I haven't written about it in a while, but our trip to Melbourne, Australia, is still on. Lately, we've been looking for places to stay, via internet.
There are two French immersion primary schools in Melbourne -- or at least in the suburbs. One of them wrote me instantly and said no way, we won't take short term enrollments. The other wrote and sent application materials. They would take our son, and he could keep up his French language skills.
Unfortunately, the French school is located an hour away from the University by train.
We could live near the French school, and I could commute by train every day. The school is near a lovely park, not far from a public library in one direction, shopping in another direction. A tram would take us three miles down the road to great beaches. And perhaps during my two hour daily commute, I could get work done on the train. Some people do it. But the last time I commuted by public transportation for an hour each way, I fell asleep just a few minutes into the journey. In retrospect, I think the sleep was my body's way of dealing with motion sickness.
In any case, as we looked at housing near the French school, we found options, but all unfurnished. We'll only be in Melbourne for six or seven months. We'd rather not purchase furniture and then dump it again in that time.
So then we started looking elsewhere.
On one website, we found a house for rent, complete with furniture, piano, game room, several bedrooms, and right on the beach! But it was an hour's drive away by car, nowhere near public transportation. Since we were hoping to avoid getting a car, that doesn't sound like a possibility. (Tim: But it's right on the beach!)
With further searching, we found a pretty spacious 3 bedroom apartment near two parks and just two miles from the university -- furnished, and within our budget. The best part of this place was that it had a separate study on the opposite side of the building from the bedrooms, where Tim could work in peace at 3am when he had his meetings with California. We wrote the landlord, discussed rent, internet, etc, and I emailed a colleague and asked about the area.
When the colleague wrote back that the area was great, we were ready to go. Except 20 minutes later the colleague wrote back again. The nearest primary school was not in a good neighborhood, he said, and there was no guarantee that our son could go to a better school closer to the university. I looked up the nearest primary school. Indeed, on their FAQ page, they stated that the school was located right next to the "projects" -- but don't let that bother you, they assured parents like me. And I don't want that to bother me. It does look like a good school, with lots of international students, and special opportunities. But I would be walking my child there and then back by myself each day. Which would probably be fine. But in the wrong direction from work. And not recommended by my colleague. Is it worth the risk?
My colleague knew of a guy who lived very close to the university, who would be moving out in early January. We contacted the guy, and found out his house was suitably sized, near good schools, an easy walk to work, even cheaper than our budget -- but unfurnished. Again. But he would be willing to sell us some of his furniture if we were interested. (Assorted mattresses, bookcases, and a refrigerator.) So that's an option, but his landlord hasn't written back to us.
Lately, we've been looking in the Central Business District. There seem to be many furnished apartments available there, within a reasonable walk of the university, within the boundaries of the one guy's school (where his kids have been attending, and which they liked). But the properties are nearly all available NOW. I emailed a couple of them, and they told me to stop by to view the place at the next open house, at the end of the week. Which is of course impossible. And then no further info after that.
So we have booked a hotel for a couple of weeks. Our current plan is to wait, to set up some appointments to view apartments just after we arrive, and to snatch something available in those first two weeks -- probably in the Central Business District, because that seems to have the largest number of furnished places. The area near the beach also has several furnished options. But the commute....
Anyway, I have spent a lot of time studying the primary schools and neighborhoods of Melbourne, and public transportation routes. It will be interesting to actually arrive in the city and start putting visuals with the maps. And fingers crossed that there will be a suitable furnished apartment waiting for us somewhere in early January. If not, we'll just have to move to the beach.
