On a personal level, this has been a crazy week. In an utterly positive way. I fulfilled one of my biggest dreams I had had for years. And no, it isn’t another pair of Manolos, although I’d never say no to those either. After waiting for more or less 15 years, I bought a car on Friday. When I passed my driving test just after my 18th birthday, I assumed I’d have my own car sooner or later. But it just didn’t happen. While I was still in school, I was allowed to take my parents’ car all the time. In college I lived in the middle of the city and rather spent my money for traveling. Also, I spent much time abroad for internships. It simply didn’t make sense to have a car. During teacher training I was so poor that I couldn’t really afford anything. Then I immediately moved to Istanbul – and you must be mad to want to have a car there. Whenever I traveled through other regions of Turkey, I’d rent a car there. It was cheap and so convenient.
But then I came to America two years ago. And even though public transport in Boston is said to be one of the best in the whole country (I don’t even want to imagine how bad it must be elsewhere), having a car definitely improves and makes life easier here. But I didn’t have a clue how to buy a car, etc. So for almost two years, I’d rent cars again when I left the city. Only that adds up fast when you pay between $ 30 to 50 a day. Plus there were all those times when I ordered Uber because public transport would be to slow, or it was too late at night, or there wasn’t any stop close by, or it was way too cold in winter to even walk ten minutes to the bus stop (okay, the latter is complaining about first world problems, but I hate hate hate walking outside when it’s stormy and minus 10 °C). So after contemplating for a really long time, I decided to buy my own car. Being my dad’s daughter (he is an engineer and knows probably everything about cars, and if he doesn’t, he does an extensive research), I looked at different cars online and then at car dealers’, did some online research, and decided on Friday after a test drive to buy a used Dodge Neon. I trust the dealer, the car seems to be in a good condition and drives well, and it looks cool. I also like this type of American cars. I kind of wish I could have one of those old, giant American cars, but I think it’s too costly.
Unfortunately, my car is still with my dealer thanks to American bureaucracy. I first had to buy the car. Then I had to take out an insurance. I decided to go to a real insurance broker instead of effecting anything online. Having paid for the first few months, I am now allowed to register my car. But by the time, I had finished all those tasks on Friday, the Massachusetts registry branches had all closed. Of course they only open from Monday to Friday. So I must wait until tomorrow when I’ll hopefully register my car, receive my license plates, pick up my car, have it inspected, and then drive home. Oh, and I’m working, too. But I am positive that I can take it home either tomorrow or on Tuesday. And then I can go away on a little road trip on the upcoming long weekend.
|Watched| GNTM
|Read| Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Banana Cream Pie Murder, Christmas Caramel Murder, Sugar Cookie Murder, Peach Cobbler Murder, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder
|Listened to| Harry Styles, Placebo
|Done| worked, went on a class outing about urban community gardening, bought a car, invited friends for dinner
|Eaten| bagels, thai, yogurt soup, imam bayildi [recipe here]
|Drunk| water, coffee
|Thought| I’m rather rude than inconsistent.
|Been happy| Summer has arrived, woohoo!
|Laughed| After dinner on Saturday, my friends and I told each other funny story from our lives.
|Desired| a good, but cheap car
|Bought| a season pass for canoe, kayak, and SUP rentals; a car
|Clicked| many car dealer websites and many others for more information on buying and having a car in the U.S.
© janavar