Mi Casa

When I met my roommates for the first time, I loved them, Silvia ("Javita"), another Silvia ("Lorelai"), Teresa, and Lola (our cat).  Well I didn't like Lola at first actually but she has won me over with her affections.  The photo above is not staged; I was working quietly on my computer and she hopped onto my lap and then climbed up to give me a hug, now a quite frequent occurance.  

All three girls are from smaller towns in the nearby province of Alicante, about an hour away.  Two speak no English and one can speak a little.  Two study law and one marketing, and all are very bright and well-informed.  Already our political discussions have stretched me, in addition to frustrating me a bit as my points must be communicated in Spanish or lost entirely, usually leaving the US in the terrible light in which they have cast it.  

On the day I came to meet them and see the apartment, the four of us sat in the living room and they all looked eagerly at me, wanting to know all about me.  It was the only apartment I visited where I felt I was being considered as a potential friend, not just the person who was going to reduce the rent payments.  The location was ideal, right next to the Plaza Xúquer (pronounced "Sú-ker"), a vibrant area full of students, bars, restaurants, and cafes, well-connected to the rest of the city, and a mere seven minute walk from the university.  There was only one thing causing me to hesitate-they all smoked, like chimneys, and inside.  They were very open about their lack of consideration for non-smokers on my first visit, which I appreciated, though the apartment's smell would have given their secret away regardless.  This worried me, but in the end I liked them and the location too much to pass up.  I couldn't be happier with my decision.

Main street off of which I live

My street, Calle Poeta Artola  (my door is the second overhang on the right)