A Move... Not So Far

I have been searching for a place to live here in Cartagena for the last two weeks, and let me tell you, it has been rough. It is very expensive here and I would really like to have some money from my stipend left over to eat. But the people here are so friendly! I have so many people looking for places for me:

-the secretaries at the undergraduate school and the graduate school
-my friends Luis and Wilson
-my friend Vanessa

-a taxi driver
-a random lawyer that started talking to me on the street one day

-some random kid whose girlfriend's mom might have a place

People are just so eager to help here! It is amazing. Despite their eagerness, I was still left without a place two weeks after arriving in Cartagena. So, the owners of the hotel told me I should just stay here, in a small apartment. I took them up on the offer and moved all of my stuff (which has already multiplied significantly somehow) 20 feet to my new place.

(This is my front door... not like I have a back door or anything.)

It is great. I have the privacy I desire, but I still have a community here (other people live at the hotel as well, and the owners and doormen take very good care of me), I know how to catch the bus from here to everywhere I need to go, and it is right across the street from the ocean. Plus, they make my bed for me everyday and do a bit of tidying. Nice.

And I have a roommate. Well, he's a lizard, and I would actually rather he went away. He keeps turning up randomly right in front of my face or under my hand and it creeps me out. He needs a good name though...



Best, it has a tiny kitchen. I love to cook for myself. Today I went out and bought myself a pot and a pan and it made me so happy! BAD NEWS: No one here has an oven! I guess people just don't bake that much. It makes sense; it is so dang hot why would anyone want to turn on an oven? But, that means, I cannot make pizza. :( Or cookies or brownies or cakes or empanadas or milanesa.... if anyone has any suggestions, or easy recipes for one that require only a stove, I am all ears!
(Oh, how English has some funny phrases!)