22 Months Later ……………………………….
- car routes
- missing charlie
- freezing in Paris
- christmas soiree’s in Montmartre
- missing kids/ christmas
- eating massive amounts of bread
- many many flights to and from
- rendezvous in France after teaching in Bournemouth
- CREATING the initial feat for our stint in France – David’s students at EF in Bournemouth UK
- untold walking from here and everywhere
- skyping Papa’O from St Louis to Bournemouth England
- David loves snail mail – Bournemouth UK
Written July 12, 2013
Did someone very important say once, “It is necessary to have goals and work hard to get anything done in this life.” Yes, I’m sure. I think many people over the course of centuries have said this profound sentence. SO! That being said …….. Vacations are your reward, usually. So when you leave your country and visit another for a vacation, it’s meant to be relaxing, – hopefully. When you leave your home country to stay and work in another country, on your own, without the benefit of a COMPANY* doing the paperwork FOR you, it is not a vacation, it is complicated and triple the work.
That being said, I wouldn’t have traded that “surprise of bureaucracy” for anything, because it is worth it to live in France.
Today, 12th Juillet 2013, 22 months after arriving in France, my coveted Titre de Sejour, arrived in my hands. I wrote about round 1 of this process in __________. The Carte de Sejour is like the “green card” for foreigners living and working in the United States. It is the French equivalent. It costs a fortune for the GREEN CARD. It costs NOTHING but your time in bureaucracy in France.
*( my friend Eleanor, had carte blanche everything rolled out for her when she and husband did a 5 year stint with an oil company in Paris. Not only were they able to bring every stick of furniture, every dish, from their Texas home, but also their antique piano, down to the quilts on their beds. Her Titre de Sejour was handed to her, with no trekking, no filing, no paperwork.)
For me, NONE of this, – the paperwork, the translations, the legwork, would have been possible for me, without my husband. He’s the one that used all the French in speaking and comprehension, untold trips back and forth from Paris to Pointoise for the Social Security and Paris to Sarcelles GENDARMARIE for the monthly disappointment of bureaucrats flipping through our enormous file , slamming it shut, and saying emphatically, “you need more of this this and this…….so- “NON” and Good day!
We started the process over when moving from Paris to Marseille, and within a few months, were able to actually see the forest for the trees – SO, lesson here? = it depends on 1) How much French you comprehend and can speak 2) how much work you’re willing to do, 3) where you are living 4) the particular Gendarmerie that is assigned to you dependent on your house address and 5) who you get in front of you when confronting the Bureaucrat with your file, – for that coveted card.
The following are coming……photos of my day, and the little celebration that my husband and I enjoyed despite a week long marathon teaching schedule on his part for extra classes. He’s a little “coup de barre” (hit over the head tired) from the holiday classes this week, but he shared so much in my happiness to get my coveted Carte de Sejour or in French, “Titre de Sejour” enabling me to reside, live and work in France.
Enjoy
I am
- Cap Canaille
- Cassis Beach
- Titre de Sejour or Carte de Sejour!!!!
- Beautiful door / architecture in Marseille The PREFECTURE does NOT look like this – at all
- Cassis Beach from Bada
- A present to me for the Carte de Sejour!
- Over a Marseille door
- Dinner at Bada on the beach in Cassis
CONGRATULATIONS, MARTI!!! You both are just amazing and deserve every bit of it! Power to you for making your dream come true! YOU DID IT!!!!!!
I KNOW, and can’t believe it!!!
Woo Whoo! Congratulations!
Always fun to read
Thanks Peggie!!!!
Reblogged this on Letters from Marseille and commented:
Yes, more photos
I love reading about your adventures and I am always reminded of our talks when working together etc, about you wanting to live in France someday and look at you girl you are living your dream and I am so HAPPY for you and David.
Renee, you are so good, so sweet, and your words meant a lot. Yeah – can’t believe it either – just read what you wrote to David (as we are stuck in Jfk, and now LGA – and I said – it’s GOD……I prayed for this a long time. Thanks again……your kids, btw, are amazing…..and I know you and hubby are doubly proud at what they have accomplished and are accomplishing. 🙂 You keep up whatever it is that you are doing, cause you’re doing great! I miss you, Rene!! !! In French that is: “Tu me manque” 🙂
Hi Marti, really enjoyed the read & pix,
Lovely & congrats on getting your residents card, well done & to David of course for all his card work well done to you both xxMeryl/Rulis
Hi Meryl! Appreciate your comments. David says you’re “one of the few elite” that has actually signed into wordpress (difficult) and left comments. SO, KUDOS to you!!! 😉 I love writing about “nothing” 😉
Congrats on getting your Titre de Sejour !!!! Loved the photos going down memory lane in France with you !!!