Finding Home in Bucharest – Full Apartment Tour

I’ve officially moved into Bucharest and am (mostly) all settled in! This week, I wanted to share a little tour of our apartment and the story behind how we found our new home here in Romania. We’ve been in the apartment for about two weeks now, and it’s already starting to feel like home.

The story of how we got this place is truly a God story. Once we (myself and two roommates who are also a part of the RevivEE mission team) landed in Bucharest, we had just one week (while staying in Airbnbs) to find an apartment—and it was not for the faint of heart. Finding a three-bedroom apartment in Bucharest, especially near the area we wanted and within our budget, was no easy task. Our goal was to live close to the largest university in the country, where we hope to start a campus ministry. But we quickly discovered that apartments in our price range were either too far away or far too small.

So, we expanded our search across the city. We viewed several apartments, but finding one that all three of us liked was another challenge. One roommate cared about having an open floor plan, another was particular about the kitchen, and I was focused on cleanliness. Each of us vetoed a few options—until the seventh and final day in our Airbnb.

That morning, one of my roommates was reading about the ten plagues in Exodus and came across Exodus 8:8–10. When Pharaoh asked Moses to remove the frogs “tomorrow,” she wondered—why tomorrow? Why not ask for the miracle today? Inspired by that, she prayed that we would find our apartment that very day.

Later that afternoon, we viewed two more apartments. The first was gorgeous—modern, stylish, and centrally located—but it was over our budget. The rooms were all different sizes, and one was barely big enough to fit a bed. Still, it was beautiful, and we were tempted to stretch our finances to make it work.

Before committing, though, we went to see one last apartment that evening. Honestly, we didn’t have high expectations—it was farther from our ideal area, and the photos online weren’t very promising. But the moment we walked in, we were impressed. Ioana loved the balcony, I immediately noticed how clean it was, and the whole space just felt right. The rooms were all similar in size, there were cozy spots for quiet time or hanging out together, and best of all—it was within budget!

And the cherry on top? In the half bathroom, the toilet paper holder was shaped like a frog—a sweet reminder of that morning’s prayer and a little wink from God that this was the one.

It wasn’t an easy decision, since we’d fallen in love with the modern apartment earlier that day. But after praying during our long transit ride back to the Airbnb and talking with our RevivEE directors, we all felt a deep peace about choosing this one—the apartment that was farther from the center, but within God’s provision. That night, we called the realtor, signed the papers, and moved in less than twelve hours later. What a God story!

Two weeks later, we’re still so grateful and confident in our decision. Our three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath communist-era apartment has truly become a peaceful refuge. The only downside is that it’s a little farther from the city center than we’d hoped—but when we’re home, we feel completely comfortable, safe, and blessed. With a grocery store just a six-minute walk away, a major mall ten minutes away, and our church building fifteen minutes away, we’ve made this part of town our little haven. Next on the list is finding a local gym and continuing to grow our community.

This apartment, this church, this city—it’s all quickly becoming home. Isaiah 32:18 says, “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” We’ve found that here—what an answered prayer.