Apartment shopping

When we had our housing brief, we were told there was no room in the base housing. We were given permission to go out into town and look. At first I was unbelievably disappointed. My mind was filled with a million thoughts...
How would I make friends? What about our furniture? Japanese apartments are small! If I need to go out I most certainly must drive there!!

I was also excited. The opportunity to live in a traditional apartment was too tempting to pass up. We looked at two apartments and found them to be the most beautiful places with nice views and exceptionally big rooms, even for a Japanese style place. The first had a tatami room and was brand new. The second was only just recently renovated. It was also beautiful. No tatami room but lots and lots of space for our things, including a very impressive walk in closet.

Everyone we talked to about it said that living out in town would cost us most if not all of our paycheck. With that knowledge we went and looked at one place on base that we could take even though it wasn't a mandatory house.

After seeing what was available out in town I assumed I would find a similar quality available for us back on base.

...I was sadly mistaken. The only unit available was one that people turned down. It was big. Much bigger than anywhere we've lived before but it was outdated, quite drafty, and felt very lacking.

We are waiting on a woman from the real estate agency to come and pick us up to take us around the view houses. When we return, please check back as I will post pictures from our first set of views as well as the places we look today.