My flat in Juffair

a bathroom
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I finally moved into an apartment – not a villa or a penthouse, though.  I just didn’t want to live in something so big, and when I found my flat, which I instantly loved, I ended my housing  search.  So here’s a little bit about how my flat differs from anywhere else I’ve lived.

First, none of my electronics worked right away.  Luckily most small things which I find essential, like laptops and cameras and phones, have a 110-220 volt range, so you just have to find a plug adaptor and they work.  Other things, like irons and hairdryers, require a converter.  I bought a 2000 Watt converter from Radioshack, which weighs about 25 pounds.  As I haven’t burned anything up or blown a fuse yet, I’d say it works okay.  There are also a lot of different types of plugs and outlets.  The lights and kitchen appliances that came with my place don’t fit the outlets installed, so I have to either force them in, which only works half the time and seems inherently unsafe, or rotate my two plug adaptors around the flat as I need to use different electronics.

see my flat

the bedroom
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In the kitchen, I have a 5 gallon water cooler since you’re not supposed to drink the water.  I love this thing, especially since it distributes hot and cold water.  Most places, mine included, only come with electric stoves and ovens, which are more difficult to cook with.  I also had to bookmark a Fahrenheit-Celsius converter, as the oven temperature knob is in Celsius.  It’s pretty easy to trip up between the metric and English system, which results in all kinds of things, from paying way too much for something or making bread that will never rise. 

the "new bridge," which you can see from the other side of my building.
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Bathrooms all come with either a bidet or a hose and nozzle attachment, so you can always be as clean as possible.  They also don’t have any outlets.

My favorite thing about the flat is the service.  They come every day and make my bed, wash the dishes and fold the laundry.  There’s also always some guy in the lobby, who opens the door if your hands are full and always offers to take your bags.  A nice touch.  And it’s all included in the rent.