Back to the uni

The next three days was generally physical. I have to find a place for my permanent accommodation. There were lots of postings at the uni for rooms to let so I took a list of prospects. Close to the uni, so I don't have to take a bus, not too expensive, and will accommodate a couple. Tessie intends to accompany me later so the place should be good for both of us.

Finding a place with such criteria was not easy. Most of the places are targetted for students so a couple is not really what the owners have in mind. Rooms are often very small and a bigger room is expensive. In order to get a room, I have to pay a cash bond worth 4 weeks of rent in advance plus 1 week of rent. Practically, I can't negotiate for a room yet because I don't have the money. But at least I can see the rooms, what typically would it be, furnishings, toilet and bath, kitchen, etc.

At the ISS, there were also postings of accommodations so I went there and found one post that I particularly like. It describes a big furnished room with a queen bed. The room is a bit expensive but I was somewhat eager to move to a new place because, I don't really like my temporary accommodation. So I set an appointment to check the room. There, was also Surryo Anggoro, "Ryo", from Indonesia who was also eyeing on the same post. When I went to the place he came along in case I won't take it, and if he likes it, he will take it.

The room was really big for a bedroom, about 4 x 7 meters. The queen bed is lying in the middle and a fireplace across the opposite side. A bay window on a short side facing the street and two more windows on the adjacent side. There were two wardrobes, a study table a low table with 3 chairs, a cabinet, a personal fridge, a 14" television, designer ceiling and carpet floor. I think it was supposedly the living room converted into a bedroom.

I like the place, but I don't have the money to pay for it. Luckily Jorge, the house owner, agreed to a AU$50 deposit as long as I will pay the full amount that Wednesday. If I won't come on that Wednesday, the deposit will be forfeited and he'll give the room to someone else. Too bad for Ryo, I think he likes the room very much. He was not very unlucky though, because there was also another vacant room decent enough for a student, which he took because he was also desperate to move from his temporary accommodation.

That Wednesday, we were treated by ISS for a Sydney Harbor cruise and meet other international students. Lunch was served aboard the cruise along with champagne and other wines. Too bad they don't server the harder stuffs but the champagne was nice. There I had a chat with new friends like Ravu Frank and Robert Dilu, both from Papua New Guinea, Morris from Taiwan and I think Masilo from South Africa was also there. Also I met fine ladies like Mira Kim from Korea and Arunthia Urmi from Bangladesh. The cruise was nice, even though it was a rainy day (not typical on a summer) but the sea wasn't rough. We cruise past Sydney's signatures, the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. Too bad I don't have a camera and have to ask some shots from Adrian.

I finally got my money that afternoon and paid Jorge the full amount for the rent and bond. At last I have a peace of mind concerning accommodation.

The rest of the week was about orientations to the university, meeting other international students taking the Academic Preparation Program (APP). We had a campus tour, library orientation, academic english diagnostics, coffee meetings and barbeque. I met more nice guys then, as far as I can remember, there was Elsa and Helen from China, Tatsuya and Nami from Japan, Migo, Nugi, Adithya, Endah from Indonesia, Lao (not his real name) from Laos, Helen and Mujinga from different parts of Africa, Tu and Nga from Vietnam. Others I can only remember their faces.