Location, Location, Location

Things have been a little busy on the family front over here, so there hasn’t been much focus on preparations, but we did secure a place to live! I had reached out to someone who had done a Fulbright in BH a couple of years ago and who was a wealth of information. She gave me the name of the people she rented from, one of whom is a professor at the university I’ll be connected to. We had impeccably bad timing in getting back to her with a definitive “we’re interested” because another couple had indicated their interest just days before (we were waylaid with the family front issues) but I pushed the landlord and she gave the other couple a few more days to decide and then came back and offered it to us! So, yay! I’m a bit concerned it’s very small and basic, but it is furnished and the price is right so we’ll just see how it goes. It’s got a double bed, a small sofa and tv, and a kitchenette, with a pantry and oven space in a separate area. There’s also a second, separate bedroom that they rent out separately so we could theoretically rent that if/when people come visit (my mom practically has her plane tickets already!). It’s right between the university and the lake, and around the corner from a messianic Jewish congregation (too bad the synagogue I think we would actually attend is a 40-minute bus adventure away, downtown! but I think I’ll be spending a fair amount of time near there anyway because that seems to be where the public library is). We are very relieved to have that all set!

The other person I was in touch with is the other Fulbrighter who will be in BH. She will be coming with her husband and two kids – one of whom is in school, the other presumably not quite yet. We’ve exchanged a few emails and she seems very nice. Her husband is from BH and they will be living with his parents while they’re there, also near the university, so that’s a few more people to help us adjust and get settled. There’s still a lot to do before we go, but I’m getting encouraging emails from Fulbright about next steps (how to book flights, for example) – we’re getting excited!