Yesterday, I decided to do my laundry in the shower. You see, the only laundromat is expensive and far from my apartment. It all seemed to be going well until I forgot about it soaking. Some of my clothes are now a nice rusty orange. Ca n'est pas grave. It's no big deal. I've learned to say that a lot.
Yesterday, the Internet started working! Having internet in my apartment is wonderful. My telephone with unlimited calls to the US should be working soon as well.
Today, I had an orientation in Nancy with other local English assistants. It was helpful though a bit confusing. The answer to every question here is "it depends." I have to admit, though, it was relaxing to speak in English today. I felt like me again. I met lots of other assistants and hopefully some of us will meet in Nancy soon.
The more I talk to other assistants the more I like my town and school. It is only a 15-20 min. train ride to the two major towns, I have cheap, provided housing, and really nice teachers that invite me over for dinner. Not everyone can say the same. A lot of people are a lot farther away and without frequent train or bus service. And many people are alone. It is great that there are 4 other assistants in Pont-a-Mousson. And Saturday, we are going to have a big assistant dinner in my apartment. Things are going well.
Now, I just have to learn this language.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
I don't have a title
Last weekend was the best yet. I got a roommate--she is Spanish and her name is Ana. We speak French together because she doesn't speak English and I don't speak Spanish. Also, I don't speak French well so communication can be difficult. Despite that, it is better having a roommate and it is good for my French. Maybe I will start speaking French with a Spanish accent. Hope not.
Anyway, she stayed at a hotel this weekend because her mom was in town so I really didn't get to know her until Sunday night. But we have really clicked. We commiserate about our sad, empty apartment and are planning a trip to a nearby Ikea to buy some things to make it a happier place to live. We say our appartment is "un peu triste," a little sad. We also share our hatred of Monsieur Thomas, aka "the gray man" because he won't give us an extra bed to use as a couch. But Ana and I are doing roommate things as we struggle to communicate--we watched a DVD on my laptop in English with Spanish subtitles and made spaghetti and salad to eat together.
I also met some other American assistants this weekend. I went to Metz and stayed with an assistant who lives there. I met some really nice people and we went out to a bar. I also met some German assistants in Metz. Metz is really nice, it is a very German French town. If that makes sense. I really like it. There are a lot of streets that are only for pedestrians, and fountains, parks, the river, the cathedral. It only took like 15 minutes to get to Metz by train so I plan to go a lot. And to Nancy also. When I left on Saturday afternoon for Metz, I got on the wrong train! But LUCKILY I was the first person whose ticket was checked so they stopped the train for me! The man thought I was a German tourist and he took down my name. And then he was like "Ohhhh an American." Yep, that's me. But I made it home the next day sans probleme.
I also met the German assistant at the school. Her name is Katerina and I think she might speak English better than I do. She also speaks French the best and is the bravest so she handles most of the talking situations when all of the assistants are together.
Yesterday, after Ana and I made dinner we met up with Katerina and the other American assistant in town, Laura and that was fun. We went to Jack's Bar. That is what it is called, in English and everything. I never really know how to pronounce English words en francais.
Tomorrow, Laura and I have our orientation for the assistant's job in Nancy so that should be fun. Meet other Anglophones and such. Also, I techinally started yesterday, but so far I have only been to two classes and only for 15 minutes each. The students asked me questions like "Where do you come from?" and "Do you smoke?" "What is your name?," and "Can you shop all night long in America?" in their cute French accents. They have never heard an American accent so it is difficult for them to understand my English. They didn't understand the word "literature" even though it is the same in French! I didn't have anything to do today, but I am excited to get going with more classes.
Anyway, she stayed at a hotel this weekend because her mom was in town so I really didn't get to know her until Sunday night. But we have really clicked. We commiserate about our sad, empty apartment and are planning a trip to a nearby Ikea to buy some things to make it a happier place to live. We say our appartment is "un peu triste," a little sad. We also share our hatred of Monsieur Thomas, aka "the gray man" because he won't give us an extra bed to use as a couch. But Ana and I are doing roommate things as we struggle to communicate--we watched a DVD on my laptop in English with Spanish subtitles and made spaghetti and salad to eat together.
I also met some other American assistants this weekend. I went to Metz and stayed with an assistant who lives there. I met some really nice people and we went out to a bar. I also met some German assistants in Metz. Metz is really nice, it is a very German French town. If that makes sense. I really like it. There are a lot of streets that are only for pedestrians, and fountains, parks, the river, the cathedral. It only took like 15 minutes to get to Metz by train so I plan to go a lot. And to Nancy also. When I left on Saturday afternoon for Metz, I got on the wrong train! But LUCKILY I was the first person whose ticket was checked so they stopped the train for me! The man thought I was a German tourist and he took down my name. And then he was like "Ohhhh an American." Yep, that's me. But I made it home the next day sans probleme.
I also met the German assistant at the school. Her name is Katerina and I think she might speak English better than I do. She also speaks French the best and is the bravest so she handles most of the talking situations when all of the assistants are together.
Yesterday, after Ana and I made dinner we met up with Katerina and the other American assistant in town, Laura and that was fun. We went to Jack's Bar. That is what it is called, in English and everything. I never really know how to pronounce English words en francais.
Tomorrow, Laura and I have our orientation for the assistant's job in Nancy so that should be fun. Meet other Anglophones and such. Also, I techinally started yesterday, but so far I have only been to two classes and only for 15 minutes each. The students asked me questions like "Where do you come from?" and "Do you smoke?" "What is your name?," and "Can you shop all night long in America?" in their cute French accents. They have never heard an American accent so it is difficult for them to understand my English. They didn't understand the word "literature" even though it is the same in French! I didn't have anything to do today, but I am excited to get going with more classes.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Photos!
Some pictures of my apartment and Pont-a-Mousson
This is the main room of my apartment. Pink walls!
This is the main courtyard of my school. The rest isn't pretty and old like this. Well, the rest is old, but not pretty.
The Moselle!
Place Duroc.
The church by my school. Sorry it is sideways.
This is the view out my bedroom window.
This is the main room of my apartment. Pink walls!
This is the main courtyard of my school. The rest isn't pretty and old like this. Well, the rest is old, but not pretty.
The Moselle!
Place Duroc.
The church by my school. Sorry it is sideways.
This is the view out my bedroom window.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
J'ai mal du pays
I have been a little homesick lately... I know I just got here and it will get better. It has already gotten better. The last couple of days I haven't really had anything to do or anyone to talk to. But today, I went over to another English teacher's house for lunch and then to yet another lady's house for dinner. As Angelique said, I'm so lucky everyone invites me over! The second lady, whose house I went to, (Mme Jardin, though she said to call her Francoises or however you spell it-- je sais pas) is very very nice. She has a 23-year-old daughter, Julie, who is also very nice and who gave me a French magazine and a picture of the Eiffel tower. Mme Jardin made me quiche lorainne, yum. I watched Saved by the Bell and Bridget Jone's Diary in French.
I already have an enemy. The lady who lives below me hates me because she says I make too much noise by walking around at night and talking on my phone. EXCUSE ME for getting a drink of water when I can't sleep and for calling my family. The English teachers say not to worry, that she is just an old spinster and that they hate her. She knocked on my door yesterday and said I was being too loud. Later the same day, she gave me some lecture about my key, that I was going to break the key, but I didn't understand and when I asked her to repeat she only spoke faster. She is mean. I am using the key they told me to use, I don't know.
Tomorrow I get a roommate! Either a Spanish or a German girl, whoever arrives first I guess. Also, a British guy is going to be living in the building, he is an assistant at another school, but they don't have housing. Another American assistant is coming to a school nearby soon. Yay, friends. Also one of the assistants in Metz contacted me about possibly getting together this weekend. So things are looking up.
I checked into the internet situation and apparently I can get unlimited international calls, internet, and cable (if it works with the old TV in my appartment) for 50 euros/month. Hopefully the roommate will help with that. Anyway, it is worth it, my cell phone is costing a small fortune and the pay phones are too far, or inaccessible after 9 pm. There is one right in the courtyard adacent to my apartment, but I am not allowed there after 9 pm or on weekends and there is an alarm.
I finally bought a bottle of French wine for a euro and I have been living the good life, no job, nothing to do, but it does get boring and lonely sometimes. I look forward to having a schedule and routine.
I am also getting used to French keyboards! Except I hate that the a key is the top left corner. Oh well, I finally found the apostrophe key, so that's a plus!
Okay, well I should get to bed. I am spending the night at the Jardins and we have to get up at 6 or some horrendous hour. I've gotten used to sleeping until 10 every day!
I already have an enemy. The lady who lives below me hates me because she says I make too much noise by walking around at night and talking on my phone. EXCUSE ME for getting a drink of water when I can't sleep and for calling my family. The English teachers say not to worry, that she is just an old spinster and that they hate her. She knocked on my door yesterday and said I was being too loud. Later the same day, she gave me some lecture about my key, that I was going to break the key, but I didn't understand and when I asked her to repeat she only spoke faster. She is mean. I am using the key they told me to use, I don't know.
Tomorrow I get a roommate! Either a Spanish or a German girl, whoever arrives first I guess. Also, a British guy is going to be living in the building, he is an assistant at another school, but they don't have housing. Another American assistant is coming to a school nearby soon. Yay, friends. Also one of the assistants in Metz contacted me about possibly getting together this weekend. So things are looking up.
I checked into the internet situation and apparently I can get unlimited international calls, internet, and cable (if it works with the old TV in my appartment) for 50 euros/month. Hopefully the roommate will help with that. Anyway, it is worth it, my cell phone is costing a small fortune and the pay phones are too far, or inaccessible after 9 pm. There is one right in the courtyard adacent to my apartment, but I am not allowed there after 9 pm or on weekends and there is an alarm.
I finally bought a bottle of French wine for a euro and I have been living the good life, no job, nothing to do, but it does get boring and lonely sometimes. I look forward to having a schedule and routine.
I am also getting used to French keyboards! Except I hate that the a key is the top left corner. Oh well, I finally found the apostrophe key, so that's a plus!
Okay, well I should get to bed. I am spending the night at the Jardins and we have to get up at 6 or some horrendous hour. I've gotten used to sleeping until 10 every day!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Franglais Fun
I have been speaking lots and lots of Franglais and I think I am getting better at understanding. I still only understand a fraction of the French all around me every day.
Yesterday, I went to Metz with a family of one of the English teachers at my school. All of the teachers have been making me ratatouille for lunch because of the movie. Haha, it is a good thing I like it.
Yesterday was fun, it was nice to be a round a family with young children. We walked around Metz, which is a lovely town. We went to the Cathedral and to the park. I put together a dragon toy for the young daughter of the teacher, Juliette. She is 4 I think. She liked me after that and held my hand.
I will feel a lot better when I get more things settled like getting a bank account and setting up my internet and phone in my apartment. I am also looking forward for the other American assistant in my town to move in.
Yesterday, I went to Metz with a family of one of the English teachers at my school. All of the teachers have been making me ratatouille for lunch because of the movie. Haha, it is a good thing I like it.
Yesterday was fun, it was nice to be a round a family with young children. We walked around Metz, which is a lovely town. We went to the Cathedral and to the park. I put together a dragon toy for the young daughter of the teacher, Juliette. She is 4 I think. She liked me after that and held my hand.
I will feel a lot better when I get more things settled like getting a bank account and setting up my internet and phone in my apartment. I am also looking forward for the other American assistant in my town to move in.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
la belle France
Bonjour mes amis! Unfortunately, I am at a McDonalds (they call it McDo pronounced MacDoe here), because it is the only place I know of that has free wi-fi. But anyway, here is the update:
Thursday was a loooooooong day. Friday night my plane left at 9:30 from Detroit. It worked out really well because my dad was flying in from Las Vegas so were able to eat dinner in the Northwest terminal before I flew out. I was also able to wait in his fancy-schmancy members-only club. I stocked up on the free juice.
The flight wasn't bad, but I couldn't sleep so I just watched movies--Waitress and Away from Her. The second one is really sad and I do not recommend watching it after you have just said goodbye to your parents for 3 months. Oops, bad idea.
When my plane arrived I had 2 choices--I could either pay 60+ euros for a cab, or I could try to navigate public transportation with one big suitcase, a luggage-sized backpack, a computer bag, and a small carry-on. What can I say? 7 months is a long time. Anyway, I condensed down to 3 bags and decided to save myself some money. I got some euros and made my way to the RER station. This is a subway-like train that takes you into Paris. (The Paris airport is actually around 30 minutes outside of Paris.) So, I struggled my way over to the first of many escalators and stairs. After I went up the escalator, I immediately had to go down another. Then I waited in line to buy my ticket. Then I had to get all my luggage through the turnstile. Fun. Then there was a staircase. Luckily, a nice British man helped me carry my big suitcase down. The RER ride was around 20 minutes. I arrived at the Gare du Nord and the plan was to walk to the Gare de L'est. They aren't very far apart, but somehow I went the wrong direction. I asked two people, "Ou est le Gare de l'Est?" and finally made my way. Then there was another set of stairs. I just sort of waited at the top feeling defeated for a couple of minutes. A group of giggling French girls came up talking in very rapid French and one helped me carry the big 50-lb suitcase down.
At the station, I walked around aimlessly for a little while, found the information desk, and then the ticket line. I had to pick up my ticket and my a youth card (for rail discounts). Since I had no idea how long this day of travelling was going to take, I was 3 hours early for my train! I asked if there was an earlier train and there was one that left in 20 minutes. So, with the rail card and the new ticket in hand, I went back to the information counter to see which platform my train left from. Platform 27--I hurried to the other end of the station and remembered that I had to validate my ticket. I went off searching for this little yellow machine thatpunches the date on the ticket. You can be fined if you don't do this before boarding the train.
Making my way down the platform, I had NO idea which car I was in. I was seat 98. So I asked someone who appeared to be in uniform and he just said in the front of the train. I made a reandom guess and lugged by suitcase into the train. There was nowhere to put it on the luggage racks and there was no way it was going to fit down the tiny aisles of the train. I stood there for a little while wondering if I should take my luggage back down and ask someone again. I decided just to shove my suitcase by this seat and hope for the best. I entered the car and my seat was the first on the left! What a lucky guess. I shoved my other bags beneath my seat and collapsed into the seat. The TGV train just started running to my region last June so it is brand new. It only took an hour and 15 minutes where before it took 3 hours. So soon enough we were in Nancy, where I was supposed to meet one of the English assistants. The only problem was, I had taken an earlier train so she wouldn't be there for 3 hours. I tried to call, but didn't get anybody. So, I waited. Finally I saw someone with a sign that said "Lyndsay."
Angelique, the teacher who picked me up is 26 and very nice. She lives in Nancy with her husband Remy. They live in a small, but cute apartment. Nancy is a bigger city 20 miles from my town. I think I will be going there a lot--it is a really cool place. Angelique drives a tiny Pegeout like everybody here. We shoved my suitcase in the trunk and left it there. I was very relieved to be done with my long day of travelling. We had to go into her parking garage. It has the steepest, darkest, skinniest entrance ramp I have ever seen. When you get to the bottom, there are no lights, until you flip the switch yourself.
After parking, I brought my backpack and computer upstairs to the apartment. We went in the oldest smalles elevator. It had 2 doors that you pulled close. It is broken so it would only take us up to the 4th floor and then we walked down the stairs to the 2nd floor.
Angelique's apartment is very cute. All of the appliances are so small and skinny! They are redoing the bathroom so once once Remy got home from work, we went in search of a shower. We went to their friend's apartment who wasn't there. I was so tired and on this surreal trip with strangers in a strange city in search of a shower. Then they took me on a driving tour of the city and showed me the famous plaza. It is beautiful! I can't wait to go back and explore it some more!
When we got back to the apartment, they made me spaghetti. I was really quiet through all of this because I felt guilty speaking English (even though they are both fluent) and I was too tired and rusty with my French to even put together basic sentences. I slept really well that night. And they invited me back if I ever wanted to spend the weekend in Nancy.
Friday morning, Angelique had to be at school at 8 so I went with her. School starts at 8, but Angelique didn't have class until 9. She showed me the teacher lounges and introduced me to some of the other teachers. I met up with Annabel, a very nice teacher who is in her late thirties (I think?) and has 2 kids who are 8 and 12 (I think). She helped me move in to my apartment.
My apartment is in the internat (boarding house) of the school. Other students live there though I am not really sure where because there is an alarm after a certain time and on the weekends maybe (I'm not sure) so I have been using my back door so as not to set it off. The building is looked after by "the gray man." This is how the English teachers described him to me, that he always wears gray trousers, gray jacket, gray hat, and that when he talks it is gray around him. He definitely doesn't get the nice award, but he basically just told me to be quiet, not to take late showers and not to set off the alarm. Oh he also stressed locking and closing every door when I enter and leave.
My apartment is pretty big. There is a room right when you enter with a TV and a desk big enough for a CEO. This desk is unnecessary as each bedroom has one also. The main room is large with plenty of windows, a chair, a bench, and kitchen table with 4 chairs. The kitchen is right off the dining room. There is a small fridge and an oven with a stove. There is also a microwave. There are dishes and cleaning supplies, so that's good.
The bathroom has aged nautical wallpaper with the French terms for East and West. The toilet has one of those flushers that has a long wooden pole that you pull down from above. After I flush the toilet, it flushes repeatedly for about an hour. I am told I have to ask the gray man about this.
Apparently, I will be getting a roommate next week-- a girl from Spain, who will be the Spanish language assistant. Since, I got here first, I chose the room. I picked the one toward the back of the apartment because it has yellow walllpaper and gets more sun so it is brighter and cheerier. The other room has a fringe lamp though so it was a toss-up. :)
After I moved in, Annabel and I went to the bank. We spent an hour there and were completely unsuccessful in opening a bank account. Apparently, they needed all of these documents I don't have. Then we went to the police to start the process of getting my care de sejour, which allows to live and work in France. The one lady who knew anything about it wasn't in. Oh well. We made an appointment at a different bank for next Thursday and hopefully we will go back to the police afterwards. As Annabel said, it was a good introduction to French bureaucracy.
After that debacle, I took a long nap. When I woke up I explored and bought a sandwich at the grocery store called Le sandwich parisien. :) It was a ham sandwich of sorts.
Today, Saturday, I went over to Annabel's house for lunch. She lives in a really old house outside of Pont-a-Mousson. It dates to the Renaissance! The bathroom used to be a stable and the master bedroom used be for storing grains and things. She made me a great French lunch with a delicious Alsatian dessert. I watched a French cartoon with her young daughter. Then we went grocery shopping and we walked around Pont-a-Mousson. I got a library card. And that is everything so far! Sorry it was a long post! Miss you all!
Thursday was a loooooooong day. Friday night my plane left at 9:30 from Detroit. It worked out really well because my dad was flying in from Las Vegas so were able to eat dinner in the Northwest terminal before I flew out. I was also able to wait in his fancy-schmancy members-only club. I stocked up on the free juice.
The flight wasn't bad, but I couldn't sleep so I just watched movies--Waitress and Away from Her. The second one is really sad and I do not recommend watching it after you have just said goodbye to your parents for 3 months. Oops, bad idea.
When my plane arrived I had 2 choices--I could either pay 60+ euros for a cab, or I could try to navigate public transportation with one big suitcase, a luggage-sized backpack, a computer bag, and a small carry-on. What can I say? 7 months is a long time. Anyway, I condensed down to 3 bags and decided to save myself some money. I got some euros and made my way to the RER station. This is a subway-like train that takes you into Paris. (The Paris airport is actually around 30 minutes outside of Paris.) So, I struggled my way over to the first of many escalators and stairs. After I went up the escalator, I immediately had to go down another. Then I waited in line to buy my ticket. Then I had to get all my luggage through the turnstile. Fun. Then there was a staircase. Luckily, a nice British man helped me carry my big suitcase down. The RER ride was around 20 minutes. I arrived at the Gare du Nord and the plan was to walk to the Gare de L'est. They aren't very far apart, but somehow I went the wrong direction. I asked two people, "Ou est le Gare de l'Est?" and finally made my way. Then there was another set of stairs. I just sort of waited at the top feeling defeated for a couple of minutes. A group of giggling French girls came up talking in very rapid French and one helped me carry the big 50-lb suitcase down.
At the station, I walked around aimlessly for a little while, found the information desk, and then the ticket line. I had to pick up my ticket and my a youth card (for rail discounts). Since I had no idea how long this day of travelling was going to take, I was 3 hours early for my train! I asked if there was an earlier train and there was one that left in 20 minutes. So, with the rail card and the new ticket in hand, I went back to the information counter to see which platform my train left from. Platform 27--I hurried to the other end of the station and remembered that I had to validate my ticket. I went off searching for this little yellow machine thatpunches the date on the ticket. You can be fined if you don't do this before boarding the train.
Making my way down the platform, I had NO idea which car I was in. I was seat 98. So I asked someone who appeared to be in uniform and he just said in the front of the train. I made a reandom guess and lugged by suitcase into the train. There was nowhere to put it on the luggage racks and there was no way it was going to fit down the tiny aisles of the train. I stood there for a little while wondering if I should take my luggage back down and ask someone again. I decided just to shove my suitcase by this seat and hope for the best. I entered the car and my seat was the first on the left! What a lucky guess. I shoved my other bags beneath my seat and collapsed into the seat. The TGV train just started running to my region last June so it is brand new. It only took an hour and 15 minutes where before it took 3 hours. So soon enough we were in Nancy, where I was supposed to meet one of the English assistants. The only problem was, I had taken an earlier train so she wouldn't be there for 3 hours. I tried to call, but didn't get anybody. So, I waited. Finally I saw someone with a sign that said "Lyndsay."
Angelique, the teacher who picked me up is 26 and very nice. She lives in Nancy with her husband Remy. They live in a small, but cute apartment. Nancy is a bigger city 20 miles from my town. I think I will be going there a lot--it is a really cool place. Angelique drives a tiny Pegeout like everybody here. We shoved my suitcase in the trunk and left it there. I was very relieved to be done with my long day of travelling. We had to go into her parking garage. It has the steepest, darkest, skinniest entrance ramp I have ever seen. When you get to the bottom, there are no lights, until you flip the switch yourself.
After parking, I brought my backpack and computer upstairs to the apartment. We went in the oldest smalles elevator. It had 2 doors that you pulled close. It is broken so it would only take us up to the 4th floor and then we walked down the stairs to the 2nd floor.
Angelique's apartment is very cute. All of the appliances are so small and skinny! They are redoing the bathroom so once once Remy got home from work, we went in search of a shower. We went to their friend's apartment who wasn't there. I was so tired and on this surreal trip with strangers in a strange city in search of a shower. Then they took me on a driving tour of the city and showed me the famous plaza. It is beautiful! I can't wait to go back and explore it some more!
When we got back to the apartment, they made me spaghetti. I was really quiet through all of this because I felt guilty speaking English (even though they are both fluent) and I was too tired and rusty with my French to even put together basic sentences. I slept really well that night. And they invited me back if I ever wanted to spend the weekend in Nancy.
Friday morning, Angelique had to be at school at 8 so I went with her. School starts at 8, but Angelique didn't have class until 9. She showed me the teacher lounges and introduced me to some of the other teachers. I met up with Annabel, a very nice teacher who is in her late thirties (I think?) and has 2 kids who are 8 and 12 (I think). She helped me move in to my apartment.
My apartment is in the internat (boarding house) of the school. Other students live there though I am not really sure where because there is an alarm after a certain time and on the weekends maybe (I'm not sure) so I have been using my back door so as not to set it off. The building is looked after by "the gray man." This is how the English teachers described him to me, that he always wears gray trousers, gray jacket, gray hat, and that when he talks it is gray around him. He definitely doesn't get the nice award, but he basically just told me to be quiet, not to take late showers and not to set off the alarm. Oh he also stressed locking and closing every door when I enter and leave.
My apartment is pretty big. There is a room right when you enter with a TV and a desk big enough for a CEO. This desk is unnecessary as each bedroom has one also. The main room is large with plenty of windows, a chair, a bench, and kitchen table with 4 chairs. The kitchen is right off the dining room. There is a small fridge and an oven with a stove. There is also a microwave. There are dishes and cleaning supplies, so that's good.
The bathroom has aged nautical wallpaper with the French terms for East and West. The toilet has one of those flushers that has a long wooden pole that you pull down from above. After I flush the toilet, it flushes repeatedly for about an hour. I am told I have to ask the gray man about this.
Apparently, I will be getting a roommate next week-- a girl from Spain, who will be the Spanish language assistant. Since, I got here first, I chose the room. I picked the one toward the back of the apartment because it has yellow walllpaper and gets more sun so it is brighter and cheerier. The other room has a fringe lamp though so it was a toss-up. :)
After I moved in, Annabel and I went to the bank. We spent an hour there and were completely unsuccessful in opening a bank account. Apparently, they needed all of these documents I don't have. Then we went to the police to start the process of getting my care de sejour, which allows to live and work in France. The one lady who knew anything about it wasn't in. Oh well. We made an appointment at a different bank for next Thursday and hopefully we will go back to the police afterwards. As Annabel said, it was a good introduction to French bureaucracy.
After that debacle, I took a long nap. When I woke up I explored and bought a sandwich at the grocery store called Le sandwich parisien. :) It was a ham sandwich of sorts.
Today, Saturday, I went over to Annabel's house for lunch. She lives in a really old house outside of Pont-a-Mousson. It dates to the Renaissance! The bathroom used to be a stable and the master bedroom used be for storing grains and things. She made me a great French lunch with a delicious Alsatian dessert. I watched a French cartoon with her young daughter. Then we went grocery shopping and we walked around Pont-a-Mousson. I got a library card. And that is everything so far! Sorry it was a long post! Miss you all!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
It's really here
I leave tomorrow for la France! I have been packing and repacking and planning and preparing for months. It's been almost a year since I began the application process for this program--I can't believe it is actually time to go!
I spent the past weekend in Chicago. I'm going to miss that place. Mike and I went to this little German bar that had a German band playing for Oktoberfest and we drank German beer. It was as if I was already in Europe. :) Mike also participated in their German parade by playing an instrument called "the crazy stick." It was basically a stick with every percussive option possible.
Anyway, I am anxious to get through the first stressful travel day and get settled in Pont-a-Mousson!
I spent the past weekend in Chicago. I'm going to miss that place. Mike and I went to this little German bar that had a German band playing for Oktoberfest and we drank German beer. It was as if I was already in Europe. :) Mike also participated in their German parade by playing an instrument called "the crazy stick." It was basically a stick with every percussive option possible.
Anyway, I am anxious to get through the first stressful travel day and get settled in Pont-a-Mousson!
