A Roof over My Head

Time to pack

If you are from out of town like me, finding a place to live is an issue that you are going to face sooner or later. However, even if you have a place to live already, chances are that you may have to move at some point. That is precisely what happened to me. Two friends and I used to live in an apartment right by SBCC, but our contract ended this semester and we decided to move out instead of renewing it. Because I spent the whole weekend moving into a new place, I thought this could be a good topic to write about.

It is widely known that living in southern California can be quite expensive, so personally I think sharing a bedroom is an excellent way to save money. Some people are willing to pay more for their own room, though. Unlike what some people think, having a roommate is comfortable, gives you someone to rely on, and can be really fun. Of course, assuming you guys can put up with each other. To me, the best method to find out whether I am living with the right people is by seeing how comfortable I feel in my own apartment. Do I look forward to going back home? Do I relax when I get home? If the answer is yes, then I am picked the correct roommates. On the other hand, if the answer is no, maybe it is time to move out.

Done packing

However, before looking for people to live with, you need to have a roof under which you can sleep. There are several ways to do it: On the SBCC website there is a housing list, on facebook exists a group where people post about housing, or our beloved craigslist… Craigslist is definitely my favorite option. It is a wonderful website where everything can be found. And I do mean everything. You can find entire apartments there, or just a room, or even people who are simply looking for another roommate. It requires some effort to find a place that fits, but it worthwhile.

Ready to go

We are back, baby!

Mexican Flag

And it begins again. If you are anything like me, you too get pretty excited when a new semester begins even though you know you’ll be a bit too tired and too stressed out by the time it ends. Regardless, now it is time for us to enjoy that awesome feeling we get when we start something new. As always, I know I am going to have new challenges: I still need to crash a class, learn how to balance school and work, find a new place to live… But this is what I signed up for when I decided to move to Santa Barbara. Don’t worry, I promise to keep you guys updated as the semester goes by.

Mexico City

I hope everyone had a great break because I surely did. As you may know, I traveled to Mexico during my break. On December 15^th I took a one way flight to Cancun, backpacked across the country for five weeks, and then took another flight from Mexico City toward LAX. I went alone, and because of that, I met several interesting people and came back with countless stories. I visited various ruins, museums, places, and admired so many breathtaking landscapes in this marvelous country that it would take another month just to report everything that happened. I ran into the Zapatistas, saw the place Trotsky was brutally assassinated, took a ride on the back of a pickup truck for a couple hour (actually this happened a few times) and obviously improved my Spanish skills. Also, I got to know a little more about Latin America, the continent I was born and raised in, and saw this part of the world in a different light. I am a Brazilian who lives in the United States and, thus, could relate what I witnessed in the past month to both countries. It was a trip of a lifetime.

La Luch Libre

Honestly, I believe everyone should travel alone every now and then. It is just great. It puts you out of your comfort zone, and makes you meet some wonderful people that you’d never talk to otherwise. Additionally, you learn a lot about yourself, your fears, and your strengths. I guess this is the kind of thing that you cannot understand unless you experience yourself.

Anyway, I wish everyone a good semester, and that we all have many stories to tell by the time it ends!

Tulum

Uxmal