This article is also available in: 日本語
Hi, it’s Mizuki.
It has been 1 week since I got Syracuse.
Various things happened within my first week, and a unforgettable event occurred when I moved in an apartment last week.
Jeff and I took bus from the campus to the apartment to see the apartment before the move-in date.
At first, I was depressed because the bus operating between the campus and the apartment is only one per 1 or 2 hours.
I believe it is very common in most of the cities in the US. (Bus are sometimes not available in some cities.)
However for me who had lived in Tokyo for 6 years, it was just shocking and inconvenient.
(The bus in Tokyo comes every 10-15 mins)
Also I found the apartment management office is located on the hill, where is difficult for Moon Riders to go up by themselves.
I knew I have to go there and pay first month’s rent and get a room key.
I felt it would be very hard for us to come back here with lots of baggages on the move-in day, even if Jeff helps me.
In the evening, I emailed to the management office.
“On the move-in day, the hotel we are staying would give us a ride to the apartment and help carrying our baggages.
Since we have time to go to the management office on the day before the move-in day, can we please let us pay the rent and get a room key then?
If it is acceptable, our move-in will be easier. “
In Japan, although a move-in day (lease start day) is fixed, we can still get a room key in advance.
I wanted to check if it can be done in the US too,
but…
“No.
We only give the keys out on the day the lease starts, and have a very tight window to get these apartments ready for new residents.”
Well, this is normal procedure in the US, then we just need to follow this.
Finally, the move-in day came.
Jeff and I took the hotel shuttle bus to the apartment, and dropped the baggages at the entrance of the apartment.
I remembered the email from management office saying I could pay the first month’s rent on my arrival, so had prepared enough cash.
Therefore Jeff went to the management office to pay rent and get a key and I watched our baggages at the entrance of apartment.
In 15 mins later, Jeff came back by holding nothing.
Me: What happened?
Jeff: They don’t accept cash, but only money order.
Me: Really?! (Check previous email from the management office)…Oh, it says I have to pay online in advance or they takes money orders.
Jeff: I heard I can get money order at the nearest drug store. I will go there by walk.
Me: Can’t we pay online now?
Jeff: Even if we pay now, the process will be done tomorrow, which means we will not be able to get the room key until tomorrow.
Me: Whaaaaaat!?
Jeff left for the drug store, but came back with no room key in 30 mins.
Me: What happened this time?
Jeff: The machine at the drug store is broken…
Me: What!? What did the management office say?
Jeff: No place we can get money order within walking distance from here. I need to take bus and go to the campus.
Me: No way! Bus comes only once every hour. We have enough cash…why didn’t they accept it?
Jeff: The bus is coming soon. I will just go, okay?
He got on the bus.
In 1 hour and half, he came back with a room key!
Me: How did you make it?
Jeff: You will not believe this!
I went to Chase (bank) but they didn’t give money order because they do not sell money order to customers who do not have CHASE account.
Then I went to CVS (a drug store) but they only sell money order to customers with US passport (or ID) or Canadian passport. My Taiwanese passport does not work.
Finally I went to a post office and they sold money order to me.
Me: I’m really sorry. I didn’t check the email carefully…
Jeff: It’s alright. Actually it was pretty fun!
It took 3 hours to get in the apartment.
I realized there is more strict rules of payment or receiving a key to rent an apartment in the US, compared to Japan.
People says renting apartment in Japan is not easy for foreigners, but not as hard as in the US, I thought.
Well, this is another interesting experience.
After setting up my new life here, Jeff went back to Japan yesterday.
We will live separately for 1 year from now.
I miss him of course, but gotta focus on my research!
