Horizon Cove is a gated community where most of the UIC Teaching Assistants live and it was nothing like what I expected. It looks and feels more like a resort, albiet a fairly urban resort.
The Cove consists of nearly 200 buildings, the majority of which are something akin to townhouses. Groups of houses are similarly built, though there are a a dozen or so different styles. Most of the buildings are three or four stories tall, though there's a group of four tall apartment towers on the east side of the complex.
I'm in the group of buildings called "Parc Nice." Building 7, room 201.
A wide stone step leads up to the main entryway and a keypad unlocks the double glass doors when you enter the right code. A wooden offset French door leads into the our apartment.
When you open the door you're greeted by a large white room. White granite tile covers the floor in the 26 by 20 foot space. A low marble table with a Skyworth flatpanel tv sits to the right as you enter. The tv is unplugged.
The right wall is made up of two large floor to ceiling windows, the further one also being a door out ot a stone 15 by 9 patio. Two couches and a coffee table make up the living room. A kitchen table with six chairs sits closer to the far wall to make a dining space. The old broken washing machine sits in the corner.
The decore is all wood, glass, and metal. The cabinets and coffee table have a thick glass top rised off the wooden unit several inches by metal cylinders.
A hallway and a doorway lead out of the south side of the room. The doorway is near the dining room table and leads to a small kitchen. From the kitchen there's a utility closet.
The bathroom and three bedrooms are down the long hallway. The two smaller bedrooms are around 8 by 8 feet with varying closet space. The master bedroom is closer to 12 by 10, has a bunch of closet space and a master bath. The bedroom at the end of the hall and the master bedroom have huge windows facing south. A two foot marble ledge lines the window, making the room even bigger.
At first glance things look mostly clean, but dust and dirt are hidden under the beds and in less trafficked places. The closets seem a little dirty. A polkadot suitcase of female clothing sits abandoned from a previous occupant. The kitchen contains a collection of cookware, some of it is in rough shape.
The bedrooms all have small AC units near the ceiling, and there are two more in the shared living space. The units are controlled by remotes and we've been advised to turn them off when we leave so we aren't paying too much for electricity. A collection of six remotes sit by the entryway, but only one or two appear to have batteries in them and even those seem to be dying.
The kitchen is always hot and we need to leave a window open in the utility room because of the gas water heater. We're told not to drink the water, at least not without boiling it first. We'll call the water company and they'll deliver drinking water to in a large tank.
Some food and snacks sit on the dinning room table. A small square loaf of bread, bananas, grapes, dove chocolates, and Lays potato chips. It's a nice welcome gift.
Our three bedroom apartment costs ¥3500 per month, which roughly translates to $525 USD. I offer to pay a little extra for the master bedroom, which is fine by the others who would rather save a little more money. We're given a monthly housing stipend in addition to our monthly pay.
The tub in the master bath is a thin steel and it's bent in the middle from people standing on it. This means the drain is actually at a high point in the tub.
Our wifi is nice, but it doesn't reach the far bedrooms very well, so I find myself gravitating to the dining room table for writing and blog updates. I also don't have a desk.
I like this place. It might take a while before it really feels like home but it's comfortable and to quote Annie: "I think I'm going to like it here."
