November
Trip Start
Sep 25, 2008
1
12
36
Trip End
Ongoing
Laon,
Picardy,
France
Saturday, November 8, 2008
So, it has been awhile since I updated my travel log. Nothing really significant has happened, but I will recap all the little things in one log.
Ok, here we go.....
Saturday, November 8th
The day before, I received a package from home, which had some stuff I was missing. One thing that I was dying to have was my hair straightener. For some reason I didn't bring it with me, although I use it everyday. So I was looking at it, and it did not seem to be capable of working on a dual voltage system, like all my other electronic items. I tried plugging it in with an adapter, but it started to smell like it was burning. I do have a converter, which changes the voltage, but it wouldn't fit into the outlet, because almost all outlets in France are set into the wall, and the prongs on the converter weren't long enough to fit into the outlet. So then I tried using an adapter to extend the converter. When everything was plugged in, and the straighter wasn't even on, it made a weird buzzing noise, so I didn't get any further than that. I thought maybe I could find an extension cord or a power strip with flat plugs at Carrefour, which is a Wal-Mart equivalent. I was there for awhile looking at everything, when this random man started talking to me. He asked me what I was looking for and what I was trying to do. We found a plug, but it was an entire outlet. I would have to unscrew the current wall outlet and replace it with this flat one. He explained how to do it, and said it was very easy. I asked him if it was dangerous, and he said no, not at all. So I bought the plug and headed home.
It was about 8 at night, and I began to unscrew the outlet from the wall in the bathroom. After everything was taken apart, I realized it was not at all as simple as the guy had made it seem. I had three wires sticking out of the wall and an outlet I couldn't attach to the wall. I don't know what happened next, but the wires must have crossed, and all of a sudden I was in the dark. I thought maybe the power just went out in my apartment. I looked out in the hall to make sure, and apparently I had blown out the power in the whole building (There are 5 apartments in the building including mine). I knocked on the neighbor's door across the way and he didn't know who to call. I told him what had happened and that it was my fault. He lent me a lighter, since I had a candle, but no matches. He ended up calling somebody, who told him that there is always someone at the school who can help. So I walked to the school and saw some people in an apartment right off the entrance. I knocked on the door and explained what happened. There is a man who usually is at the welcome desk who lives in the apartment with his whole family. He told me someone in the building is supposed to take care of any problems. I told him she was not home, so we went into the school and he began calling people. He got a hold of the woman on her cell, and they both tried calling the electricity company, but for some reason they wouldn't come out to fix it. He ended up calling a friend who works for the school, and he explained how to go to the transformer room and flip the fuse for the building. So while we are waiting, the woman from my apartment building came and we all went to the transformer room together. They were able to figure out the right fuse, and thank goodness, the power went back on. The whole process took about an hour, and it was quite embarrassing. I still can't believe I did it, plus I could have electrocuted myself. I will never try to do anything with electricity again, in France or in the U.S.
Tuesday, November 11th
There was no school today, because it was Armistice Day in France. Since everyone had the day off I wanted to organize a little soiree with all the assistants. After much debating we decided to go out for Chinese in the high town. I rushed to get to the Poma station to get a ride up the hill, but when I got there I discovered that public transportation was also not functioning on the holiday. So I had to walk up the hill, which wasn't fun, but afterwards I felt like I had earned my dinner. We all met up at the cathedral and went to a Chinese restaurant, which was pretty good. All the assistants but one was there. Afterwards we went out to the bar, le Gibus, and hung out there for awhile. Overall it was a nice night.
Thursday, November 13th
Medical Visit
So, after being in France for almost 2 months, I finally was going to my medical appointment, which is required in order to get a residence permit. They had previously scheduled it for the day that I had to be in Amiens for the orientation, then rescheduled it during vacation, so I finally had an appointment I could get to. I wasn't really sure what to expect. It was in the hospital, and there were a ton of people waiting. I wasn't sure what to do since I had an appointment, but there really wasn't anyone there to ask, so I got a number, and I waited. It turned out to be the right move. I first had to be checked in, give my information etc. Then I had to go upstairs and get a chest x-ray. The French are very concerned about the state of lungs. For the application to the program I had to have a doctor fill out a form which included a question about the state of my lungs. So anyway, I had to get a chest x-ray. I believe the purpose was to discover if I had tuberculosis, although if I did have it, and they caught it then, it would be a little late, as I already would have spread it to all the teaching staff and students of Lycée Pierre-Méchain. So after waiting to get my x-ray taken, then waiting to get it back, I had to go back downstairs and wait some more for the doctor. When I finally got to see the doctor he asked some questions about vaccinations, he asked me if I could see, about past operations, etc. I had to be weighed and he once again checked my lungs with his stethoscope. Afterwards he had a mountain of paperwork about me, which he said was going to immigration. I had to sign off on a few things and I was free to go. One of the other American girls had a really horrible experience during her medical visit, so I am glad mine went smoothly, there was just a lot of waiting. After the visit, I headed straight to the Prefecture to apply for my residence permit. The woman told me to come back in a week to get my temporary residence permit. I have been waiting and waiting for this, because I cannot subscribe to the internet without a residence permit, so I was pretty excited it would only take a week. More about this later....
Weekend of the 15th/16th
(FYI SuZanne is from NY, SuSanne is from Germany)
I had a visitor, and it was also a birthday. I had invited Suzanne, an assistant in another town, the one I stayed in Reims with, to the Armistice dinner. It was very spur of the moment, so she couldn't come, but I asked her to come over for the weekend, since we were having a little birthday party for the German assistant SuSanne. SuZanne came over on Saturday morning and I showed her around Loan, all the many hotspots. We went to the animal shelter with the German SuSanne. She and I wanted to volunteer there. So we walked all the way there, and the woman there told us it was not worth it to begin volunteering now. Apparently in order to volunteer you need to make a 20 Euro annual donation. She explained to us that if we signed up now we would have to pay 20 Euros now and then again in January, since it will be a new year. So she basically told us to come back in January, so it was a fruitless venture. I don't know why your membership can't be valid for one year from the first day of your membership, but apparently the rules cannot be changed. Plus, French people love paperwork and making things complicated. Afterwards SuZanne and I wandered around high town and then got some kebabs for dinner. SuSanne's party was starting at 6:30; we went there after our kebabs. She had a nice spread of snacks and wine. She also had some of her German friends over who are working as assistants in another town. So we all had a good time together. I had made a cake for the occasion on Friday and it turned out to be delicious, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. It was pretty rich, but yummy. After hanging out at SuSanne's for awhile, we all went to le Gibus. We were waiting to try these things called giraffes, which are big columns of beer with a tap, so you can serve yourself fresh beer. We split 2 between 8 people, and it was pretty fun. We stayed until out until midnight, because SuSanne's actual birthday was on Sunday, so we did a toast at midnight, and everyone went home shortly afterwards.
On Sunday morning we slept in pretty late and then made some eggs. SuZanne missed the fist train that she wanted to take, so we had time to catch part of a soccer game that was going on right near my school. I originally thought it was going to be in the bigger stadium, and that it was the real soccer team of Laon, but after seeing the game I wasn't sure. It was played on a smaller field, and not many people were there, it seemed like they were the parents of the soccer players. The soccer players did seem to be older though, so it is hard to say. Nevertheless, it was interesting, and it was something to do on Sunday, when there usually is nothing to do. SuZanne left around 5, and that was that. I am going to go visit her for a weekend sometime. We are also making plans to go to Brussels pretty soon.
