So I am apartment hunting. Again. For those of you who know or remember, I did this once (twice really) but only once where I was really looking, back in March. It took me 3 weeks. Now, I'm at it again. Why you ask? Well, my current apartment, which, based on its furnishings and location is a steal on a relative scale, but is very expensive on a relative Brazilian scale, and is just plain expensive on an absolute scale. Additionally, starting, I believe, mid-November, the price will increase by 50% due to its location. I can not afford this with my current finances. Carnaval, is something entirely different, with apartments in this area going for $2000 for the week. I've already decided that I'll have to move somewhere else for that time, or just go without showering or sleep for the week and stay on the street, or go back to the US if I really have to.
But for now, I am trying to get out of here. Yes, I could wait another month, but then I figure I'm worse off as high season starts since the influx of tourists will crowd the market. Even now I'm not in a very good position.
But, here's the problem, or should I say problems. They all stem from the circumstances of my situation: I am an American, single female, studying music for a relatively short period of time. So, let's say an average Brazil apartment in Salvador for a Brazilian is like 350 reais a month. (Of course this number varies WIDELY depending on where said Brazilian lives. Definately can get up to more like $1000, $1300, and up). Here's why for me, it is not $R 350.
- I need a furnished apartment. I don't have any furniture, and although I could get, say, a mattress to put on the floor, unfurnished apts here are without even fridge and stove, which are too expensive to get. You just get the walls and the floor, and often a built in wardrobe. Needing furnishings raises the price to say $R 470
- I need an apartment on a temporary lease since a) I don't currently plan to be here at least another year, and b) even if I did, I don't have a "fiador" - someone who will vouch for me that I'll pay my rent - just like when you sign a lease in the US you go thru a credit check or have a co-signer. No one will do that for me. This raises the price to say $R 600 for reasons I don't entirely understand. One crazy woman told me that her furnished apt was $650/month, but for temporary leases it was $1500. Wasn't even completely furnished. I actually spent the extra money on my phone card to argue with her and tell her she was crazy. Even if I could have talked some sense into her, I would have no desire to rent from someone like that.
- I am a single, foreign female so I need to be in safer neighborhood so I can get back at night. These neighborhoods are are more expensive. This raises the price to R$ 750.
- I don't have a roommate so I have to pay for the whole thing myself.
- Plus electricity plus gas plus, if i'm luck internet
So, when people say "oh but isn't the cost of living in Brazil cheap?" Yes it CAN be. For Brazilians. For a foreigner on a short-term project who can't rent on a year contract or come up with her own refrigerator, no it really is NOT.
Then there's just a lot of places that are sheer crap. Falling apart, dirty, broken windows, mysterious goo, atrocious smells, lacking cooking utensils. I've seen it all: kitchens so small the refrigerator is in the living room, giant cockroaches, tables the size of quarters, beds and sofas that feel like planks of wood, showers with no hot water, places so small a mouse couldn't turn around, landlords who won't move out all the way but want you to pay full rent while they live there.
I also have to consider that I don't have a car, and due to my project I'm often out late, so i need a place close to transportation, close to a grocery store, close to a laundry mat. Oh, and I HATE noise and can't live in a place where the bedroom window opens out to freakin I-95, esp the way people drive around here, between honking, crazy deisel engined buses with squeaky breaks, and crazy motorcylists with extra loud tailpipes. I'm having an issue where I am now due to the construction outside my window but at least that stops at 6pm (even tho it starts at 7am, even on saturdays)
All this and you can see why I'm so frustrated. AND the US dollar is now valued at 1.79 Reais (it was 2.14 when I arrived in January and in 2004 it was 3). Dumbya Bush is screwing up the economy and really making things difficult for expats everywhere. Idiot. This happened when I was in France too, but not this dramatically.
I saw one apt today that was just such a waste of time (actually several). But this one in particular was a shame. It was in a nice neighborhood, but first of all the guy directed me to it in the worst way, having me walk up some sketchy street in the dark, that was out of the way, no less. Then he opens a door to a favela-esque space with those lil brick houses. The place is like empty except for a pathetic coffee table, and a 4 square foot wall-hinged table thats not on the wall yet. The bed is leaning against the wall, the "kitchen", sans cabinets, drawers, utensils, cookware, or ANYTHING, is really just the back wall of the living room. It had hammock hooks a good 2.5 feet above where anyone in their right mind would put them, apparently so you can see the "view" which was a highway obscured by some palm trees. The bedroom didn't even have a wardrobe (tomorrow, I was assured), light fixtures and outlet covers missing, it was super hot with no fan, no sofa, no tv, no sheets (some people don't like to use sheets, I was informed), no towels, no chairs for the currently non-functional table. Oh and no hot water. None, just cold shower water. Oh, and he wanted $ R600. I'm like DUDE you have really wasted my time. I have no issue with such an arrangement, and was even trying to get one to be more economical, but I know that place should be like $R 300 - $R 400 max, and for 600 (back in march) ive seen places fully furnished steps away from the beach, in tourist areas with landry and grocery store nearby. I saw one that was great except for a questionable location for $650. This guy was off his rocker and I told him that his place was worth about $250 and if he said $400, $450 maybe I'd think about it. (Unlikely). He told me how everything was included- the condominium (there wasn't one) electricity and water - i told him water was always included, and it wouldnt even matter because there was no hot water! (actually in Brazil that's comes under the electric bill since the water is heated electrically but I digress). Anyway I told him again and again of the NICE or at least DECENT places I've seen for that price or a little more. He kept telling me they'd clean the mildew stain and put the table up tomorrow, so he was clearly missing the point. . . . He told me he sold his car to buy the stuff, and how some people charge per person (again irrelevant since it was just me). He brought the price down slightly, but it really didn't matter. No. Hot. Water.
Anyway, I'm considering renting a room in someone's house, host-family like, but I've had bad experiences with host families. Theres something inherently difficult about living IN someone elses house, and a conflict of interests when you are paying someone to provide you with housing and amenities, and sometimes food. Granted it would be good for my Portuguese and it would be oodles cheaper. I haven't ruled it out, but it's not really what I wanted. I would LOVE to have an actual roommate and split a place, but one ad I responded to ultimately featured 2 50-year old men and an empty room (that, if it's up to me, shall stay empty!)
Anyway this is all I've been doing recently. Monday I walked from 1:30 to 9, a total of maybe 5 miles, canvassing Salvador asking about apts - to no avail. And I got caught in the rain as usual, so NOW I'M SICK!! So now I'm SICK and walking around for hours in the heat, or alternately in the cold rain, dressed as if I should be in the heat, SICK! I feel like I have the flu. But I can't rest since I'm STILL looking for an APARTMENT!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I. Am not. Amused.
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