Sub-renting

I come to Germany before the new study year started. This means, there are many new students and they all look for a place to live. In here, there’re what so called student apartments; or apartment that made for students. However, the student apartments in Bremen are not as many as the number of the students itself. So the competition to get a room is pretty high.

Student apartments are of course relatively cheaper in price compare to general apartment. And what I love the most is the price is for all inclusive, like furniture, energy cost, and internet. So I don’t have to control my water or electricity use. Nice, isn’t it?
To get a single room in student apartment, we have to apply to ‘Studentenwerk’. If there’s an available room, then they will contact us. Although the procedure is very easy, but the waiting list is crazy!

And regarding to that waiting list issue, I can’t have my own room when I came to Germany. A lot of students have submitted their application a year before they study here!!! So, as you can guess, I end up in the waiting list. As a solution, I was offered to subrent a room owned by a student that has to go back to his home country for doing research. This way, I’ll have a room for 6 months. And when the 6 months is over, it is hoped that I can get a room of my own as some other students will graduate and leave their apartment.

So that’s how it works. I live in the student apartment as a subrenter for 6 months. But then when the time is near for me to go out, the Studentenwerk can’t provide me a new room directly. My subrent contract has to be ended at 31st January 2008 and my new room only available at 1st March 2008!!! So… I have to be homeless for the month of February.

The guy that own my room came at February 3rd, and only because of his big heart, I can stay until the 10th cause I have exams in the 8th. After that… homeless! Well this problem is pretty distracting my mind. I have to concentrate on my exams yet I also have to look for a place to stay. After asking here and there to my friends, finally I can occupy my classmate’s room because she will go to her home country after the exams.