My First Month Away From Home

Summary

A recent graduate faces challenges while transitioning to independent living in a new state, including finding suitable housing.

Abstract

After completing university, the author moved to a different state for a new job, marking the first time living away from home. Initially staying with a friend, the author found the living conditions and distance from work to be less than ideal. Seeking a closer and more comfortable living situation, the author relied on acquaintances to find a temporary place with a female friend of a music producer from their hometown. The search for a permanent apartment proved difficult, with the author having to consider factors like security, accessibility, and utilities. Despite promises from a landlady to complete an unfinished apartment, the author ended up painting the place themselves to meet a self-imposed deadline to move out of the temporary housing. The experience of living alone and handling these challenges is the first in a series of monthly experiences the author plans to share.

Opinions

The author expresses dis

Being An Adult Hasn’t Being The Easiest

I graduated from university at the beginning of last year. I got a job in another state. This was the first time in my life that I had ever had to travel out of my state and live all by myself.

When I first came here, I lived with a friend for about 2weeks. I wasn’t too comfortable with the living condition at her place. Also, her place was a 3 hours drive to my workplace, so I had to look for an alternative. All the people I knew here were guys. I wasn’t comfortable with the thought of living with a guy so I had to make a few calls. I pleaded with them to talk to their female friends on my behalf. I needed a place closer to my workplace where I can stay for about 2 more weeks while I looked for a place to rent.

One of the guys — my music producer from back home talked to one of his friends and she said I could stay with her. Once she called me and gave me directions to her place, I immediately called an Uber and moved there.

When I got to her place, I noticed she was living in a small self-contained apartment. It meant a lot to me that she let me share her small space. While I stayed there, I looked for an apartment.

It wasn’t easy finding an apartment. especially in a place that was new to me. Besides, in my country, there are some vital things to look out for when searching for an apartment. Things like security, good road — in case of flood, constant power supply and water supply. But because I was in such a hurry so I won’t exceed the time I promised to spend at the nice lady’s house, I was desperate.

I stayed with her for about a week and by the 2nd week, I got a house agent who took me to see a one-bedroom apartment. The apartment was quite close to my office so I was eager to rent it. It was a new two-story building that wasn’t yet completed. The roof of the top floor wasn’t yet installed, so the owner of the property was only renting out the ground floor. The house had not been painted either. Some doors in the apartment weren’t there — like the kitchen door and the room door. The landlady assured me she’d do all that once I made the payments. I believed her so I paid for the apartment.

A week after I had made the payment, the house still remained unpainted, the doors were still not fixed. I was getting impatient. I knew I had to do something fast. I told the nice lady I was only staying in her house for 2 weeks and this was my second week. I knew I had to move as soon as possible.

I called the landlady and asked why she still hadn’t put the house in order, and she gave me some silly excuses. She even pleaded with me to use my money to paint the place, she was going to refund me when she got money. I knew it was pointless asking what she had done with the money I paid her so I didn’t.

By the weekend, I went to get some buckets of paints and painted the entire apartment myself. By Sunday afternoon, I thanked the nice lady whose apartment I had been for the past 2 weeks. Then I moved into my apartment. I thought all was well and good until the raining season began the following month.

Please stay tuned for the next article: My Second Month Away From Home

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