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Dear Folks on the GBList:
When I was in the Peace Corps in Columbia (77-79) I
lived in Cali, Columbia in an "apartment building" that had been converted from
a 2-story, 6 bedroom mansion.
My second floor "apartment" was originally a
bedroom. It was about 12 by 20 feet (i.e. about 240 sq ft), and included:
a kitchen (with gas a 2-burner gas hot plate stove, small sink, storage
shelves) that had originally been the closet; a bathroom next door (with a
very small sink, regular size toilet, and shower over the toilet...so we are
talking small and wet here); a living-dining area (with a built-in
walk-in closet, small table and small frig); and a
bedroom/workroom (my 3/4 size futon-like bed was on one side of the "room"
and a plank-top desk took up the whole wall on the other side of the
"room"). Two large windows offered good ventilation and lots of
sunlight (not too much, however, because there were huge palm trees planted in
front of the building).
All the folks in the apartment building
shared a common balcony which overlooked the residential street the
building was on, and the Andes Mountains.
All the people who lived in the apartment building
were foreigners (Australians, a guy from Japan doing research, a couple of other
PCVs, a British Volunteer) because the owner knew we would always pay our rent
and would not double-up/put a strain on the building's water
supply (the Colombian-born/US-educated owner told me this).
For a solo female, who entertained occasionally (I
came home one day and found another PCV sitting in my refrigerator cooling
off...honest!), this was more than enough "living" room. I never felt
cramped or crowded in the apartment, and I enjoyed the 'community' the building
and the neighborhood offered.
Would I live the same way in the US? Yes and
no.
I liked the layout and the way the water/electrical
systems tied together and would definitely consider living in a small bungalow
or cabin laid out in a similar manner; the only change I'd make is having a
larger living/dining space. And perhaps covered parking for a
car.
Eileen Beal, MA
Writer - Editorial
Consultant
3205 Meadowbrook Blvd., Apt. 7
Cleveland Heights, OH
44118
(216) 320-1358
eojb@visn.net
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