Monday, November 06, 2006

Récépissé



Almost one year later, and we're (well I'm) getting closer to being able to continue working here in France. I went this morning to pick up our récépissés (only between 9-12:00 please), which as far as I can understand are just another 'clue' on the 'scavenger hunt' through French beaurocracy that we get to enjoy.

Because Erik is 'simply' renewing his carte de sejour this year, he just has to wait until December when he can exchange the blue paper for a new card. I think. Not sure why he needs the blue paper, but the helpful people at the prefecture of police don't get paid to answer silly Canadian questions (I actually don't intend as much sarcasm as you might think in that paragraph. They were surprisingly un-condescending.)

Because this is my first time applying for one of these cards, I have to do a medical first. So, now that I have my blue paper, I have to wait for them to send me something in the mail, which will then allow me to get the medical done (chest xray here I come! I think xray films are going to become the hottest Parisian souvenir!). Once the medical is completed, I proceed directly the the building next door to collect my prize (or, carte de sejour).

Other than all this fun, I had a nice day yesterday at the musee des art decoratifs et la mode. Alex and I wandered through the exhibits detailing interior decoration from the middle ages to the present before meeting Anja to enjoy an exhibit on the French designer Balenciaga. The Balenciaga exhibit made Alex and I decide that we need more reasons to dress up. I certainly don't get to wear a ball gown often enough. I think Anja got a bit more ouf of the exhibit than we did though, she being the fashion student and all.

And we had a dinner party on Friday with Alex, Pavel and Tatiana. We enjoyed some fine food and fine wine in our lovely apartment. It was delicious, and I think everyone had a great time.

And tomorrow I get to go back to work. I do love vacations, but they certainly don't make it easier to get back into a routine. And I don't think there are any more days off until Christmas!! How will I survive??? If Erik were reading this as I type, he'd probably roll his eyes at me. Rightly so, I suppose.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I had relayed your saga of the carte de sejour to my cousin in the south and they just emailed to tell me that they had some Canadian friends who were going through the similar story as you - until they told him to go in and pull the 'i'm a scientist' card ... he did (he really is one evidently and it took some pursuading to get him to do b/c being canadian he, naturally, thought it couldn't possibly make a difference) and his wife got her card!! What would happen to us wives w/out scientists for husbands?!