Things Work Out

9.7.07

The last two days have been madness.

On the sixth Alexander and I ventured into the heart of Ahmedabad alone. We hailed a rickshaw near NID and stopped at CG Road, the main thoroughfare that runs through the New City. Our main objective was to see how difficult/stressful it was to travel by without a local by our side. Good news: Although the city can be overwhelming and chaotic, we can definitely manage!!

That night we met Jay for dinner. We were supposed to see several apartments in the evening but Jay’s father called unexpectedly and requested the car. After taking a rickshaw back to NID we ran into a fellow student who had heard of good housing available in the area. She promised she would look into the possibility.

On the morning of September seventh our dreams of an apartment were crushed! The student we had talked to the night before telephoned to tell us the place was no longer available. Furthermore, we learned that it was a two-minute walk from campus and brand-new; we would have been the first to live there. What a heartbreaker!

But wait! At noon she called again to tell us a similar apartment in the same complex would be vacant on the sixteenth! Alexander and I met a broker who showed us the place and we immediately secured a deal. It includes two bedrooms, one drawing room, a bathroom, and a kitchen. We are the second people to live there. The eggshell walls still look brand-new and the shiny floor is unmarred. There is plenty of natural light but we are on the first floor, which will prevent us from getting too hot.

An hour later we met the owner of the complex and went through a detailed contract. The monthly rate is 6,000 rupees ($150) excluding furniture and utilities.

Minutes later we were rushing to the police station to register our new address. Alexander was required to register his permanent address to the Indian Government within two weeks of his arrival and large bribes were to be expected if he exceeded this window of time. A woman from NID accompanied us on our journey, eventually leading us to a small hidden corner on the third floor of the police station. A monotone man interrogated Alexander and instructed him to fill out several countless forms before giving his stamp approval.

What a relief!