Choosing a place to live (expat)

[Snowy79]

4 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

There are so many forum members who worked in jobs where their living quarters were less than that and we are here to tell about it.

 

I've certainly spent a few years living in an area just larger than a single bed but fortunately I was getting paid to do it. I'm now at the stage of life where it is great to have a bit of space even just to sneak away for an hour or two. My apartment was in Manila and once you've lived somewhere for a few months you've pretty much seen the malls and walked the streets which leaves you sitting in your apartment a lot. On your own it's fine but once you move the enemy in it can get a bit claustrophobic. 

My partner is studying as a teacher, our apartment is probably about 40 sqm and if I breathe too heavily it can put her concentration off. I'm not a TV fan but I could imagine if the TV was on there was be a domestic incident. I'm fortunate in having a decent balcony with a view to chill out on but if I was in a city living in a rabbit hutch I'm afraid it would be back to single life after a few weeks. I'm old to enough to think I deserve a bit of comfort and pleasure. For me in the future I'll ensure my apartment is at least 40 sqm if not more.

[Jollygoodfellow]

10 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

 I lived in a 24 sqm apartment for 3 months and it was like a prison cell. It had a small CR combined shower room. A kitchen about 1.5m long then the bed. To get into the bed you climbed onto it from the foot of the bed as it was up against the wall and had a dividing wall only 3ft high separating it from the kitchen.

Must be a bad design as I live in 22sqm and have plenty of room. 

[KurtVD]

There’s obviously a trade-off between having a bit more space and renting something ‘nice’ and modern. The place where I am now is really old and looks almost abandoned from afar, although it has a manned gate and everything works (water, electricity, A/C). I have a local market and a Mercury drugstore in walking distance, the SM Bf mall is about 1 km away. But apart from dogs and roosters and sometimes music blaring, I have no traffic noise, trees in front of the balcony and it’s just a place where I don’t feel claustrophobic at all, and that’s a big difference to these small , new condos. But I’m quite sure most foreigners would rather live in one of these than where I am now, it’s probably too much authenticity for most ;)

[Jack Peterson]

 I have a 140 sq Mtr House  with a 37 Sqm Terrace BUT I am quite happy in my Space of 9 sq mtr where my PC is 

[KurtVD]

36 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 I have a 140 sq Mtr House  with a 37 Sqm Terrace BUT I am quite happy in my Space of 9 sq mtr where my PC is 

Sure, I just spent the afternoon quite happily on my couch, which must be about 2 or 3 sq mtr, I wouldn’t wanna be confined to it though. 

Edited June 28, 2018 by KurtVD

[KurtVD]

1 hour ago, Jack Peterson said:

 I have a 140 sq Mtr House  with a 37 Sqm Terrace BUT I am quite happy in my Space of 9 sq mtr where my PC is 

Btw: nice house! This is what I call ‘living the dream’, at least an important part of it. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

1 hour ago, Jack Peterson said:

I have a 140 sq Mtr House

Yes well I'm happy in my confined space. Hardly any maintenance. No need for aircon and views often others would pay for. 

[KurtVD]

1 hour ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Yes well I'm happy in my confined space. Hardly any maintenance. No need for aircon and views often others would pay for. 

It could use a fresh coat of paint, otherwise you did well ;)

[Old55]

[Gary D]

8 hours ago, Old55 said:

Wouldn't want to have to rush up that ladder to use the CR