does anyone have any opinions on Devos Alexander apartments. I think i will be living there, and the pictures seem decent. But either way, I wouldn't mind getting some fresh opinions on what students ACTUALLY think of the place. Thanks

Advantage of "Strawberry" Apartments: Has a pool, next to a copy center (downstairs), has high speed internet, and the apartment is gated.

Disadvantage: Landlord is a total shmuck. Rent is pricey. Even if you are one day late in rent, he charges a certain percentage. He is shady about giving back your deposit.

hey, i was wondering.. when they say something like

"Maid service, water, TV, cable, Toaster, gym, generator backup, & Mic/W included in rent"..
... in the housing website, do they mean that cable service is included in the rent or that it is cable ready for u to pay extra?

I wish more people would offer some more advice on housing.
Im a sept 05 new student, and really lost on everything.. any advice on good places will be greatly appericiated. Thanks

I would think that the house includes the cable but it most probably depends on the who the owner's are. Why don't you try to contact the housing department and ask them directly, if that's an option.

The way to survive through medical school and beyond is by asking Questions. No one is going to tell you anything if you don't ask. You've found the right place to ask Q's.

The housing website is way beyond anything that existed before. It used to be a "shotgun" approach for most of us before. When I was there, I moved around 5 times. In my opinion, stay at RUH. The place is small, but you save a lot of headaches...especially dealing with landlords.

there really isnt anyroom to breathe...i stayed there last semester....ceiling leaks....internet and phone rarely work...my friends had internet at other places and it always worked....down with the ross monster....ruh sucks

I am not sure if this will be posted twice: but can anyone suggest some apts that are best to live in while on the island.. "best" in terms of the least landlord scandals and appropriate facility conditions

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"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing."

-Abraham Lincoln

Hello,

I spoke to the housing coordinator and she made RUH sound like its the best choice because its almost on campus. Its also safe so I thought it would be nice. Please let me know more about it before I send my check in.

There have been several previous posts about RUH but I'll summarize here.

RUH is a good choice for SOME students. Some advantages to RUH are that it is just about as close to campus as you can get. It is also gated and guarded by RUSM security officers. There is a swimming pool (very few apartments have one) for your use and you are very short walk to a sandy beach (this is true of very few apartments). They also have a 24 hour study room and lounge in the complex (again, not common in other apartments). They have a generator (nice to have, only a handful of apartments have one) - so fewer power outage issues. According to the housing website, internet service is provided along with a modem) and you can sign up for VOIP phone service if you wish. SO, it is a good option especially for your first semester (easy, close, safe, generator, fair price, pool, etc).

However, RUH apartments are very simple and are not a good choice for some. They are just one room with your bed, a desk, a microwave and a bathroom (of course, separated by walls). Basically, they are dorm rooms like in undergrad. Some cannot stand being in one room with no kitchen. They especially wouldn't be a comfortable option for a family (ie, more than 1 person for an extended period of time).

There are a variety of apartments available in Dominica. Some are very rustic (and less expensive), others very nice (and expensive), and some are a good combination of nice and affordable. Just like in undergrad, it probably isn't a bad idea to live in RUH your first semester and then find a nice place that suites your needs after your know your way around and know what you want in future semesters. If you don't mind a little more hassle, you can find something else through the housing office.

Hope that helps some!

-M

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MitchDC/MD
RUSM 2006 Graduate

I am trying to find a good place to live but I am not familiar with the island at all. Does anybody know where I can get a map of the island to see how close some of these places are to the campus? LOL. Additionally I have heard people say live off of lizard trial or banana trail. How close are these trails to the ocean? Please give advice and suggest anything you think I should especially be looking for i.e. amenities, having utilities included in rent, and is internet access recommended?