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Sara Bailin – English language assistant seeks shared apartment with (preferably) native French speakers to improve language skills and to learn more about the culture.  Looking for an apartment close to a central location (AKA main metro stop, bus stop, or tram stop).  Likes music, film, and hanging out with friends.  Enjoys discussions both serious and humorous.  Likes telling jokes, but only has a select few committed to memory.  Starting work the 1^st of October but as of yet hasn’t been assigned to particular school.  Guarantees first months rent and security deposit.  Enjoys cooking (in fact, LOVES cooking), organized, keeps a clean room and doesn’t mind arranging shared areas of the apartment. 

This is who wants and needs and apartment and has, unfortunately not been entirely successful with finding one.  The search is tough here and more often than not you are up against at least 10 other people.  I have achieved success in creating friendships with those who I have visited, awkward? Maybe.  Generous? Yes.  Disappointing? A little.  I believe it was the second apartment visit that Marissa and I went on that we met Matthieu (our first friend in Lyon) and were invited to his birthday party.  Since then I have met two lovely Italian women who, although the landlord chose Marco to live in the apartment, have continued to invite me to their parties since my visit.  Then, there is Pierre-yves and Vincent.  Two guys, very chill, living in a brand new apartment.  Their decision was so challenging that I was asked back to have another visit with them.  I brought a tall bottle of cold beer and stayed at their apartment for about an hour.  Afterwards I was friended on facebook by one of them, days later I was told they chose someone else, a couple more days later I was friended on facebook by the other, and most recently I was invited to their apartment warming part on October 10^th.  Seriously?  So I could be homeless but still have friends, not a bad deal, right?  I have made a couple more appointments for the next couple days and hopefully something will come of that.