Alors.
No long stay residence card granted yet, BUT we were granted an extension of the temporary Visa. Which means we can leave the country and get back in! Only a small detail, right?
The woman at the Prefecture told Tanner that the customs agents MAY question the extension… BUT, “It will be no problem.” He held his hands together as if being hand-cuffed and said, “Of course! No problem for YOU!” 🙂 She laughed.
French administration = THE PUREST DEFINITION OF BUREAUCRACY.
To get an apartment, you must have a bank account. To get a bank account, you must have an apartment and someone to guarantee you. Like a landlord. Gordian knot, anyone? Kobayashi Maru? 
To get a car title, you must have a bank account AND an apartment, as well as an electric bill, a phone bill, and a lease. To change tires on that car, you go to a tire store with 20 more official documents (count on multiple trips) only to be told that you cannot CHANGE the tires on your car unless your insurance company agrees with the new tires. In triplicate.
North Americans say, “Welcome to France.” 🙂 French say, “Ah, oui, c’est normale! This is France!” I say…..well, never mind!
OK, you’ll like this!
Learn to Count in French! Starts out pretty normal … In French, there are words for 10 20 30 40 50 60….and now it gets interesting.
- To say 70, you literally say, “Sixty Ten”
- To say 80, you say, “Four Twenties”
- To say 90, you say, “Four Twenties Ten”
- and 99 is “Four Twenties Nineteen”
The moral of the story is – Use your debit card! Then you don’t have to count!
Love and miss you!
Mindy
PS – Wednesday I’m going to the largest grocery store in the world, E. Leclerc….you KNOW there will be a blog about that! 🙂
PSS – Thank you for all the prayers for health and healing – mon mari and I so appreciate it. He’s doing really well.