I need to find a new Apartment!
I had intended to set up this blog when we first left England and write about our travels, but lack of time, exhaustion and irregular internet access worked against me. It wasn’t until we reached the States that I was finally able to get it up and running.
So instead writing about our travels as we go, the focus has changed a bit. We have decided to spend six months living in Mexico and I want to write about our experiences, ups and downs and reflections as we settle into the Latin American chapter of our trip.
The first trial and tribulation has already occurred, not two weeks into our stay. I arranged to rent a room in Mexico City and not knowing anything about the city or the area the apartment was located in took a leap of faith. It worked out wonderfully, it is not in a touristy area nor one with many attractions but it is in an authentic working class Colonia (suburb), with great local taquerias and shops. Ana, who you have seen in photographs in previous posts, is also our landlady, told us we could stay as long as we wanted, which is fantastic as we have a nice room, a lovely apartment to share and the longer we’ve stayed the more I have liked the area and loved Mexico City.
Monday started out as a great day for us. The biggest hurdle we have not been able to overcome satisfactorily while travelling has been the social aspect for children and the lack of regular contact with other children. We had gone to the supermarket and as we were walking back we passed a large hall full of children doing activities. We didn’t know what it was or what was going on but I went in and asked for more information. It turned out it was a summer day camp for kids and Katie was told she could start right away. It was such a relief and it was amazing to see her running around and make a paper mache turtle. She has been so happy and excited ever since. It is from Mondays to Fridays and runs for the next four weeks. Fantastic!
Also on Monday I posted an advert for an English language group and got a great response. I was so excited and positive about everything and felt like everything was going my way and things couldn’t get much better. Then that evening Ana came home and said her mother has to have an operation to remove cataracts and wouldn’t be able to live alone while she recuperated so she was moving in to the apartment and we would have to find somewhere else to live.
I asked when she wanted us out by but she said she didn’t know and would know more the following day but when I asked her for part of the money back that I had paid for the next months rent she said we could stay till the end of the month.
I have been looking and asking around but haven’t found anything yet and Ana asks me about my progress every evening. At times she makes it sound like she wants us out as soon as possible and then another time she said the operation wouldn’t be for another few weeks anyway.
We were put in touch with a landlord who rents out rooms today but when we went down he told us he had nothing available. Then this afternoon we went to look at another apartment in a completely different part of town.
Still been having a really good time here and though this is a huge disappointment as we really like the apartment and Ana, and it’s really in a convenient area, I am sure the closing of this door is the opening of a much better one.
I really haven’t done much the past few days, trying to find alternate accommodation has been taking up all my energies and focus, but tomorrow the summer camp is going on a big outing and I am going along and then on Friday I am going to check out Frida Kahlos’ old house that has been turned into a museum and gallery of her work while Katie is at camp, unless anything to do with accommodation hunting comes up.
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Tags: katie, Mexico City, Socialisation, Summer Camp
