We get so caught up in catching up
Trying to pay the rent trying to make a buck
That don't leave much time for time for us
And ain't life too short for that
This song from Easton Corbin's 2009 debut album hit #1 on the charts. Not exactly earth-shattering stuff, but always good to remember. Still getting adjusted to apartment living in the big city. I got used to being out and about Casa last year, but now I'm actually living within the city limits. The ol' bachelor pad is on the 4th floor of a 6-story building. I've got a roomie, a fellow 2nd-year teacher. The building is in a gritty commercial area filled with similar dwellings. Many colleagues live in the area, and it is very convenient to anything I need.
I know I'll never have a problem finding my way home. Heck, I can do it with my eyes closed. Literally. Oh, you scoff? Well, I have a secret weapon - my nose! You see, if I go to the Carrefour grocery store and then go straight down the street to find my corner to turn at, my corner differs from the handful of others along the way. I start at Rue Ben Habbous, where a couple of friends live, then pass a few more corners that look like any in any other big city. Then, I get to my corner at my street, Rue Al Kadi Bakar...
It's not as much a corner but a place to be used as a public toilet during broad daylight, as I've already seen, and smell, or as a place to catch some Zs, as I saw earlier today in the above photo. If you look closely, you can see the graffiti image of the Monopoly dude. Ok...
We took over the lease from a couple of ladies we work with who moved elsewhere in the city. My roommate was familiar with this place, and when I asked him what it was like, he gave a very detailed description. I didn't give it much thought; I knew it wouldn't be fancy, but that wasn't important. The price was right. Hmmm, maybe I should've given it more of a look. I'm extremely low maintenance, but I was very unpleasantly surprised by a few things.
My apartment on campus last year was spacious and airy; I didn't expect that this time around, but it never crossed my mind that the appliances and the like would be so different. The elevator, and I'm deadly serious, is about 3x4 feet, plus has the remarkably strong odor of mold. The sign in the car rates it for 4 people or 300 kg. 4 skinny Moroccans would have to suck in their bellies to fit in this thing, not that I would advise that. I weigh about 115 kg; my roomie would have to be in the same range. We almost have to grease up to get in at the same time. I just know we are courting disaster when we go up together.
Off the kitchen is the washer. Note I didn't include the word dryer. And this washer ain't exactly heavy-duty - it doesn't come up to my waist...
I should be more positive. At least I still have that ocean view - oh, wait...
At least I go to sleep to the lovely sounds of animals and the waves - oh, wait...
But you never know who you will run into at the KFC...
One of the greatest soccer players on Earth, and Cristiano Ronaldo...
Yup, just another week in the White City. The kiddies invade this week. Living the dream...
And we'll roll with it
Won't think about it too much
Baby let's just go with it
And get out of this ordinary everyday rut
Trying to pay the rent trying to make a buck
That don't leave much time for time for us
And ain't life too short for that
This song from Easton Corbin's 2009 debut album hit #1 on the charts. Not exactly earth-shattering stuff, but always good to remember. Still getting adjusted to apartment living in the big city. I got used to being out and about Casa last year, but now I'm actually living within the city limits. The ol' bachelor pad is on the 4th floor of a 6-story building. I've got a roomie, a fellow 2nd-year teacher. The building is in a gritty commercial area filled with similar dwellings. Many colleagues live in the area, and it is very convenient to anything I need.
I know I'll never have a problem finding my way home. Heck, I can do it with my eyes closed. Literally. Oh, you scoff? Well, I have a secret weapon - my nose! You see, if I go to the Carrefour grocery store and then go straight down the street to find my corner to turn at, my corner differs from the handful of others along the way. I start at Rue Ben Habbous, where a couple of friends live, then pass a few more corners that look like any in any other big city. Then, I get to my corner at my street, Rue Al Kadi Bakar...
It's not as much a corner but a place to be used as a public toilet during broad daylight, as I've already seen, and smell, or as a place to catch some Zs, as I saw earlier today in the above photo. If you look closely, you can see the graffiti image of the Monopoly dude. Ok...
We took over the lease from a couple of ladies we work with who moved elsewhere in the city. My roommate was familiar with this place, and when I asked him what it was like, he gave a very detailed description. I didn't give it much thought; I knew it wouldn't be fancy, but that wasn't important. The price was right. Hmmm, maybe I should've given it more of a look. I'm extremely low maintenance, but I was very unpleasantly surprised by a few things.
My apartment on campus last year was spacious and airy; I didn't expect that this time around, but it never crossed my mind that the appliances and the like would be so different. The elevator, and I'm deadly serious, is about 3x4 feet, plus has the remarkably strong odor of mold. The sign in the car rates it for 4 people or 300 kg. 4 skinny Moroccans would have to suck in their bellies to fit in this thing, not that I would advise that. I weigh about 115 kg; my roomie would have to be in the same range. We almost have to grease up to get in at the same time. I just know we are courting disaster when we go up together.
Off the kitchen is the washer. Note I didn't include the word dryer. And this washer ain't exactly heavy-duty - it doesn't come up to my waist...
I should be more positive. At least I still have that ocean view - oh, wait...
At least I go to sleep to the lovely sounds of animals and the waves - oh, wait...
But you never know who you will run into at the KFC...
Yup, just another week in the White City. The kiddies invade this week. Living the dream...
And we'll roll with it
Won't think about it too much
Baby let's just go with it
And get out of this ordinary everyday rut
I like your story
ReplyDelete