24 December 2019
23 December 2019
Administration, Strikes, and Weather
Because we moved within France (even within the same town!), I had to update my address with the French administration. That means another early morning trip to Montpellier (I am *not* a morning person).
Normally, the best way to get there is by train. BUT! we're having strikes again, so you can't count on the trains. Luckily this time I have a car 🙂. And some friendly contacts online for advice.
My Carte de SĂ©jour (residence permit) is a 10-year card, so I had hoped to have quite a few more years before having to deal with it again. It was not to be. The plus is that with this card, you just show up with a small dossier to modify it. The negative is that you have to just show up, and hope for one of 16 tickets allowing you to submit the dossier. For an address change, I needed:
- the form filled out
- copy and original of my Carte de SĂ©jour
- copy and original of my passport (ID page plus entry stamps, but not my original visa)
- justificatif de domicile (rent receipt) for the new address
- 2 photos
- signed statement that I had not been out of France for more than 3 consecutive years
I collected my dossier, and set my alarm. And I woke up to this! Record high winds and flood warnings!
I decided to delay my trip...
Today looked good, so off I went! I got to the end of the line just as the gates opened.
By 9:40, I had ticket #12, and I could sit while waiting. Two hours and a couple of tension-filled moments later (the indicator for which number was for which window was broken, and people were getting frustrated), it was my turn. Ten minutes after that, I'm on my way to my car, récépissé in hand. And passed this group of strikers, headed for the préfecture...
I got home by 1:00, with just a little bit of traffic.
~~~
UPDATE: June 17, received my updated card (Titre de SĂ©jour) in the mail!
Normally, the best way to get there is by train. BUT! we're having strikes again, so you can't count on the trains. Luckily this time I have a car 🙂. And some friendly contacts online for advice.
My Carte de SĂ©jour (residence permit) is a 10-year card, so I had hoped to have quite a few more years before having to deal with it again. It was not to be. The plus is that with this card, you just show up with a small dossier to modify it. The negative is that you have to just show up, and hope for one of 16 tickets allowing you to submit the dossier. For an address change, I needed:
- the form filled out
- copy and original of my Carte de SĂ©jour
- copy and original of my passport (ID page plus entry stamps, but not my original visa)
- justificatif de domicile (rent receipt) for the new address
- 2 photos
- signed statement that I had not been out of France for more than 3 consecutive years
I collected my dossier, and set my alarm. And I woke up to this! Record high winds and flood warnings!
 |
| Windy.com |
I decided to delay my trip...
Today looked good, so off I went! I got to the end of the line just as the gates opened.
By 9:40, I had ticket #12, and I could sit while waiting. Two hours and a couple of tension-filled moments later (the indicator for which number was for which window was broken, and people were getting frustrated), it was my turn. Ten minutes after that, I'm on my way to my car, récépissé in hand. And passed this group of strikers, headed for the préfecture...
I got home by 1:00, with just a little bit of traffic.
~~~
UPDATE: June 17, received my updated card (Titre de SĂ©jour) in the mail!
08 December 2019
Recycle, Reuse, Reduce, Repurpose
Today we went to a "Gratiferia" - this is an event put on by one of the associations in Sète. The name comes from Gratuit (free) and Féria (faire). It's purpose is to encourage people to reduce waste by (1) bringing things they no longer used and (2) taking things they would use.
It was an interesting and fun afternoon, seeing all the items finding new homes 🙂
UPDATE: My friend Monique, who worked this event, told me they collected 2,500 kilograms of items, 700 people participated, and they were left with 486 kilograms of stuff that they then donated to Secours Populaire (a charity).
It was an interesting and fun afternoon, seeing all the items finding new homes 🙂
UPDATE: My friend Monique, who worked this event, told me they collected 2,500 kilograms of items, 700 people participated, and they were left with 486 kilograms of stuff that they then donated to Secours Populaire (a charity).
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