Hmmm.....

Today was not so good. When I went with a group from university to somewhere in Centre Ville to get my carte de sejour, I found I had to have my birth certificate and marriage certificate, along with all the other paperwork I knew about. It will now be a time consuming drama to get them. The young man who was dealing with me, who was very nice I might add, said that it was urgent and could they be faxed straight away! I rang Jane, my sister, on my cell phone to ask her to get them, (and woke her up :-)), and it cost me 50 euros!!!!!! ($100 NZ.) All the money I had put on my phone. It would have been quite straightforward if I had been told I would need them.
Also, while I was waiting politely for my turn to be interviewed for the carte de sejour, I became aware that it was very possible that I was the only representative from a country where people do indeed wait politely in queues! After many 'push-ins' I had to get a bit assertive too. I know it all sounds like nothing much, but there was a lot more to it than that. And it took a long time. Then I couldn't find my way out of the building, and then when I was out, I had trouble getting back to where I wanted to go. Thank goodness for a good sense of direction. Which didn't save us in London, Pat, but it was useful today.

It's the first time I have thought that this is just too hard. I submitted heaps of paperwork for my visa and had no idea there was this carte de sejour thing as well. I am a pretty damned good guesser, but I have my limits. My host "mother" says she will come and visit me in prison. Lol.

Anyway, the roast pork is smelling pretty good so things aren't all bad. And I bought a cool fabric calendar today with all the days of the week, seasons, weather options etc. En français of course! :-)
Even as I type I'm feeling better, but it was a hard day.