Settling in

So for anybody who knows me I'm not an organized person, I'm in fact a little bit all over the place and that would pretty much describe the events up to today since arriving in France.
I started the year away on a brilliant note after losing my phone before I had even got on the plane, although I was kindly welcomed in by my contact teacher it quickly became apparent to me just how under prepared I was for the year ahead. Finding my own place to live was first item on the list, but sweet jaysus Annecy is expensive place to live and the landlords are equally as picky.

Before I had found a house though the induction day held by the CIEP was upon me so off to Grenoble for 2 days it was! To be brutally honest I feel that the first day at the stage was completely unnecessary and the stage could have been shortened to 1 day if people had read the information available to them. The second day was better and I pick up many tips and tricks that I can now make use of in the Lycée, although it was rather messy organization-wise! The Evening meal on the first day was well prepared, especially one for over 200 people and I got to taste this famous Tartiflette  for the 2nd time in two days! After a bit of trouble with the buses I said goodbye to some of my new friends (and some old ones) and began to start thinking about my housing problem again.

After 3 days  I managed to find a studio on Rue Carnot (the  O'Connell street of Annecy). While I liked it I felt that I should see much more of the market, but by the weekend after I had got 3 denials and having two house viewings fall through I decided it would be a big loss if the studio was taken while I searched fruitlessly.  The only problem was the lack of internet in the studio, yet another thing to fix!

In the meanwhile I had managed to get myself a french phone, open a french bank account and send off my social security forms. I'm now well versed in the love affair France has with paperwork and while sometimes it makes me want to strangle whoever thought it was necessary for 13 signatures to open a bank account, I have to admit everyone was extremely helpful and understanding at all times!


A plus, Éanna.