Learning the language of apartments: "Suitable for foreigners" means "expensive"

I've found an apartment and I'm moving in next Saturday!

Finding an apartment here has been easier than I expected. There are several websites that list available units and the Russian is so basic that even I can understand it. “после ремонт” means that it has been remodeled, “с мебелью” means that it is furnished, and “подходит для иностранцев” means that it’s expensive. Though I’ve generally found Bishkek to be an affordable city, many landlords want between $700 and $900 a month for a three room (two bedrooms and a living room) apartment in the city center. Outrageous!

Luckily, my friend Uran has been acting as a guide, translator and negotiator on my behalf. We saw three different spaces in two days, making me feel like I was on an episode of House Hunters International. We’d go look at every apartment, making comments like “The master bedroom has no door? Oh, that’s . . . interesting” and “The furniture looks like someone stuck postage stamps all over it. That’s . . . pretty nice.” Afterward, out of earshot of the landlord, we’d weigh the pros and cons of each place. The first one is big, but expensive. The second one, in the same building, costs $100 less per month, but is packed with uncomfortable furniture. Neither felt like home.

Yesterday, we went to see a third apartment and I fell in love with it. The building is just off the main drag, Prospect Chuy, on a quiet side street. Inside, it feels huge, and it is spacious, but it could also be because the ceilings are about 12 feet high. It’s a proper Stalinka – a Stalin-era apartment with wainscoting on the walls, big rooms, tall ceilings, and French doors into the living room. The furniture is all from the Soviet-era, which in Kyrgyzstan indicates that it’s well-made (read: none of that modern cheap crap from China). In true Central Asian style, all of the living room furniture is arranged around the perimeter of the room; I’m already imagining ways to rearrange and make it cozier. There are a few downfalls – limited electrical outlets, a little chilly, too many rugs – but I think it can be made to feel like home for the next ten months or so. Better yet, Uran – the Master Negotiator – got the landlord to decrease the price by $50 per month if I pay three months in advance. I move in next Saturday.

Please come visit me!