I am watching someone's house in July and then in August I am on a research cruise in Fram Strait, so I really don't need anything until September. Unfortunately, the housing market in Norway is crazy and all the students start University again in mid to late August. Right now this means there is quite a rush on all rental places. Of the more ones I have contacted, two have contacted me back saying that the room was not yet rented out and they would make a list of appointments. Of those, 1 called me back and I went to view it yesterday.
I was supposed to be there at 6, and I was, just. I had planned out the bus route I would take there, and which bus I needed to catch. Then I had a Skype meeting with my supervisor from 4:30 until about 5:30. Of course as my wife is well aware, my meetings with my supervisor can last a bit longer than planned, and so when I was discussing just one more quick thing, I saw my bus pull away from the stop. It was my day off running yesterday, but what choice did I have. I walked-jogged-ran to my appointment.
The room was okay, nothing special, nothing terrible. Just a small room with space for a bed and a desk in a house shared with 4 or 5 other people. A shared bathroom and kitchen and living room area. BUT I would have to take in in July already. So I would pay for two months where I won't use it.
With the housing market the way it is, should I just take it or should I hold out? If I hold out I can use the money I save for the three months I won't have had to pay rent to get a nicer place for the last 4 months. But do I need a nicer place, I really am only looking for somewhere that I can cook, sleep and maybe do some work, and a bit of unwinding and so a shared house could be great. They can also be terrible, if you get the wrong group of people.
The landlord lady said she would contact me today if I made the cut (she had about 8 appointments to view the place last night after I left). Her thoughts were to wait (maybe she didn't like me, but I think she was just being honest). I guess I have to decide soon (maybe).
Part of me wants to wait, I think there should be more options coming open in July with all the students arriving in August. I would like to have something sorted before I go on the research cruise at the beginning of August.
I thought I would share my thoughts on this problem as I am working on it.
Otherwise, life here is good. The mountains/hills, the fjords, the cooler temperatures, the smell of the ocean, all of these agree with me. I have been busy working, lots of meetings, writing some code, and soon I will be spending some time in a freezer processing thin-sections of ice cores. In the Arctic we usually do thick sections, though ours are pretty thin, just not as thin as you can get them in a lab. I will hopefully post a couple pictures for you.
Also it turns out I will be going to back to the Netherlands for a few days. I will have some meetings there and so I will spend two extra days and hopefully see some of my extended family again.
Cheers
Justin
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