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Heya

I have just put down the deposit for a nice flat, in a brand new building, in downtown Abu Dhabi. The flat is huge (I think), roughly 140m2 in total, the bedrooms have their own bathroom each and are about 25m2 each. The living room is 30something m2. There is a "maids" room which I think could become a tiny guest room as it has its own toilet.

The flat is in an area with loads of little shops and restaurants, really central but not on the Corniche. Between 11th and Corniche (to remain vague for now).

It is brand new. Literally, it just opened for moving in this month.

I have put down the deposit and will have to pay the agent fee, as well as the rent which is 150K, I am also going to be paying the bills. I'll need to get some furniture, too. I am willing to rent the spare room for months at a time (which is getting YOU around the "renting for a whole year only" problem) so I am thinking that 7k per month is very fair (but negotiable). However, ideally there is someone out there who is willing to just rent for a year with me and then we can do the math and just split everything fairly in the middle.

I am moving in on the 1st of November, if I find someone by then I am happy to negotiate who is getting which room and what the furniture for the place should be (IKEA is my friend I think). I am pretty cool about the whole thing, I don't intend to make money through this, so this is all up for negotiation. I used to be a poor PhD student so this is all fairytale country for me.

I am doing research at an institute here. I would like to learn Arabic (so if you speak Arabic and are willing to help me this will get you a discount :-) ) and see the country and the region a bit. I am getting a car (used) soon I hope - so that might be a bonus you might enjoy.

I don't do religion but am happy for anyone who does as long as they dont mind me being agnostic. Science is the way forward, but thats a call everyone can make for themselves.

I am also straight and single, drink but dont binge and am pretty much domesticated :-)

Nationality wise I really don't care, I will want to meet you for a coffee somewhere in town first and then decide, where you are from won't matter to me at all. That said, I do speak a wee bit Spanish, Italian and French and am fluent in English (duh) German and dutch.

I don't smoke but there are 1 ft balconies in both bedrooms so knock yourself out if you want (and if you want to share for a year I can ask the agency what their policy is on smoking in your bedroom)

What else? I don't own a TV so if you want that you'll have to take care of it yourself. I desparatly need the internet so that wont be an issue you have to worry about. I have loads of books and I like to cook, I am bringing a lot of kitchen ware to the flat, after I get a stove and a fridge sorted regular dinners should be in order.

Oh ... I love music but don't play anything, I am social and tolerant so if you are not taking the piss then we will get along just fine. I like to have friends over ... but don't have any yet, so there will hopefully be an increase in "nights in with friends".

If you are still reading this then we should probably meet for a coffee somewhere. Even if you don't need a room :-) I am happy to meet and pass on my experiences and phone numbers of real estate agents I came to trust.


Thats that
Hanno