It's been a week since we got back from Reno - a GREAT trip. After all of it, Kyndra and I were just about pinching ourselves to see if we were still in reality. Who knows what can happen between now and then ... but things are looking really good there now.
I had meetings with professors in the Literature & Environment department - they were encouraging and challenging - probably the best combination I could have hoped for. I am thrilled to get there and begin studying. We also met a lot of grad students in the "L&E" program and they are great as well - really good vibe to the students and the whole campus in general. This was all very encouraging.
Kyndra got to observe at both the Renown Medical Center and The Continuum and she enjoyed both. There were a lot of unknowns, but now she has a good feel for the places and feels good about transitioning from student here to intern there.
Outside of a good general likeness of the town of Reno, the biggest encouragement was finding a place to stay! We have put down a deposit on a really nice little place in old downtown Reno and we are REALLY looking forward to living there. When we got there and began calling places to rent, they were all looking to be filled in the next few weeks (understandably). It didn't look like we had much of a chance of securing something for June, yet.
So, we began tossing around the idea of buying a home there. Maybe we could get into something that would come available in June. That process put us online, looking at what's available. Homes are a little more expensive than they are here, and we wanted to live in a cool downtown area instead of out in the growing suburbs, which was even a bit more expensive. BUT, we spotted a nice home online - had just been listed on 3/12 - newly renovated into a "green", energy efficient home, and very cool. It was 280 sq ft. We were intrigued.
The next day we decided to go by and just give it a look. I had seen these types of homes - a downstairs room with just an upstairs loft - and I thought they were great for cool cabins in the woods or just for a unique and simple living experience. I don't think we were really considering it.
But we drove there and ended up interacting with the developer of these simple green home sites - eco-compact homes. She showed us all in and around them and she told us the great history of these small brick homes. There are three homes being renovated as one room with bathroom on the first floor and and ladder leading up to a loft area. The fourth brick home actually has a small "bedroom nook" built onto the back of it, so it won't be a loft but will have all the other stellar "green" amenities. The fourth home is 380 sq ft.
Kyndra and I left our meeting with her SO intrigued. We spent the whole rest of that day wondering if we could put together the money to buy a place like this. It's the kind of thing we would want to keep forever, we're sure. We know it's not for everyone, but for us - right now - it seemed like such a cool opportunity to simplify, live differently, and in many ways, practice what we preach.
But we couldn't put together how to buy a home as we move there without jobs. We called and left a message saying "we love your project, we'd be interested in renting, let us know if it's an option." We didn't think it was an option - Kelly told us how she owned many properties and wanted more and more to help people OWN homes. She spoke about how that fostered good responsibility and a "sense of place" for people to take care of where they live. (Okay, now she was speaking the exact language of the grad degree I'll be going for - we are SO in!) BUT, she mentioned that if they rented one it would be the one with the bedroom nook on the back. Then we said that's the one we would want - our dogs couldn't make it up those ladders in the lofts anyway. Then she said it wouldn't be ready for another 45 days. Then we smiled and said, "okay, where do we sign?"
What had started with some worry (that we couldn't find anything on this trip and we'd have to come back in May and then finally in June) ended with us meeting a great lady, finding a spectacular place, and putting a deposit down on a green home that will be ready for us just as we arrive in June. Wow.
Other than that, we hung out at our casino and also enjoyed some day trips to Pyramid Lake (30mins north) and Lake Tahoe. We are stoked about the great fun that surrounds us in Reno, and that surrounds the town itself. We'll include details on all that in the years to come :)
Now, some pics. All of which are HERE ON FLICKR.



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