A Longer Update

Ok, so here's a better update:

1. The apartment. It's not in the best condition, it's old. And it's one of those paint jobs where they just slather layer after layer after layer of heavy paint over e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. The door knobs are all hanging on by a thread and a couple outlets don't work! BUT, it is very spacious. We have a studio, but it has a dining room and a dressing room...and a basement. I know, weird, huh? A basement in an apartment, and it's the size of the entire apartment! I love the space. There's nothing in it. We need furniture. But anyway, the neighborhood is good, it's on campus. It's a 30 minute walk to downtown, and we walk there all the time. The walk back sucks because it's up hill.

2. My neighbors. They're awesome. On my left there's C&M, a 3-years married couple in which the wife is white and the husband is mexican. Last night we had dinner at their place - tacos. OMG they were good! C (the wife) is in my program, her husband is looking for a job and wants to start an accelerated BSN program in the spring. On our right there's N&A, a 5-years married black couple. N (the wife) is in Family Health (one year ahead of me) and A is 2nd year law. Both graduated from an HBCU. It was heaven to see brown people, and they felt the same. We ate dinner over their house Sunday night (chinese) and played Spades! I love my neighbors. There are A LOT of kids in these apartments and a playground between each building, but it's a great thing!

3. The city. Man we need a car. Everything is far. You can't walk to a grocery store (thank god for peapod.com) or a shopping center (ie Walmart, Target, Ikea). Everything around the school is specialized. So, if you want shoes, you gotta go to a shoe store. If you want a sandwich, you gotta go to a deli. There's no "getting it all in one place." People are stuck on Tradder Joe's...it took me three days to get to a real grocery store! It's quaint. We al can imagine what the school looks like (I mean how different is one ivy from the next?) but the city is definitely black. It's amazing how if you step one blcok off the school grounds, the atmosphere changes drastically. And sad, too.

4. Us. He has been offered a job already but he didn't take it because it was not the best, or even a good, offer. He has another interview tomorrow. Wish us luck. I am ready for school to start and my house to be furnished. I received one box of books and that helped.

Thats it for now, I'm using the neighbor's computer!