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The apartment that almost wasn't
7 Nov 2012 08:01 pmI really thought I shot myself in the foot with my announcement about "all going as it should" and the flat being ours.
We arrived at the apartment at 1:30 to sign the papers...and walked in on someone else doing a visit.
The owner said the other guy had priority because, two weeks ago, he said that he wanted the apartment. However, he went overseas and she was unable to contact him. So, she was in a quandary about what to do. According to her, she had given him her word first. He had dibs.
Julien begged and begged her to change her mind. And then he was struck by brilliant inspiration. He told the owner than we had already showed S her room and told her it was hers and she would be sleeping in it and growing up in it. That swung things in our favor. In Egypt, the kid is king.
The "other guy," a Canadian, came out into the hall where we were and said he was leaving, that he hated scenes like that. We thanked him profusely, shook hands, and then went to sign the contract for the apartment after all.
The apartment which ROCKS, I might add. Of course, there are little problems, but in Egypt, the perfect apartment does not exist. Not unless you rent for around $4K per month. And maybe not even then.
We are still waiting on the net, but we aren't missing it too much because we have so much cleaning to do. We are shipping some stuff over from France, but we have to wait for Julien to get his long-term visa first to facilitate the arrival of our belongings.
In the meantime, life in Egypt will start to take on a normal rhythm and then I hope to start bringing you glimpses.
Until then, be good and be well, friends.
We arrived at the apartment at 1:30 to sign the papers...and walked in on someone else doing a visit.
The owner said the other guy had priority because, two weeks ago, he said that he wanted the apartment. However, he went overseas and she was unable to contact him. So, she was in a quandary about what to do. According to her, she had given him her word first. He had dibs.
Julien begged and begged her to change her mind. And then he was struck by brilliant inspiration. He told the owner than we had already showed S her room and told her it was hers and she would be sleeping in it and growing up in it. That swung things in our favor. In Egypt, the kid is king.
The "other guy," a Canadian, came out into the hall where we were and said he was leaving, that he hated scenes like that. We thanked him profusely, shook hands, and then went to sign the contract for the apartment after all.
The apartment which ROCKS, I might add. Of course, there are little problems, but in Egypt, the perfect apartment does not exist. Not unless you rent for around $4K per month. And maybe not even then.
We are still waiting on the net, but we aren't missing it too much because we have so much cleaning to do. We are shipping some stuff over from France, but we have to wait for Julien to get his long-term visa first to facilitate the arrival of our belongings.
In the meantime, life in Egypt will start to take on a normal rhythm and then I hope to start bringing you glimpses.
Until then, be good and be well, friends.