Maybe I spoke too soon

OK, so things were going so swimmingly that there was bound to be a hiccup. I was due to be taken to the new place by one of the male staff members on Tuesday night. He picked me up as planned but told me there was a problem. The apartment's electricity had been disconnected so not only was there no electric, but no hot water either. He told me he'd take me there and I could drop off my bag but then I had to stay with him that night as he wasn't prepared to leave Johnny Foreigner in a dark apartment with no hot water. He also told me he'd cleared it with his girlfriend and as she trusts him implicitly, no problem. I wasn't given much choice in the matter and was both grateful and slightly concerned in equal measure. I had no idea where he was taking me or what his living arrangements were or why he was being so kind to little old me.

I texted my old mate GB and told him the score - gave him the guy's contact details just in case, although when asked for an address, I had no idea where I was! We rock up at his apartment and I meet his Russian girlfriend (not important, but she's almost 20 years his junior). She was distant and polite but not overly friendly. We have some wine (I'm thinking, have they spiked it - see my posting on my first night alone in Saigon for an insight into how my mind works - it's very Hollywood!) then order pizza and watch TV all night. It's all fine but a bit awkward. I sleep on the settee and the next morning the guy makes me a cup of tea and we head into school together. He tells me he wants to set me up with his Iranian friend (who arrived here without any papers, but this guy sorted all that for him - he knows a lawyer etc etc)! Anyway, the outcome was that there was no ulterior motive. Thank god. And it was actually very kind of him, if a little bizarre.

Yesterday I discovered that there was still no electric and was dreading him inviting me back, but fortunately he didn't - maybe the cold Russian wasn't quite as OK with it as he made out!? I was given two torches instead! I had a disasterous journey home (got the wrong train ticket, got the wrong train, waited an hour for the next train, got caught in a torrential thunderstorm, got soaked, then arrived in the new apartment that's barely furnished). But it was fine and I didn't cry (which tells you that it really was fine - that set of circumstances could have easily reduced me to tears!). The sun came out. I went to the supermarket and got stocked up. Did some homework and unpacked. Electric should be on tomorrow. It's only for a month and I quite like the apartment. Believe me, you'd know about it if I was remotely bothered by any of the arrangements!

School is tough. Lots of tricky grammar points to get your head around and a test on Monday. You need 70% to pass. Weather is good (apart from the storm yesterday). May or may not see the Italian later as his scooter is broken again. He was going to come for the big firework display for Bastille Day, which is today. Either way, I'm going to head to Italy for the weekend and chill out there. Oh, and revise! Nice Italian has also lent me his French mobile, so I can contact my French-based friends (of which I only have two!) without running up huge bills on my UK phone. That's kind of nice.

Right, back to class so have to go. Ciao ciao.