First Impressions

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Well my first night in Arkansas was officially Friday the 21st of August. My best friend April and I made the 8 hour trip with a Uhaul trailer and my dog Kubby, without anything really exciting happening. The first thing we noticed about Arkansas was the foliage, and that it was much flatter than I had anticipated. There weren't as many trees or rock that I had expected to see, although, I do believe we were just not in the right part of Arkansas to see those things. When we arrived in Benton Arkansas we drove by the house my company had arranged for me to live in, it was getting dark but the house was not all that impressive, in fact it was rather scary. It is across the street from active railroad tracks, it is on the corner of this dangerous curve, right next to a small wooded area/small creek/ and there is another house sharking this same corner. It honestly looked like the house was just crammed into that corner. The gentleman who owned the house stated he had remodeled the entire house, inside and out. He also stated there was a privacy fence and a "fenced in area" for my dog. When we contacted him in order to see the house and unload the trailer he stated it was not completely finished, there were still minor things he had to do first before I moved in, mainly getting all the personal items he was supposed to furnish (due to a deal between him and my company), and cleaning the house. We met this gentleman later that night, approximately 10 or 1030 after he got off work. The house was anything but finished. The minor things that had to be completed included finishing the siding on the outside of the house, attaching the pillars on the front of the house to the porch, the wrap around porch was not enclosed and missing a couple of sections, the steps into the house were broken, there was not a "fenced in area" because the privacy fence was only on one side of the house, it did not enclose the backyard, the tile in the kitchen had to be finished, the counter top in the kitchen had to be finished, the appliances in the kitchen were not in place (although he swore they all worked), there wasn't a washer or dryer, the closets were missing the racks to hang anything on, the furniture wasn't in place, there were electric tools and sawdust all over the place, and as he had said, there was not any of the personal items in the house (kitchenware, bathroom towels/wash cloths, etc). The only thing set up was the bedroom,the bed was there and the dresser was there. So, with all of that, I should have turned around and walked out then and there. The owner stated he was going to have it all done by tomorrow, including the fence. Now April and I did not believe this for one second, but we did decide to unload the trailer because I needed a place to put the stuff, and I thought that maybe if he was able to finish the major things by tomorrow, then he could come and continue to work on it the rest of the week, not a huge ordeal. Well, Friday night April and I went to downtown Little Rock. It was kinda cool, there was a ton of people, and we went to one of the piano bars that has a club upstairs. It was fun, we talked to this one chic to try to get the real scoop on Benton. The one word she chose to describe the area was "Trashy." Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but eh I only have to stay here 3 months right? April and I began to think the entire Benton area was similar to the area of the house. Then Saturday morning we woke up and started driving around. We drove around the area my house was located in, and then we drove around everywhere else. Wow. Benton isn't really trashy.. but where my house was located definitely is! My job is located on these gorgeous but dangerously curvy backroads, but it s a gorgeous facility, absolutely amazing. As well as about an hour and a half away from that house. April and I drove around neighborhoods and began calling realitors. She was right, I did not need to move into that area as a single female, even if I do have my Kubby. She said I was going to end up on the Lifetime Movie Network if I lived in that house! We came to the hotel started looking for new places, found an option or two. When we went to eat we asked the Hostess about the area the house is in.. she proceeded to tell us not to go there after dark because it is not the safe area of town. Awesome! Glad we were there unloading a trailer at 11 at night.. NOT.
Later on Saturday, around 4:30 or 5, April and I go to the house to get my belongings and let the owner know that I am not moving into the house. When we arrive, no one is there working on the house, and no one has been there working on the house. Nothing is moved, nothing has been fixed.. but at least the doors are locked. I called the owner, we waited for an hour before he was able to come over (he was in Jackonville buying the items I would need). We then unloaded the trailer at the hotel so that I could drive around looking at places, without having a trailer attached. We continued to look for places online, then April and I went downtown to Gusano's for some Chicago Style pizza (very awesome!) and then I dropped her off at the Amtrak station at 11pm.
Sooo with all of our searching I have another house option that is only 14 minutes from my work, so it's going to be out in the country and take me approximately 30 minutes to get to any of the stores I need. I'm going to go look at it today, and if I don't like that then I'm going to move into these fully furnished apartments. I didn't want an apartment because 1. I don't like them .. and 2. they are not very conducive for pets. I will also go look at the apartments, who knows, maybe they will be good for Kubby, help decrease some of his anxiety/fears that he has of "loud noises."
Overall the first impression of Arkansas is not very good, but..I'm sure it has to get better from here, and regardless I only have 3 months that I have to be here. I'm hoping that my job will make up for this first impression, and of course that I will find a housing option that I enjoy.

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Comments

[Gaos]

Yikes!!
Sounds like a crazy adventure..hope to hear more soon.. :)