I want the house with the white picket fence…the iconic “American Dream”. Here in South Africa I trade my white picket fence for barbed wire walls, gated parking area and a security system. That is my South African “dream” of a good place to live—security.
My host dad, John, also insisted that I find a place that had security for me, and my car. Especially since cars can be as much of a target for crime as people. As just because a place advertises itself as being in a “safe” area, John says you don’t want to park your car on the side of the road, as it will be a target for a break in or you might just find it won’t be there one day. I didn’t want that since I’d already put him through enough during the car shopping experience to have to do that again! And I trust that John knows what he’s talking about, even though I may not always let him believe that—we truly do have a “father/daughter” type relationship! But, he usually does know what’s best…..shhhh, don’t tell him I said that! (wink, wink).
With all this new knowledge, I found a place to live that met all the security needs and with a wonderful “land lady”, though she doesn’t like that title as she’s only 38. Kim and I have become good friends and she has been a great comfort to me and helped me to transition into my new place, giving me directions to places, suggestions of places to go, introducing me to people and providing me with loads of information about South Africa. This is the place I was meant to be next, as that is what John and Kay did for me, and Kim has picked me up at the next juncture, so to speak.
Finding a place was not so easy though, I have to tell you. It was difficult to find accommodation here in Cape Town for several reasons, and none of them have to do with choosing the place that has the right “décor” to fit your “style”.
In Cape Town there are more people looking for accommodations than there are accommodations. That means that you need to move quickly as places are snapped up quickly. I have a classmate that works for Student Housing on campus and she said there are currently 500 students on the waiting list for university housing. Can you say supply and demand? This has greatly affected the cost of the accommodation around the Cape Town area as well.
While still back in Indiana I was on a website that is often used to find accommodation in Cape Town and had been looking at places just to get a feel for the costs, so I could budget my scholarship money. The prices for accommodation have doubled since I was looking back in October. One of the reasons is the increased demand for the accommodations and the other is that the interest rates on mortgages (bonds here in South Africa) were increased in December and are expected to increase yet again.
So, I found myself looking for accommodations in a price range that was becoming increasingly nonexistent and had to keep raising my budget amount. I was on every website known available that listed accommodations, making appointments, so often to find the place was already rented (letted), or looking at a place with several people at once and you felt it was a competition—which it was actually. It was quite stressful, as there was pressure to make quick decisions and I’m a thinker, so I like to think things through, and this process of finding a place left no time for thinking, you had to act quickly or be left behind with nothing.
But John, Kay and his three daughters, Lindy, Andrea and Caroline all gave me the same great advice and that was not to take something you are not comfortable with, you will know the place when you find it...it has to be right for you. I’m very much a gut feeling person as well, so I thought I would know the place when I saw it, not because of what it “looked” like, but how I “felt” when I was there. As there were places that I visited that I didn’t feel comfortable going to in the day time, so I couldn’t imagine how I would feel staying there? And security was my number one criteria. Coming from small town Indiana where security is not a big concern, this was certainly at the top of my priority list.
But, the clock was ticking. John and Kay were preparing for company and I needed to be finding a place. I had a lead on an apartment to see that would be shared with another person and so I went to see it and was prepared to take it out of desperation, but it didn’t feel quite right for a few reasons. So, when I got back to John and Kay’s I got back on the internet for one last ditch effort to see if there was anything I might find, and there was one place that was new from all the other places I had tried that day, so I SMS’d (text messaged) the person to see if it was still available and if I could come see it before John and I went to the rugby game. She said yes! I asked John if that was okay and he said sure as it was on the way to the stadium. So away we went.
John said it was in a safe place, it had the secure parking, security alarm, plus two Chinese Shar Peis for added security, the flat was clean and the lady, Kim, was so nice, we hit it off immediately. I told her I was going to the game and would get back with her that evening. I got in the car and told John that I really liked it and that I thought this was the place and he said, “What are you waiting for?” So I SMS’d Kim and told her I would take it and that I was still parked outside. She came walking out and laughed and said, “Is this what you Americans do? You could have just buzzed me I would have come down.” I laughed and said, “No we would usually call, but I don’t know how much airtime I have!” And actually, I still wasn’t sure about how the whole “buzzer” system worked, as there were several choices! So, I told her then and there that I would take it and she was thrilled and I was thrilled and it has been a great choice.
Kim told me what she hopes to do with her place here and how she wants to help disadvantaged workers get their education, rent flats to international students and provide cultural experiences for them….she has wonderful goals for this place. And I’m excited to hear about what she has in store for the future and wish her the best and hope that I can be part of it somehow.
Kim and I both believe that everything happens for a reason. So, I’m where I’m supposed to be.
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