Moving: A Laundry Rant

Moving: A Laundry Rant

I have a long history of trying different laundry methods - in Costa Rica, it varied from sending it out, to handwashing and hanging out everything. But generally, where ever I am, I eventually have a washer and dryer of my own.

Here in New Mexico, our apartment has hook-ups as well as laundry rooms. When we moved in, we weren't sure how long we would stay, so we immediately rented the appliances. Then we bought some, which we sold last week. Bottom line, I never once had to use the laundry room - until the hell that was today.

Knowing I would likely have to do some wash before leaving, I got some quarters, and found out where the room was. This morning, I carried the laundry and ancillary items over, and filled up three machines. That's when I noticed that these machines take a card! Huh, OK, I go back to my apartment, exchange my quarters for a credit card, and go back - every single machine gives me an error, no matter which way the card goes in! Well, I see one dryer going, so I know at least one machine has to be working; must be my card. I go back, and get all my credit cards - all errors!! Yep, I'm pretty steamed - I go to the office (and I'm *really* glad I didn't try all this yesterday, when the office was closed!). Then I find out that the dratted machines don't take credit cards, but rather a specialized *laundry* card, that you have to buy and fill at the machine in the office! And that machine doesn't take credit cards OR quarters! Grrr. Back to my apartment for cash - luckily we had one $5 and one $10 bill; the thing required a $5 bill (nothing else, only that) for the card - it then said I had a whole $3 of credit on it (yep, a $2 buy-in just to wash some clothes). Not having another $5 bill, I sacrificed my $10 bill to the maw and finally had enough (waaaay too much) credit on the card to do my wash. Back to the laundry room, where everything finally started...

It took a good half-hour, and plenty of swearing to calm down. But now we have enough clean clothes for our 3-day drive to California - where I am very tempted to get over this episode by splurging at Napa valley's French Laundry** - Hah! Now *that* would really try my patience!

~~~
**
https://www.thomaskeller.com/tfl
https://www.timeout.com/usa/restaurants/toughest-restaurant-reservations-to-get-in-america

Reminders

As I pack up (again) for another long distance move, I see (and set aside to take) little reminders...

• A print of the Sutter Buttes from a painting by my dad (when he heard this, he offered the *original!*)
• A jade statue of Kuan Yin, goddess of compassion, from California
• A rock from the Sandia mountains of New Mexico (for my brother, who collects these wonderful mementos)
• A scarf from Venice
• Coffee cups from Iowa, France, Costa Rica, and New Mexico
• Pareos from Brazil, Hawaii, and Costa Rica (they're so handy)
• A mango wood vase from Costa Rica
• A fetish from New Mexico

Kwan Yin

Otter Fetish, representing laughter, curiosity, mischievousness

Life is full of adventures!

All of these remind me of friends, family, and good times, everywhere I have lived. And I think of the good memories yet to be made :-)

How To: France

How To: France

So... It's getting real - my long-stay visa was approved; we're moving to France!

I'm looking at all sorts of articles on how to (or not to) get along in France - advice ranges from "learn French" (whaaa?!?!) to "these are the documents you need to open a bank account" (OMG, you can't imagine) to "weigh your flour for baking" (and, by the way, there are Oh. So. Many. Types of flour to understand).

Did you know? "Rules" for kissing hello and goodbye vary (a *lot*) by region! Yes, I saw the survey...
So, when in the Hérault - kiss, kiss, kiss!

I've sorted through my forums, groups, and Facebook pages, trimming those from past moves and adding new ones for France. Of course, I kept *some* for nostalgia!

I had a rough list of things we will have to do to settle in once we get there. Now I have to put it on a timeline - February and March will be *very* busy times for us!

We know from our move to Costa Rica that there are times when you really need expert help - fortunately, Renestance is very near where we plan to land, and they have been a big help in the past (they helped us understand a sticky insurance situation when we vacationed in France last year).

I have a list of things to get used to - and apparently checking off these boxes will tell me "how French" I am.

Alors, Santé !

~~~
some websites:
https://www.renestance.com
https://transferwise.com/gb/blog/how-to-adapt-to-life-as-an-expat-in-france
http://www.myfrenchlife.org/2016/12/07/ways-to-offend-the-french/
http://www.destinationtips.com/destinations/14-photos-french-faux-pas-things-not-to-do-in-france/
https://www.renestance.com/tips-not-in-the-guides-for-american-expats-in-france/
http://www.thelocal.fr/20160722/30-errors-foreigners-make-when-moving-to-france
http://www.combiendebises.com
https://transferwise.com/gb/blog/6-best-apps-to-learn-a-new-language
http://www.thelocal.fr/20160714/how-well-you-have-adapted-to-france

My French Visa - Update!

My French Visa - Update!

I had my appointment with the French consulate for my visa last week - December 7, 14:00 (that's 2:00 pm for non-military Americans). At the time, the fine gentleman behind the window said I'd hear within 2 weeks. The website indicated they would need at least 3 weeks, so "Wow!"

Me being me, I've been checking the USPS tracking system for my passport/visa being sent back to me just about every day since then. I actually stopped myself several times on Sunday...

Well, look what popped up one morning!

That's right! ONE week later!

I spent the rest of the day in hopeful agony.

And then:

RICHMOND!?!? So close and yet so far :-(
Another day of waiting, while my visa (hopefully) zig-zags across California...

And then:

And then:

As my friend Jan just said, don't forget to enjoy the journey...

Italian Art: Judith Beheads Holofernes

Wow! I didn't know the history of this painting (or artist) when I saw this in Italy!

I just knew it was captivating in a very strange way - the women are so *determined*...

So what is it? Judith (and her maid) Beheads the general Holofernes, who was laying seige to their city. Do they look like heroes? Saviors of a city? What do ordinary people look like in the moment of performing such an extreme act?

Here's the back story (and a better picture) : https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/the-17th-century-painter-and-rape-victim-who-specialized-in-revenge-fantasy

My French Visa

My French Visa

So! I had my French visa appointment yesterday! Spoiler alert - it went well, and I should hear back in 2 weeks!

To live in France (or to visit for more than 90 days) Americans have to get a visa. And it has to applied for, in person, from the consulate that covers the region in which you live. For New Mexico, that is the French consulate in Los Angeles. But for Northern California, that is the consulate in San Francisco. Since our lease in NM is up in December, we decided to move back to my parents' house in California, and do all our visa processing from there (so, San Francisco).

In mid-November, I got an appointment via the consulate website - the earliest one I could get was December 7, almost a month away! Well, the good news is that it gave me plenty of time to get my documents together; the bad news is that I had to wait a *month!* :-)  The related bad news is that it could be another month's delay if I needed another appointment for some reason. And the possible reasons aren't clear. What is clear is that there could be reasons. That makes for difficult planning.

Well, I did several things to mitigate that possibility. I pulled together all the documents they listed as requirements (http://www.consulfrance-sanfrancisco.org/spip.php?article2705):
- my passport
- a filled in application (with all sorts of difficult-to-know-the-best-way-to-answer questions)
- ID picture (like an American passport picture, but slightly different)
- proof of marriage (fortunately, we had gotten our livret de famille a few years ago)
- proof of spouse's French nationality (fortunately, Rick has had his ID card for quite some time)
- filled in residence form (with only a couple of tricky questions)
- flight confirmation (more confusion; did I have to have an actual paid-for ticket? Probably not, but I took the chance and bought it)
- (here is a specific note that says I don't have to have medical coverage)
- a prepaid envelope for them to use to return my passport with visa

Then I scoured their website for other visas, and their requirements. Then I looked at the requirements for other French consulates. Then I went to see my local honorary French consulate for advice...

So I had an alternate, possibly-needed document pile:
- proof of where I currently live (e.g. California), because I was going through the San Francisco location
- proof of enough money to live on, because I was "self-supporting" on my application
- my marriage certificate, because - eh, just in case
- a police report, saying that I had been a good girl
- the rental agreement for our first month in France
- travel insurance agreement for the first 3 months in France, along with a statement that it could be extended

On Visa Day, I left Yuba City with plenty of time, even accounting for Bay Area traffic and parking issues. I ended up eating my sandwich at 1:00, standing in an out-of-the-way corner of a parking garage* :-\ . A short walk later, the guy in building reception says the consulate won't be open till 2:00. Hmmm. My appointment is at 2:00, and no one else is waiting. What goes through my mind? Some guy sitting at a folding table, who only comes in if there is an appointment. Meanwhile, I had internet :-)  Well, other people started dribbling in; near 2:00, the reception guy said to go on up (6th floor), and each appointment would probably take only 15 minutes (it certainly was fast!) We trooped through the metal detector and past a guard, showed our appointment receipts, phones and food, and sat in line.

My turn, via a counter with a bank-teller window:
Consulate - what is the purpose of your visit?
Me - residence visa for a spouse of a French national
C - do you have your documents?
M - yes! [slides pile through slot]
C - [sorts through them, checks copies against originals, scribbles on application]
M - would you check one thing on my application (per advice from our honorary consulate, I had left a box unchecked)?
C - your husband is French, right? [checks "yes" box]
M - these documents are OK? You don't need anything more?
C - you have more?
M - yes, just in case
C - what do you have?
M - [oops! Me and my big mouth!] well, I have... [listed my possibly-needed documents (except I didn't mention the one-month rental agreement)]
C - no, no, (etc). Oh, you have medical insurance? Yes, let me have that. [I don't know, was he just making me feel like I hadn't wasted any effort?] :-D
M - c'est tout?
C - [smiles] yes, here is your application receipt; you should hear in 2 weeks
M - wow! Thanks!

So, by 2:20, I was back in my car, ready to leave San Francisco. BUT! so was everyone else! A dozen intersections and an hour later, I was on I-80, in slow-and-go traffic :-\

Home with the folks now, in wait-mode. Thinking about an early Christmas present :-)

~~~
* I parked at 222 Kearny St (http://www.priorityparking.com), just up the street from the consulate. Just under an hour and a half was $30.
Bridge tolls (2) ran $9
My visa application was free (other types cost quite a bit)