I arrived in Rabat at the end of October, and since, I have been fruitlessly searching for an apartment. Now, you might think this task would not be so difficult, but trust me, it has been!
First, you have to decide where to live. In Rabat, there are four main areas: Agdal, Hassan, Centre Ville and the medina. I thought I wanted to live in Hassan, which is centrally located and pretty modern. However, the more I looked, the higher the prices became. So, I ditched that idea. Then, I had a few interesting propositions in Agdal. The cost there was also prohibitive. So, I focused my search in Centre Ville and Medina. This was more than a month ago. Since then, I have seen roughly six apartments. I would like to share a few interesting stories.
The Prostitution Scare
I went with another Fulbrighter to see an apartment in Centre Ville. We arrive at the location which is next to one of my favorite restaurants. A woman meets us there and takes us up to the apartment. The apartment has THE BEST American kitchen that I have seen in Morocco. There is ample counter space, a huge open space kitchen, basically I like the kitchen. There is also a living room and big bedroom. Now, this is where the entire experience goes pear shaped.
The woman explains the rent which is MUCH higher than normal. Then she said that the person renting the apartment would not be allowed to have any guests. Any guests coming over for dinner would have to leave the apartment and could not spend the night. She explains this by stating that she could raise the rent and have rich businessmen use the apartment with prostitutes but that she would prefer to trust Americans. So, rather than having a good trustworthy tenant, she prefers to harass a trustworthy tenant. I basically had to clarify that my job was not as a lady of the night, but as a Fulbrighter. To this day, this encounter still makes me laugh. Clearly, I did not take this apartment.
The Never-ending Visit
The other highlight of the apartment search was a visit with the same Fulbrighter in another area of Centre Ville. This apartment was big enough for two people and in a nice, well lit and modern building. When we arrived, we met the girls who were currently living there as well as their mother, and two younger sisters. Their father came home during our visit and we were immediately invited to stay for juice and tea.
This discussion lasted longer than 3 hours. While the father was very interesting, it was clear that he desired an audience more than conversation partners. We tried on many occasions to depart, but it required a finesse that neither of us had after a three hour spontaneous lecture. Needless to say, this apartment also fell through. Le Sigh.
The Solution
So, having looked at apartments for the last month, I have decided that I will be taking the apartment next door to where I am living. The move in date has been a continuous dance. Hopefully, the apartment will be ready in the (very) near future. I am enjoying spending time with my friends, but I really want to nest and decorate my new abode!
First, you have to decide where to live. In Rabat, there are four main areas: Agdal, Hassan, Centre Ville and the medina. I thought I wanted to live in Hassan, which is centrally located and pretty modern. However, the more I looked, the higher the prices became. So, I ditched that idea. Then, I had a few interesting propositions in Agdal. The cost there was also prohibitive. So, I focused my search in Centre Ville and Medina. This was more than a month ago. Since then, I have seen roughly six apartments. I would like to share a few interesting stories.
The Prostitution Scare
I went with another Fulbrighter to see an apartment in Centre Ville. We arrive at the location which is next to one of my favorite restaurants. A woman meets us there and takes us up to the apartment. The apartment has THE BEST American kitchen that I have seen in Morocco. There is ample counter space, a huge open space kitchen, basically I like the kitchen. There is also a living room and big bedroom. Now, this is where the entire experience goes pear shaped.
The woman explains the rent which is MUCH higher than normal. Then she said that the person renting the apartment would not be allowed to have any guests. Any guests coming over for dinner would have to leave the apartment and could not spend the night. She explains this by stating that she could raise the rent and have rich businessmen use the apartment with prostitutes but that she would prefer to trust Americans. So, rather than having a good trustworthy tenant, she prefers to harass a trustworthy tenant. I basically had to clarify that my job was not as a lady of the night, but as a Fulbrighter. To this day, this encounter still makes me laugh. Clearly, I did not take this apartment.
The Never-ending Visit
The other highlight of the apartment search was a visit with the same Fulbrighter in another area of Centre Ville. This apartment was big enough for two people and in a nice, well lit and modern building. When we arrived, we met the girls who were currently living there as well as their mother, and two younger sisters. Their father came home during our visit and we were immediately invited to stay for juice and tea.
This discussion lasted longer than 3 hours. While the father was very interesting, it was clear that he desired an audience more than conversation partners. We tried on many occasions to depart, but it required a finesse that neither of us had after a three hour spontaneous lecture. Needless to say, this apartment also fell through. Le Sigh.
The Solution
So, having looked at apartments for the last month, I have decided that I will be taking the apartment next door to where I am living. The move in date has been a continuous dance. Hopefully, the apartment will be ready in the (very) near future. I am enjoying spending time with my friends, but I really want to nest and decorate my new abode!
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