The most amazing apartment

When I first found out I had been accepted into the MSLS program, I knew that I wanted to come to Karlskrona but I was worried about finding the funds to support myself for a year here. I kept hearing people talk about how expensive Europe was, how disadvantageous the exchange rates were for Americans, and how small the apartments were. When I imagined what it would be like living here, I pictured myself in a tiny grey room somewhere, with no windows and only a mattress on the floor and my laptop. I would eat only dried food because there was no kitchen and have to go outside in the snow to walk to the shared bathrooms.

Imagine how pleased I am then, to announce that I have found an absolutely amazing, stupendously huge and beautiful apartment that overlooks the main street in Karlskrona, which is cobbled and closed to automobiles. It is in the heart of downtown Trossö, and has giant windows more than 7 feet high which let in floods of light. It has 14 foot ceilings, a large kitchen with a full size fridge, full size freezer and dishwasher, and a balcony where one can sit outside and have a cup of tea. Included in the rent are the heat and hot water and use of the on-premises laundry facility.
The large common room in the apartment is more than 10 meters long and would be more than adequate for a good sized dance or yoga class. There are giant closets, a fully tiled bathroom, triple-pane windows, and hardwood floors throughout. It is mind boggling, ridiculous, and easily the fanciest place I have ever lived. I rented it with two Canadians, Maurita and Laura, who I just met yesterday but liked immediately. They are even into music and they both play the guitar!

For all of this splendor and ridiculous opulence I will pay the grand sum of 2983 Kroner, or $426 a month.

I don't really understand how this came to be... I feel like there must be a catch somewhere, but no, it all seems to be legit. The woman from the property management office was super nice and with extreme Swedish efficiency, when we left the apartment after signing the contract and receiving the keys, we discovered that she had already had our names put on the mailbox! She even had the electricity turned on for us! The same afternoon she told us we could have the place! It is really amazing how on top of things people are here.

So, here it is only Tuesday and my desperate search has already ended... far more fortuitously than I ever imagined. The pictures don't do it justice, or really show it's grand scale. It's time to celebrate folks... and tomorrow I'm going to the beach.