Apartment in Grenada – 4 thing I love in my place

Although there are many things I’m adjusting to, I’ve realized there are some positive things about my apartment in Grenada. Following my post about off campus living in the Caribbean, here are some things I specifically love about my apartment.

Large TV in my apartment in Grenada

Yes, like a guy, I’ve mentioned a large TV as one of my favourite features lol. When my husband and I bought our house a few years ago, the main thing he cared about was getting a large TV for the family room. I was able to get him to wait until Black Friday so we could get a good deal. And by that time, we had accumulated Walmart cash back that we could use towards the purchase, and so we saved more money. But a few months later, he was already talking about wanting an even bigger TV. I have successfully blocked this endeavour…for now. Lord knows what surprises I may go home to in December.

Anyway, getting back to my apartment in Grenada. Initially, I didn’t really see the value of the TV. It’s not like I have much time to watching anything. But one weekend, I had some friends over to watch a movie and one friend said she couldn’t believe the apartment came with a TV. In that moment, I realized I had taken it for granted because none of the dorms on campus have TV. And neither do many of my friends who are living off campus. So I got lucky. I think it’s because this building rents out the apartments as hotel rooms when students aren’t here. So they include the TV as an amenity to attract clients.

Since I have a TV, my place is the go to hangout. We have semi-regular Sunday afternoon movies. And hopefully, soon enough, we’ll be able to watch some NBA games together. Can’t wait for the season to finallyyyy start (October 18th btw – Celtics vs. 76ers and Lakers vs. Warriors).

Close to the bus stop

My place is about a minute’s walk to the bus stop. The apartment complex is a little way down the street that comes off the main road. And the bus stop for coming home is pretty much at the corner of my street. So even if I can’t get on the off-road bus that drops off students right at their building when it gets dark, I’m still fine. It’s just a short walk to my building.

In fact, one of the few times I’ve been able to take the off-road bus made me realize it’s better for me to stick to the main bus. The off-road bus takes a route depending on who needs to be dropped where. Since the bus went into all the little streets I didn’t even know existed in my area, a max 5 min bus ride took at least 20 minutes. I would have got home faster if I waited 10 more minutes for the main bus. And because I’m so close to the bus stop, my apartment is not considered off-road. So sometimes, students like me can’t even get on because the bus drivers give priority to true off-road students.

My limited off-road experience also made me realize I got lucky with my location. Not only am I right next to the main road but I’m also on a paved road that is flat. The streets that I saw on that ride were horrible. These were dirt roads with pot holes every few feet. And many apartments are on a steep hill. I don’t know how the drivers navigate those roads, and that too in the dark. Also, when those students can’t take the off-road bus, they have to walk those dirt roads to get home at night. And during the day, they have to walk those dirt roads to the main street to catch the bus.

Desk and chair

When I was moving to Grenada, I was worried about not having an adequate desk chair. My husband had found a really great, comfy chair for me from Costco, similar to this one. I lowkey considered bring it with me.

But to my surprise, the apartment included an actual study chair. Not a chair that goes with the kitchen table. Rather, a proper study chair with adjustable height and slight recline. I’m sitting in it right now as I write this post. I love being able to lean back and prop my feet up on the desk. Especially when I’ve been studying here for several hours. And considering how many hours we study each day, almost every day – a comfortable chair is an absolute must. I’m very grateful for this.

Good layout in my apartment in Grenada

Although it’s not ideal, I’ve realized my apartment layout is much better than some of the other apartments here. I realized this last month when I went to view an apartment I was considering a little closer to campus. The bedroom was right at the front of the apartment so as soon as you entered, you were in the bedroom right away. And then there was a bit of a wall to separate the bedroom from the kitchen which was at the very back of the apartment. I thought that layout was quite strange.

My apartment is the opposite. As soon as you enter, you’re in the kitchen area. The advantage of having the kitchen next to the entrance is that I can get some ventilation when I’m cooking. Like a lot of places here, my apartment doesn’t have an exhaust fan. So I open the door and the window in my bedroom to get some cross ventilation to let the aromas out.

My bedroom is at the back of the apartment and there’s a bit of a wall that separates it from the rest of the apartment. This way, when friends are over, there’s still some privacy since I don’t like having people coming in my bedroom. With the semi-separation, it doesn’t feel like they’re all up in my space.

So those are 4 things I’ve come to appreciate about my apartment in Grenada. What are some things you take for granted in your home?

-M

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