Living French: the art of apartment hunting

One thing I have learned recently: I am way too stubborn and picky for my own good. I knew it was going to come and bite me in the bum one day.

I have been here in Strasbourg for two weeks now. I love the city. I love the region. I love the University. I love the new friends I have made. I love the fact that I have a visa that now permits me to stay in France for another two years while studying. Basically, I am very happy to be here.

However, just one thing is putting a damper on my happiness: School started last Monday, and I have yet to find a place to call home.

Currently, I am making the trek from a youth hostel everyday.  I suppose I can’t complain too much because it is cheap and breakfast is included; but it is located out of the city and has its disadvantages.

I suppose it is mainly my fault that I have not yet found an apartment. I came here with very specific wants and was naïve enough to think that they were pretty simple requests that would be easily (and quickly) fulfilled.

• I wanted to have roommates. I picture long, lonely winters in a studio with no envie de sortir.
• I wanted to live with French people specifically. I have lived in France two times previously, and each time I was with non-French roommates. Though I loved my previous roommates, I figured it was time to actually experience living with the French in France.
• I wanted to be not too far from the University. I think it’s a reasonable request, though the amazing tram system does get you places pretty quickly even outside of the center.
• I didn’t want to pay a fortune. Obviously, I am going to be a poor student again and cannot afford to be paying 600 euros a month on a place to live.
• I didn’t want to go through an agency. Though they find some nice places, there is always the finder’s fee which can get pretty pricey.

As I see it, these requests are not too difficult to accommodate.  However, I am getting a little tired after two weeks of visiting weird apartments, calling would-be roommates, and waiting for answers from them after their so-called ‘interview processes’. And, I’m getting a little tired of being told multiple times, « Je suis desolé, c’est déjà loué. »

My only solution is to swallow my pride and be less stubborn and picky. I suppose that living in a studio wouldn’t be too bad, I could always invite people over and cook for them. I suppose that living with other international students would be a good experience as well, anyone who has the will to study abroad has to be pretty cool. I suppose that I could take the tram for a few stops every day or even ride a bike for a little while to get to class.

I suppose that paying a little more for an apartment would work out to be about the same after the money I would get back from CAF (an amazing program that gives you money back on rent!). And, I suppose that paying for an agency to find a great apartment is about the same as paying to live in a hostel for two weeks while I look myself…

So, now that I’m looking on the bright side and trying to change for the better, bring on the apartments!