Apartment: Chapter 1

 

In 2008, a woman in Muisne gave me the best advice I ever received about living in Ecuador. She said that if you want anything-- anything-- tell 10 people. Just mention it. Relationships are serious business here. Each person will direct you to another. Many will make several phone calls on your behalf. If you have the patience to weave this confusing web of acquaintances, you're bound to get what you want by person #10.

That said, I'm renting an apartment from my friend's student's mother's cousin's ex-husband. The apartment was not only unlisted, but not even for rent. It has sat empty for years. After some coercing from the chain of aforementioned people, this man decided he is comfortable renting to someone he "knows" (yes, our 5 degrees of separation constitutes "knowing") and who will, in his assessment, "not steal and not have children." Glad I fit the bill.

My apartment came with hot running water, gas, and a full kitchen. But no furniture. Thanks to the generosity of Ambatenos and "rule of 10", I have acquired the basics: a bed, blankets/sheets, a few little tables, a chair or two, some pots/pans. My rent is cheap enough to purchase other necessities as the weeks wear on. But why did I want it, really? The view. I'm on the top floor at the top of a hill, I have a private terrace area, and my kitchen is almost completely windows. I can see most of the city, and at night, it's really quite stunning. I'm also in a quiet/safe neighborhood, close to bus routes, and a couple blocks from my adoptive family. And I have a guest bedroom with your name on it.

The first two photos are outside. A note about picture 2: that's not my bathroom, but my throne-- a toilet from a bathroom that was never finished. People often run out of money and stop building partway through projects. The kitchen is split off from the rest of the apartment, so I have two outside doors. Photo 3 is the kitchen. More photos to come when my internet is not so painfully slow.