Okay, I think I knew from the time I accepted my current apartment in the 14th arrondissement that this was just going to be temporary. I took it because it was the first apartment I was offered, and I had to be out of my Airbnb place within a few weeks, and it was fine. I hoped that maybe I would come to love it, but no, in the end, I didn’t.

So at the beginning of the year, I started looking for a new apartment. This time, I had time. I was very specific about what I was looking for. I wanted it to be in the 11th arrondissement. That was the neighborhood I had originally wanted to find an apartment in. It’s more vibrant, more counter-cultural, more queer, and okay, more classically Parisian. It turns out everyone else wants to live there too. So landing an apartment there is a bit of a challenge.

I started out by updating my dossier, the pile of documents you have to send to the real estate agent or the owner when you submit your application. It can feel a bit intrusive, especially as an American where it feels like I have to provide much more documentation than usual since I don’t have the most critical things French landlords are typically looking for — French income and French assets.

Initially I didn’t have much luck getting appointments for showings. Then my French friend Linh told me her apartment-hunting strategy. Sign up for alerts with all the apartment listing sites. As soon as an alert comes through, if it interests you, send a message through the app to request a showing, and then, more importantly, and not more than an hour after the listing was first published, call the agent to schedule a showing.

I have to admit that I’m not big on phone calls with strangers in general, and in French it’s even worse. But I was like, if that’s what I have to do, that’s just what I’ve got to do. And after a few calls, I got used to the questions they usually ask, so it got easier.

With the new strategy, I started getting showings. Initially I was a little indiscriminate. Meaning that I would go for viewings at apartments that were maybe not quite perfect but close. Just to get a feel for the market.

After that, I started getting a little more picky. I mean, my current apartment is fine, so if I’m going to move, I really want it to be perfect. Unfortunately, my definition of perfect is very similar to a lot of other people’s. So for some of the showings, I’d show up, and there would be twenty other people waiting to get in. Ugh! And that was just for one of several showings. I knew that they would never pick me over dozens of French people with French incomes and French assets.

And then, a few weeks ago, there was a listing that really looked wonderful. Everything looked great — exactly the neighborhood I wanted, classic Parisian style, good size, balcony, everything I wanted. So I reached out to the realtor to schedule a showing.

The address was 77 avenue Parmentier. Now I have to admit that I have a soft spot for double numbers like 77. I was born on 11/11, so elevensies are kind of my lucky number. But I was like, it’s way too much to hope for. Just being in the 11th arrondissement would be enough. I told myself, just focus on the apartment itself, don’t worry about the elevens. I probably won’t actually like the apartment, and it probably won’t work out anyway.

But it turns out I really liked the apartment. And then, the day after I submitted my dossier, I found out that they liked me too. They accepted my application. The first time my application had been accepted on this round. What the f***!?!?!

And then there was a bit of nail-biting because the rent was toward the upper end of my budget and the stock market had just been, let’s say, tumultuous. But I re-ran the numbers and came to the conclusion that I could do this. So I accepted the offer.

Even so, I had twinges of guilt. Toward my current landlord, who was kind enough to provide a place for me in my hour of need. Toward the people in the neighborhood who I’ve gotten to know a bit and who I’ll now be leaving.

And at the same time I’m also very excited about the move. Every time I go to the 11th arrondissement, I just feel a bit more alive. When I tell French people I live in the 14th, people say, oh yes, it’s very “calme” which I take to mean “sleepy.” And I’m also very excited about being able to really create my own space in an unfurnished apartment, since my current one is furnished.

So for the last couple weeks I’ve been madly shopping for furniture. Which is one of the things I was really looking forward to when I moved over here — shopping for furniture in Paris! But it turns out that’s one of the things about living in a new country, you don’t necessarily know where to shop for things. And Paris has a LOT of furniture stores. Fortunately I’d gotten to know a few of the furniture stores from when I moved into this place, and then I’ve been able to lean on my expat friends for recommendations.

So the furniture search has been fun and exhausting. There was one day when I visited ten different stores. In some ways I’m glad I’m doing it now rather than a year ago. I think a year ago I would have just replicated the decor I’d had back in Seattle — even if a few things are exactly what I had in Seattle, like the dining room chairs I’ve ordered. Now I’m feeling maybe a bit more French, a little more bold. And also like I have more of a sense of who I’m creating a space for — now that I’ve developed some friendships here, I can picture who I’ll be having over for dinner.

And for the wild parties my friend Joey has already started planning for my new place. How did that happen?!?!? Although, I will admit, I am looking forward to them…