Thanks for your prayers for my new apartment

I thank you, my friends and prayer warriors/protectors, prayers have been answered.

I had a big, long list of things that would be included in my "perfect apartment." Of course that list looked more and more like a Penthouse everyday, and I was frustrating real estate agents with my "list" and my "price requirement." Though I found (and ultimately decided against) a beautiful, new, small apartment with many of those "requirements" at a modest price, it was not a modest price I was looking for. Plus gas, plus internet. Also, since I could not find anyone who actually paid for their electricity, the potential for a huge wildcard electricity bill was looming in my future. Everyone said, "As long as you don't use the air-conditioning." Of course, since there was an air conditioner, I would have used it.

I was looking for, well, cheap! Yet still being a picky American, there were things that were simply unacceptable. I walked for days, following up leads and taking down phone numbers from rental signs. Two different people made numerous phone calls for me because, as we have learned in an early lesson, Dominicans get different prices and different terms than foreigners. Foreigners pay one or two months as a deposit, another month rent as a commission to the agent, and then may also have to pay a month in advance. The place I ultimately decided against wanted another $100 for the lawyer's fee. (A lawyer is always involved, I was told.)

So, when I found a new friend who previously had worked in "Bienes Raices" - or Real Estate rentals and purchases, I received very different terms. But think part of that is because it is a very different place. The owners live on the top floor (the Penthouse), much of which is an open terrace with most rooms opening directly to this terrace - plenty of breeze passing through. I paid one month in advance, negotiated (or my friend negotiated for me) less than a month's commission, and a $100 deposit. Now lawyer’s fee. No contract. No minimum months required. I think this is very rare. I think it is perhaps miraculous.

The room is a studio, yet larger than other studios I saw. It also has a half wall separating the bedroom from the seating and kitchen area. This is a fantastic addition to the studio concept! Guests don't look at my bed. I have a separation between where I sleep and where I work. I have room to walk around (a little). Internet (cable) added for $20. Women, you will notice the closet!! The bathroom is small, but I saw worse - MUCH worse. It has a ceiling fan. Electricity is included - therefore no surprises at the end of the month.

I was told by one person that Dominicans don't have fans in their homes, and I am prone to believe it. Since electricity is rare in many areas, it wouldn't work anyway. And they all love to take a chair out to the street and sit in front to talk, drink or to play dominoes!

What does it not include?

No air-conditioning (and yes, it's awfully hot here.)

No balcony - something I long for desperately. There is one in the owner's building on the second floor, and after asking five times to use it, they finally said I could call up and ask to be let in periodically. But they won't give me a key. A bit uncomfortable. Then one of the chairs was stolen and I am afraid they have become even more insecure about an unknown person having access to thier home.

No hot water - anywhere - even homes, apartments and many hotels that have hot showers don't have hot water in the sinks (not even the kitchen). I felt the lack of hot water in the shower was not a deal breaker. Not because I don't "need" a hot shower, but because I knew a shower head with a heater could be attached to the spout in place of the regular shower head. It costs about thirty dollars at the local hardware store (local meaning on el Conde street where foreigners shop!) It must be battery operated, and my mom and I had one in our aparta-hotel. It created warm water at a low pressure. So I signed rented confidently. Then I tried to buy one on a Saturday night (closed) and a Sunday (when EVERYTHING is closed), and have now learned how to put my hands in the shower first, then slowly my arms, then my face, then my hair. In a short time, I'm in completely and not even shivering.

No guarantee that I won't be killing bugs every day for the rest of my stay, mosquitos included.

And so, I have a new home! Use the Converter Tool on the right side to find out how much I pay per month for rent, internet, electricity, water and gas. Make sure you use the Dominican R. (DOP)(not the Mexican Peso) and US Dollar. I pay RD$ 10,700.

Praises be to God for answered prayers. May God hear all of your prayers and bless you fully! Heather

Heather J. Kirk, Photographer, Author, Graphic Designer"We...a spirit seeking harmony for a world that's out of sync" - purchase an e-book at: photographicartistry.citymax.com/BooksFind her art at: Fine Art Americaand HeatherJKirk.com

There are ways around things - first, water

Now that you have experienced vicariously some of the problems I have faced, and perhaps for about as long, I want to explain (as previously promised) there are usually ways around most issues. You just need someone to tell you how: so it is best to keep your eyes wide open to what is going on around you; ask, ask, ask; or sometimes complain alot and soon someone will share some important information. They might seem like "secrets" but to the people here they may be so obvious, they didn't think to tell you (though in some situations the resolution is financially out of reach for the general population).

Water: When looking for a place to live you want to ask if there is a cisterna and a tinaco. The cistern is at ground level and is a large tank of water that fills when the city is providing water. Therefore, if the city's water is off for awhile, there is still some available to your home or apartment during this time. The tank (tinaco) is on top of the roof, pumped up from the cistern as an extra reservoir. This also helps if the power goes off, and therfore the water pump, gravity can still provide you with some water.

For drinking water, my mother and I were constantly buying water bottles, from 12 ounce to 1 liter bottles for 20 to 30 pesos per bottle. Use the money converter tool off to the right to find out what that is in US Dollars. You will change it from Dominican Republic pesos. Because you will be hot and thristy and sweaty, you can go through loads of money very quickly just for drinking water. Until you learn that you can get huge botellons of water for about 45 pesos (the same size of the water bottles we have delivered to homes in the States). Most people have them delivered here also, so add another 20 - 25 pesos for a tip.

There is an initial investment of 100 - 300 pesos for the bottle. Then some people buy the dispenser, some buy or create a wrought iron swinging mechanism to pour it. I set it on the top of my bureau, and tipped it carefully to fill a water pitcher that I chilled in the fridge. If you happen to buy the botellon bottle from one water company, but the local colmado (corner store - that also delivers - a very nice perk by the way in living here) only sells another brand of water, they will open the new water bottle and pour it into your bottle. I was a little worried about they hygiene of doing this over and over, but as long as I kept the bottle capped all the time, I figured it was okay for the short term.

It is quite entertaining to watch them pour the entire bottle of water - there appears to be a distinct technique that makes it successful, along with strength, patience and great focus. I am including here a video of this pouring process. Sorry that it is sideways, but it kind of makes it even more entertaining because it creates the illusion that the water is constantly about to fall out of the lower bottle. At the end of the video I show that there is not a single drop of water on the floor!

The Dominican Republic is a photographer's dream for many reasons, but one of my favorites is that everyone wants to be photographed. They often ask to be photographed if they see a professional camera. And it is very easy and comfortable to ask people if I may take their picture. Find someof those photos on: Fine Art America and HeatherJKirk.com