Last night I went to “internationals” game night at the apartment of a man who works for the US Embassy. Normally, this game night is held at the modest apartment of my friend L, who works for the prosecution of the international court in Sarajevo, but due to the failure of her heating system to actually heat her apartment Embassy man (as I will call him for the purpose of this post) agreed to have us over. Embassy man and I have met on several occasions since my arrival in Sarajevo and are fairly, mutually, ambivalent towards each other. There are no ill feelings, but no love lost between us. However, his apartment is INSANE. My apartment could fit five times over into his apartment. Now, admittedly my apartment is rather small, but for one person on a temporary assignment, it suffices. Embassy man’s apartment is nicer than any apartment I will ever live it. Large formal dinning room, large flat screen tv, an entire wall of floor to ceiling windows. He has a housekeeper who comes in to clean his place. He lives alone and is only a few years older than I am.
“I like big things” he said last night in response to some comment or other.
This would explain his giant television, giant coffee table books, masks and tables from his time on assignment in Africa.
“I am a spoiled trust fund kid all grown up,”
“Umm, well that’s okay” I replied
In truth it is okay, he is a nice guy, the embassy pays for the apartment. Does he live in a style completely unattainable to the majority of people in the country where he lives, yes, but that is the life style the US Embassy sets up and perpetuates, the fact that Embassy man benefits from this is, I suppose, a side note.
Though, while the idea of someone giving me a nice apartment in which to live upon arrival in a foreign country sounds lovely, I find this overly luxurious and characterless apartment slightly creepy. It is too large for one person. However, I covet his kitchen. (though not the bizarre and massive supply of ramen and french wines).
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