of ours from my Fulbright time back in 2003.
It is a whole house, 2 bedrooms, to ourselves in a great location, with a wonderful warm landlady. Luckily for us, she is very choosy about who stays with her (she proudly told us the assistant deputy to the UNDP was just staying with her for the last few months). I am 100% certain that she only said yes because our friend Lothar stayed with her in 2003 and she LOVED him and his wife.
We met with her yesterday and I sort of botched the interview, because I didn't understand what was going on at first. I was used to Antie C's guesthouse where it is sort of all business and no family, so I was talking to her like a potential tenant. She was looking at me as someone who could be sharing her compound for the next few months, and she was interviewing me as family. So I did all sorts of things wrong, like brought up our issue (needing a place to live) too early in the conversation before formalities were done. Then later I asked about rent when she seemed to want to talk more about our families back home and our studies. I forgot to tell her that Terry and I were officially married, sanctioned by God and the state, so she had to ask delicately, "Sooo, its a two bedroom house, would you each be looking to rent a room separately?" Things like that.
But we've seen the place before, the location is right, the price is right, so it seems DREAMY right now. I'm even slowly getting used to the idea of a landlady who might like us like family, rather than bring me in to berate me about how the light bulb burned out. I'm holding my breath to believe it is real for when we move in, but it seems if I can avoid putting my foot in my mouth when we come over in Thursday to officially see the house, we're golden.
Be Wise!
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Well. if I were not the first person to react and congratulate you, even if it might seem premature, then who else should it be.
Maybe my references worked, however the case, it is of course always nice to be told -en public, I think blogs fall into that category- that you're a winner! I'll savour the moment...
..but don't come crying when you've done a 'domestic', as this is undoubtedly what will happen some time... just as if you are once again children fighting your parents for independence!
So just a few free instructions to enjoy things to the max:
1. tell Auntie Rosemary or her niece whenever you leave ("me go-come" generally suffices)
2. respect that there is a time for everything, also quietness. This is usually after 11 PM so no worries. This does not apply by day for the upstairs next door neighbour who likes Michael Jackson like no other (and varies on the theme with Eminem).
3. 'sweep sweep' is the alarm clock, and it can go off quite early.. and you can't stop it!
4. Vanessa is (or was?) the name most often shouted around, although Kwaku -my name there- was also quite popular.
5. defrost the fridge every fortnight as its door closes to one cm at certain places up to 3 cm after 2 weeks due to steady ice formation (now we know where the icecap is...), although maybe she has invested in a new one for the UNDP chap!
The house IS great. And so are your compound members. We still savour the time there for it's many great and interesting moments. I am sure you will do the same. Sociologists are social creatures so you should be able to read the cross-cultural signs well enough.
And of course the warmest regards of Deanne and myself to Auntie and the others!
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