We Have an Apartment!

Yesterday we went into Aachen (about 50 mins by train) to look at an apartment that was for rent, and today we went in and signed the lease! It was a bit of a surprise; we thought we might just be meeting the landlords and expected they might do some sort of credit/background check but as we sat there talking to them it became clear that they were going to give us this apartment. So here is a little bit about it:

• It is a one bedroom, so a bit smaller than what we had in Tuscaloosa, but we also only brought 5 suitcases of stuff with us, so I don't see size being a problem. When we went to look at it I saw that a crib could definitely fit in the bedroom with the bed.
• It has a built-in kitchen. In Germany, this is NOT STANDARD, and this was a big factor in deciding on this apartment.
• The previous tenants were willing to sell us pretty much all of their furniture, including a refrigerator, for  390 Euros. We were envisioning spending like, 1500 Euros at Ikea, so this was also incredibly helpful.
• It only has a shower. This isn't my preference, but I've had access to a bathtub for the past 5 years and I guess it'll probably save some water.
• It's close to a grocery store and a bunch of other restaurants and things and not too far from the train station.
• It has a hookup for a washing machine, which I think will be indispensable once Scunter gets here (I'm planning on using cloth diapers).

There is really only one downside to this apartment: it's on the top floor. And when I say top, I mean fifth floor. I don't think I need to say there is no elevator. I know that the thought immediately going through everyone's head is How are you going to deal with carrying a baby up all those stairs? or some variation thereupon. To which I say:

I thought a lot about this, and there are so many other benefits to this place that I think I can deal with it. I'll have three months to get used to walking up and down the stairs with groceries and things. Walking and stairs are just a part of life here and I know I can handle it.