Aluga-se Flat

Translation: "Flat for rent"

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After staying for two weeks with my cousin Lisa in her apartment, I rented what in Brazil is called a "flat" (pronounced Flat-chee). Here, a flat is a furnished, long-stay hotel suite, typically with daily maid service. Many buildings that offer flats also rent hotel rooms by the day. I considered staying with Lisa the whole time I'm here (and for cheap), and although she doesn't live that far from GV in distance, it took too long to get to school and then home. Living around the corner now is great, as I can run home betwen classes and have to leave just 5 minutes before they start. Also, most of the other students live in the area around school, which is very centrally located. In addition to this, living in someone's house is tough, and its nice to have personal space. To vacilate on this point, I now have some regrets about not living with Brazilians so that I might get more practice with the language and really feel immersed in it. Also, roomate situations run about R$800, which is less than US$400, so I keep thinking maybe I should move at some point, but I'm pretty happy where I am (in reality I am confused).

I pay R$1800 a month, which at today's exchange rate is US$841. It is a small one-bedroom apartment with a living room, mini office and kitchenette in the main room. It has two single beds in the bedroom (full and queen size beds are rare for some reason in Brazil) and a pull-out sofa in the living room, plus a spin-around chair. The price includes daily maid service, too; I leave my dishes at night and the maid washes them in the morning. It also has cable TV (with lots of good English language channels) and has AC. Electricity is also included. It also has an outdoor swimming pool, a restaurant, a mini gym and a parking spot. I dont use the gym, as it's too limited. I joined a gym nearby, which is R$100 a month, and is open 24 hours. Or when I go running, I don't have to take anything since I can just ask for another key at the front desk. In spite of my misgivings about living alone, I think I will stay here until I leave.

I rented the apartment through a broker. The man who showed them to me drove us in an old, beaten-up Volkswagen bug. It was orange, and the passenger seat was not attached to the floor of the car, so I had to hold on to the handle above the glove compartment as we went up and down the hills.



The front of my building



Google Earth Image of My Apartment - Shows GV, Avenida Paulista (running downward from left to right) and my building.



The bug

More pictures coming soon!