In 2012, I moved to Morocco. I lived in an apartment on the campus of the school. It had a view of the ocean, two and a half baths, washer and dryer, and a cockroach infestation.
In 2013, I moved from the school's campus to an apartment in Casablanca. It did not have a view of the ocean. It also did not have cockroaches. I think that is a win.
In 2014, I moved all my things back to the US. Then a month later, I moved to Latvia. I lived in a nicely renovated one-bedroom apartment. It did not have an oven (which to be honest, with my cooking skills...). It was also over-priced, by quite a bit.
In 2015, I moved my things from that apartment to my friend's apartment for a month. Then out of her apartment and into a different apartment in Riga. This apartment did have an oven and a dryer (not very common). It was close to shops, transit, and my friends. I was sharing this apartment with a roommate. Without her, the rent would have been more than my previously over-priced place. So, when she left, I had to as well.
In 2016, I moved my things out of that apartment and into yet another apartment in Riga. This one was closer to downtown. Had an oven, but no dryer. And was a decent monthly price. After moving for the past five years, I decided I was done. I would be staying in this apartment until I left Riga for good. Little did I know just how much this apartment would test that resolve....
When I returned from Michigan in the summer of 2016, my new street was completely ripped up. Instead of living on one of Riga's main roads, I lived on a dirt track. Construction happens, so I wasn't overly concerned. Until I turned the tap and out came brown water. For the next week. I still don't like to drink the water from the tap.
As I began to unpack, I noticed one of the glass shelves in the kitchen was cracked all the way across. The building manager said they would replace it. I returned from school one day to find they had replaced it. They had removed all the glass shelves and replaced it with a medicine cabinet. In the middle of the kitchen. Even better, the door in front of the cabinet only covers 2/3 of the shelves. It's a real classy look...
As I began to unpack, I noticed one of the glass shelves in the kitchen was cracked all the way across. The building manager said they would replace it. I returned from school one day to find they had replaced it. They had removed all the glass shelves and replaced it with a medicine cabinet. In the middle of the kitchen. Even better, the door in front of the cabinet only covers 2/3 of the shelves. It's a real classy look...
When I went to immigration to get my visa, I informed them of my address change. Their response was 'that apartment does not exist.' I assured them it did, as I was living there. But according to their system, apartment 25/2 does not exist. There is a 25. There is a 24 and a 26. But no 25/1 or 25/2. The building manager only speaks Latvian, so I had the HR director from the school call for me and mention this. The solution was to create a new contract that says apartment 25. Does that sound legal? Not really. Is that the first example of shady business related to housing in Riga? Not at all. Either way, I got a visa.
When it got cold, so like October, they turned off the hot water for a day in order to turn on the heat. Heating systems in Riga can be great, or not great at all. In some buildings, they (the city?) decide when the heat comes on and when it goes off again in the spring. The heat got switched on and so did the hot water. Except, it wasn't really hot water anymore. It wasn't even warm water. I got about two warm showers and one hot shower a week. The others were Cold. In October, that was tolerable. In November, it was unpleasant. By December, the idea of taking a shower required serious mental preparation as 85% of the time it ended with shivering and blue lips. I looked for the water heater and quickly discovered it is not in my apartment. Maybe it's in 25/1, who knows! Again, someone called the building manager and her suggestion was to let the water run longer. It only got colder. After a few more calls, something was done, the water was hot, and I was able to wash my hair on a more regular basis!
In January when I returned from Christmas break, I was welcomed home by the popping sound of a light bulb. Of the eight light bulbs in the kitchen/hallway, five were now burnt out. Considering there are only about 7 hours of daylight in January, I figured that needed to be fixed. I also discovered I cannot reach the ceiling. The tallest piece of furniture in my apartment is a kitchen stool. With that fully extended over my head, I am still about 6 inches shy of the ceiling. Thank goodness for tall friends! Since then the remaining bulbs have all popped as well. Including the one in the bathroom which burst all over the floor. And now as I am writing this the living room bulb keeps getting brighter and dimmer....
By my first spring here, I figured the water heater had been tended to, and nearly all the bulbs were replaced so might as well stay. What else could happen, right...
Then, I returned from summer break to find the oven not working. I also saw that there was water on the kitchen floor. When Dennis got here, he messed around with the oven and got that going. He also discovered the washing machine was causing the leak. And getting worse. I had Ita call the building manager who said she was on vacation and would deal with the water leak in a week. I am not a building manager, and I don't really appreciate when non-educators tell me how to my job, but I do feel like a water leak would be an urgent-esque matter. After another phone call or two, the plumber came and Ita got to play translator via the phone for Dennis and the plumber. In the end, I got a new washer. And I also still have the two boards that are completely rotted from the water damage. Who needs to replace that stuff.
Dennis also discovered the shower leaked. A new caulk line and that was settled.
Now, it's November. This past Wednesday morning I crawled out to the living room around 1 am to log into one of my online classes. It's 6pm in Michigan, where everyone else is. So I 'listen' while also resting my eyes. But, on Wednesday I noticed a weird shadow on the carpet. Then realized it wasn't a shadow. It was water. Then I found the pinhole size stream of water following out of the radiator. I grabbed some towels and face-timed Bryan. Thankfully, it was only 7pm there. He coached me through the process of popping the water-filled paint bubble that had formed on the radiator. I had a pan to catch the water and a plan to have Ita call the building manager in the morning. Two hours later, the pan was already full. I emptied it again before leaving at 7:15 figuring I had until 10 at the latest before the second pan was full and flooding.
Ita called the building manager at 8 who promptly ignored the call and emailed to say she couldn't talk. Ita messaged her and explained the situation. She asked if someone would be here to let the plumber in. She has requested this in the past as well. I work 20 minutes outside of the city. She works two floors below my apartment and has a set of keys. Ita explained that was not possible and she would have to do it, to which the building manager said she couldn't because she was recovering from surgery.
That meant that either Ita does all the teaching and translate via phone when the plumbers arrived, or Ita go to my apartment for me. She agreed to that, and I gave her my keys. I fully understand this is a tremendous misuse of a teaching assistant, but I so greatly appreciate her willingness to do all this. She got to the apartment around 9:30 dumped the overflowing pan. Then she let the plumbers in before returning to the school and trading places with me. I left school around 2 to get home and collect my keys before they left.
So now, with a lovely medicine cabinet in my kitchen, new lightbulbs, a new washer, hot and clean water(?), and a new radiator, I am wondering what will be next.
It was nice not having to pack up and move anywhere.
But, now I think I am looking forward to the chance to get out of 25/2.
By my first spring here, I figured the water heater had been tended to, and nearly all the bulbs were replaced so might as well stay. What else could happen, right...
Then, I returned from summer break to find the oven not working. I also saw that there was water on the kitchen floor. When Dennis got here, he messed around with the oven and got that going. He also discovered the washing machine was causing the leak. And getting worse. I had Ita call the building manager who said she was on vacation and would deal with the water leak in a week. I am not a building manager, and I don't really appreciate when non-educators tell me how to my job, but I do feel like a water leak would be an urgent-esque matter. After another phone call or two, the plumber came and Ita got to play translator via the phone for Dennis and the plumber. In the end, I got a new washer. And I also still have the two boards that are completely rotted from the water damage. Who needs to replace that stuff.
Dennis also discovered the shower leaked. A new caulk line and that was settled.
Now, it's November. This past Wednesday morning I crawled out to the living room around 1 am to log into one of my online classes. It's 6pm in Michigan, where everyone else is. So I 'listen' while also resting my eyes. But, on Wednesday I noticed a weird shadow on the carpet. Then realized it wasn't a shadow. It was water. Then I found the pinhole size stream of water following out of the radiator. I grabbed some towels and face-timed Bryan. Thankfully, it was only 7pm there. He coached me through the process of popping the water-filled paint bubble that had formed on the radiator. I had a pan to catch the water and a plan to have Ita call the building manager in the morning. Two hours later, the pan was already full. I emptied it again before leaving at 7:15 figuring I had until 10 at the latest before the second pan was full and flooding.
Ita called the building manager at 8 who promptly ignored the call and emailed to say she couldn't talk. Ita messaged her and explained the situation. She asked if someone would be here to let the plumber in. She has requested this in the past as well. I work 20 minutes outside of the city. She works two floors below my apartment and has a set of keys. Ita explained that was not possible and she would have to do it, to which the building manager said she couldn't because she was recovering from surgery.
That meant that either Ita does all the teaching and translate via phone when the plumbers arrived, or Ita go to my apartment for me. She agreed to that, and I gave her my keys. I fully understand this is a tremendous misuse of a teaching assistant, but I so greatly appreciate her willingness to do all this. She got to the apartment around 9:30 dumped the overflowing pan. Then she let the plumbers in before returning to the school and trading places with me. I left school around 2 to get home and collect my keys before they left.
So now, with a lovely medicine cabinet in my kitchen, new lightbulbs, a new washer, hot and clean water(?), and a new radiator, I am wondering what will be next.
It was nice not having to pack up and move anywhere.
But, now I think I am looking forward to the chance to get out of 25/2.
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