I have housing!

So my first choice place called back and I have housing! All the three major things I needed to take care of have been taken care of--a subletter, a moving plan and housing. I still have a bunch of details to deal with, in particular selling some pieces of furniture, but the major things are done. I'm so relieved: I was planning what I would have to do if I didn't have housing by the time I arrived in DC and it didn't look good. Plus, it's a pretty good situation, although there are a few drawbacks. I'll be living in a small room in the bottom of a young couple's house in Alexandria, VA, in the inner suburbs. I'm expected and allowed to expand out a bit into the office that is outside my room. The guy commutes to a building about two blocks from my work every day and if I ride with him, he'd be able to drive in the carpool lane, so he isn't even charging me. They're a really lovely couple and so it will feel like being in a home--they had cookies and lemonade when I came by! And they have a sweet & friendly cat, named Dixie. Yes, I will be living in a red state, in a housing development where the streets are named after confederate generals. It'll be a cultural experience. Still, the bus takes me to the DC metro, which can get me pretty much anywhere in DC in less than an hour. The drawbacks: bus service outside of rush hour is only once an hour and I'll only have access to the shower during the day and evening. There's a half bath next to my room, but the shower I'll be using is connected to master bedroom. I also have to keep my food downstairs and bring my food up to the kitchen when I want to cook. An advantage: the rent reflects these drawbacks. In spite of getting a living stipend set at 105% of the poverty level, I'll only be spending a little more than half on housing and utilities. I'll post contact info to caucus and send it out in an email at some point.

EDIT: The plan is to move on Saturday (the 22nd), go to Northfield, fly to Atlanta for AmeriCorps orientation Tuesday the 25th, fly to DC from Atlanta on Friday the 28th, and move in to my new abode sometime in the next few days.