Le Loisir (Time Off)

Taking time off is an integral part to a healthy life.

The summer is upon us here in France and at the end of the week many people are taking off on their required month of vacation. They spend time away from work, they spend time with family, they travel, etc.

Finding a hobby or something to do in your free time is important and also can help define a person. For example, I like food and wine, so does AJ. But I like yoga and AJ likes skydiving, something that probably neither of us is interested in doing with the other person. Hey, but don’t get me wrong– I do love me an afternoon at the drop zone watching skydiving… from the ground in a comfortable chair, with glass of wine and a good book.

Now I have something to confess.

AJ and I have been together for almost 9 years and we finally found something that we both really like doing and get excited about: hiking.

The Camino is already giving back.

So, I want to take a moment and encourage everyone to go do what they love to do. As for me because I do not have a pool to go swim around in, I will take a book and go read under a tree in a park… in Paris… for my thesis.

Have fun, y’all!

Making Headway: French Visa Renewal

I am drunk with semi-sucess!

So after quite a run-around (see French Visa Renewal 1 through 4), in conjunction with preparing to send off a request via post (snail mail) I have been diligently calling Phone Number B everyday three to four times a day for about 20+ minutes each time. I even have an alarm set that I know I have to have the cats fed and coffee brewed because at 9am, I’m there on the call!

I stopped keeping tally of how many times I called at 8. Day Four calling. Today I called at 9:14, because– well, heck, why not, no one would answer anyways.

Someone did.

Yeah, I know. Someone answered, on the second ring. It rang and I already had it on speaker phone so I went to go get my cup of coffee when I heard something unexpected and wholly unfamiliar — a human voice, “Bonjour! Bonjour!” I asked if I was at the right place. Yes.

I explained I wanted to make a rendez-vous (RDV). She said OK and that she would ask me some questions to make sure she got the whole thing right. She even let me explain what turned-about adventure we had been on. She asked the one question, “Do you have sufficient resources?” I explained yes.

I will take a moment because perhaps you are a fellow foreign student reading this, perhaps you are my mom, perhaps you are my former co-worker, perhaps you are a fellow traveler, and, well, you just want to know WHAT the French authorities are asking for. I have been told the same thing time and time again: you must have the equivalent of SMIC (minimum wage), which after taxes is 1,121.93 euros.  [Note: they say to have at least a month’s worth in your bank account, or as a student 615 euros. I say more.]

What documents will I be providing? The same ones that got me in this country! They are as follows:

-USA bank account statement (I’m getting a notarized one for the renewal, but I just used a copy initially)

-USA investment account statement (investments, retirement, etc)

-French “Attestation Bancaire” that proves that you are a customer and that you have money (hopefully more than 615 euros) in your account

-USA anual taxes (I’ll provide two years to prove what we made for two years before and during living in France)

-proof of University loans and grants; proof of employment in France

The one thing I would add to this is that because one of my friends was asked to do this for her husband and child, the French authorities can– and will– reject your application if you do not have a “sponsor” that will vouch via notarized letter that they will sponsor you for about 2,000 euros a month (or an equivalent to a starting salary of a college graduate of a cool $31,000 a year).

So that’s that. Today I will make some copies and go say hello to our neighbors. Then I’m not doing a friggin’ thing until Friday, 26 July 2013 when the appointment is scheduled.

Until then, I can go back to reading for my thesis. Ironically, yesterday I started reading about something I love– immigration policy. If anything, this experience is giving me more interest for my topic of international education and student immigration policy. Touché, France.

Almost Pilgrims

A sign of being a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago, other than your boots, pack, and walking stick, is a scallop shell. In French, these are called “St. Jacques” shells.

AJ wanted to get some special shells and get them blessed before we started. At his work they use St. Jacques scallops in their catering. He asked if he could have four (one for himself, me, my aunt, and my uncle). He picked out four very pretty shells, drilled holes in them, and then took them across the street to the St. Jean church. He couldn’t find the priest, but dunked them in the holy water and did his own blessing.

It is funny this feeling of becoming transformed into a pilgrim.

And, of some other sorts, we are a bit of pilgrims coming here to live and study in France. This weekend will feel great when we go out on a practice hike– complete with our newly appointed pilgrim shells!

French Visa Renewal, Round 4

I have had a few people ask me how the visa process is going.

The short answer is that it is a process and it is still going.

This week we tackled Round 4.

In a nutshell this is how this week went: Wait in line for 3 1/2 hours (in a VERY disorderly line); get up to the desk and the lady tells us that, no we were told incorrectly, they do NOT do a change there. We have to cancel our already made appointment, call the SAME number from last week, and (I quote) “insist” that we need a new appointment for a different office.

I see a pattern here. Let’s sum it up.

10 Easy Steps to the French Visa Process:

Step 1: Make an appointment on-line.

Step 2: Be told to go to Office 1 for “information.”

Step 3: Go to Office 1. Be told to call Phone Number A to complete your request (because they don’t do it there in that office).

Step 4: Call Phone Number A. Be told to call Phone Number B (because they don’t handle the request there).

Step 5: Call Phone Number B. Be told to call Phone Number A (because they don’t handle the request there).

Step 6: Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until total madness is achieved.

Step 7: Go to Office 2. Wait in line 3.5 hours. Be told to cancel original appointment (see Step 1) and then be told to call Phone Number A to make another appointment at Office 3 (because they don’t handle the request there).

Step 8: Repeat Step 6.

Step 9: [Honestly I don’t have enough imagination of how the system will find a way to actually HELP us. I will be floored when someone will say, “OK, let me see your documents.” Stamp stamp, done. One can hope.]

Step 10: Become an illegal immigrant.

French Visa Renewal, Round 3

Remember in French Visa Renewal, Round 2 how I said it was not for the faint hearted?

Well, I wasn’t kidding.

Yesterday was probably been the most frustrated and upset I have been. I have been stressed, angry, have cried, and had a tension headache for two weeks.

First, I do not know why this is such a stressful process, it just is. It gives you the right to stay in the country and continue with your studies and live a peaceful life. They do not make it easy. I keep telling myself, “If they made it easy, everyone would do it.”

After being sent hither and yon by my school’s immigration office without one offer of help or offer of research or offer of infinite wisdom of what to do for AJ’s visa, I went back to school after making an appointment (mind you this is the THIRD time I have been in the office) to get my visa stuff done– because that is what I pay tuition for.

Some documents were not up to par– which is to be expected. But after already been sent hither and yon the person has the gall to tell me that I should go to another office to get someone else in the university to help me call over to get the necessary corrections. WHY? There is a phone right there and they could have called right then and there. Some of the documents, I even had on me in digital form and could have been simply printed if I was asked. But, no, send me away AGAIN to run around.

Then on top of that the person tells me that I may be rejected and I might have to go myself to another Prefecture de Police outside of Paris because we are moving. She even suggested that maybe I should go do it myself.

Then the one woman turns to the other woman and starts talking in French to her LIKE I’M NOT EVEN STANDING THERE and starts talking to her about what students do and what we think and how other offices conduct business. Again, I am right there, I can hear you. I can understand you. When leaving the building, she saw me and pretended like she didn’t see me– straight out snub. At the end of the day after I ran around desperately collecting these documents, I sent an email with the attachments. Again, the woman rudely responds to the other woman LIKE I’M NOT THERE. Infuriating.

I lost it.

Not only was I told to shove off and do things myself, but the person was rude and I was disrespected. Numerous times.

Am I looking forward to Round 4 on Monday? No.

Pets on Vacation

No one has asked this question, but I’m going to answer it anyways, “What are you guys going to do with the cats while you are away for 30 days walking the Camino?”

The culture of pets is different in many different cultures. I have observed that some pets are often considered as an extension of the family and sometimes get the King-of-France treatment. Others, are working at it. In France it is required to take a month or two off for vacation. France has been known for high numbers of abandoned pets during that time. They are working on this problem and I have seen advertising campaigns  in the metro that say, “Some abandon, some welcome.” Good job!

As much as I will miss our furry friends, we cannot miss the chance for our first Camino. As early as a few months back we started launching the idea among our friends. We offered something like this: Come stay in our Paris apartment for free for one month, feed two kitties twice a day, scoop poop, change a litter box once a week, and pet a kitty when the need arises.

Right now we have a friend who rents a room with a French family and we offered him the opportunity so he could live alone for a month and also have access to an oven and a four burner range. But, he just started a new station at his job — and it means 16 hours of work a day.

Alternatively, our current landlord has offered to host the cats at her house with her one female cat. Sounds kind of scary, but hey, it’s an option.

Our boys are very good and are good eaters and sleepers. However, I have come to grips that normal people will probably NOT feed our cats the homemade food of tuna-carrot-rice goodness, so they may just have to survive off of kibble for a month. Hey they did it for almost 5 years, what is one month?!

So our Kings of France will go on kitty vacation and continue purr-fecting the art of lounging around in Paris.

Picture credit: Sunglasses Cat

Camino Gear, the Big Three

In preparing for the Camino de Santiago, there are three big pieces of gear that we have to invest in: boots; bags; and socks.

As you remember from my post on Socks and 15k steps we spent quite a pretty penny on socks. AJ loves the socks and has been test walking them daily. (He even asked me to smell his socks after wearing them for two days! No ripe cheese smelling feet here!) I was not quite sold since my toes were a little squished and my feet were hot. I did find some CoolMax socks at GoSports. I am not quite sure if I will keep the ones I have or try out a pair of CoolMax. Questions, questions.

After being beaten down by the French Visa process, I was in a foul mood when we went and tried on (for a third time) boots and backpacks. I found some that I liked that were light and not too expensive (125 euros), but they were not waterproof. I just was down and couldn’t decide. AJ was all about boots and zealously tried on every boot in the store — with a smile. The sales person even remembered him and came and said hello (read about it here: Preparation J)! AJ picked out a pair that he liked that would be on sale beginning Wednesday, but they didn’t have the size he wanted. Should he settle with those? Alternatively, he found some shoes that he liked (“That Navy SEALS and Air Force Special Forces wear!”) that were 145 euros.

AJ asked me about my sour mood. I told him how the visa process was frustrating, how I didn’t like my socks, how I couldn’t find a pair of boots with all the features, I couldn’t decide on a bag, AND the boots at this store were expensive. Overall, I was bummed. He comforted me and we agreed to go to the next store to again try on the boots that I had originally liked.

I have to stop and make a point. During our shopping trip I had loaded up my backpack with all my gear (except a water bottle) and walked to store one and rode on the metro to store two wearing my full pack. I was emotionally and physically charged, to say the least.

We got to store two and no sooner did I get to the backpack aisle, AJ disappeared. He was not there for me to turn around and ask every minute, “What do you think?” I had to make the decision quietly and in my own mind. I picked out the three bags I was looking at and put my gear in each one. After reading the binder of info on backpacks, I noticed they had one that was between 30 and 40 liters. I looked around for it.

I found a Forclaz 37 liter Ultralight (0.9 kilograms) backpack that was streamlined for a small person! It had everything I was looking for: lightweight; an interior system for a water bladder and tube; a “hood” for a raincover and extra food space; a zipper for easy front access; accessory hooks on the outside (think: drying laundry); and padded hip and chest straps. It did not have an exterior mesh water bottle pocket, but it does have zip pockets on the side, so I can improvise if necessary. As girly as it sounds, it is the opposite accent colors to AJ’s pack! Yay!

Karin’s pack: Forclaz 37 liters Ultralight

AJ’s pack: Forclaz 40 liters Air

As soon as I decided, AJ appeared in the backpack aisle wearing some nice boots. They were the correct size of the boots he really liked (and only 130 euros). I tried on boots with the double-layer socks and a polyester sock. The ones I chose were the ones that sales guy at the first store recommended for intense use AND they were on sale! (80 euros)

Karin’s boots: Merrell hiking

AJ’s boots: Asolo Stremer GTX hiking

So we now have our big three: socks; bags; and boots!

Now for training and lots of walking….

Or just walking like a normal Parisian!

French Visa Renewal, Part 2

This visa renewal process is not for the faint of heart.

I am a pretty positive person, but the visa process got–is getting– the best of me. The person at my school Immigration office was not being cooperative with AJ’s visa or helpful to give any ideas or advice. It was frustrating to feel like we were at this alone.

We went over to the Reception Office for Foreign Students (Centre de Réception des étudiants étrangers) on 92 Boulevard Ney 75018. As we walked up to the building we could see a HUGE line. I was figuring that was the mess we would have to go through. The people were barrier-ed off like at a concert. Thankfully that was the line for Seeking Asylum.

The next line was ours and it was moving quite quickly — Foreign students and drivers license. I had to leave my pair of scissors (in case you have to cut the pictures into passport sizes) and AJ left his pocket knife at the front desk. We went upstairs and waited perhaps 5 minutes. We (read, I) talked to man to ask some questions about what we need to do for AJ’s visa. He was quite nice and was open to hearing all our questions. He agreed that the best (maybe the only) way was to change AJ’s visa from student to visitor (visiteur). He gave us a little piece of paper and said to call and they would send us all the info by mail, and voila, done! Made it sound so easy. He was so helpful.

So deceiving. AJ and I stopped at a café to have a coffee/breakfast and a sit down to collect our thoughts and plans for the day. I called the number. It told me for all information, go online to the Prefecture de Police or call phone number B. I called Phone Number B, the lady told me that the change I was asking for didn’t exist, then changed her mind and agreed it did exist, then asked one question, “Do you have sufficient resources?” She then told me to call the original phone number, Phone Number A. The people or information I got kept sending me in a circle. One lady at Phone Number B told me to call Phone Number A and make an appointment– with who? The bloody answering machine?! I was becoming frustrated. I yelled.

On the Prefecture de Police website it directs people who live in north arrondissements to go to the local police station and the Reception for Foreigners in the 17th arrondissements — withOUT a RDV (rendez-vous, aka an appointment). We talked to a very helpful police officer in a very nice police station… only to be told to g outside, around the corner, and wait in a mass (not even a line!) of people. There were probably 50 people and the mass was not moving anywhere.

We decided to leave and try again next week.

For something that seems so simple to an American — go one place (the Consulate), with all supporting documents, speak with ONE person, and voila, DONE! No, the French bureaucratic system is not like that. They try to shirk whatever responsibility is presented in front of them.

Next week we will try again. We will get the the police station early in the morning and try to be some of the first people in line. This week I will go to drop my docs off at the Immigration office at school so she can process my visa.

Next week– French Visa, Round 3. (Hopefully the third time will be the charm).

15k Steps

Yesterday AJ and I spent 70 euros on socks for the Camino de Santiago. We bought four pairs each (two a pack). One single layer socks and one double layer socks.

Today we decided to put them to the test. I chose the single layer, AJ chose the double layer.

We had a relaxing morning and had coffee while it rained off and on and was a generally grey Parisian day. I had to get moving and why not do something better than walk! AJ and I both had the same thought, “RAIN!” But what better type of weather to start in.

We washed our socks this morning so they were ready to go by the afternoon. I semi-geared up (forgoing the quick dry pants for jeans since it was a little chilly). AJ put on his quick dry top, pants, and socks. We don’t yet have our boots since we plan on getting them on Wednesday. We also don’t have our packs. But this was a sock trial.

We thought how cool it would be to walk to Versailles from our house. That route is 21 kilometers.

We opted for something more simple and mapped out the walk to our new apartment outside of the 15th arrondissement. Total of 8.1 kilometers.

Our goal will be to each additional weekend add more kilometers and more weight to our sacks. We will walk 8k, then 13k, then 16k, then 21k. We aim to walk to Versailles, all 21 kilometers, with almost full packs by August 1st.

On the Camino, the average is about 20 to 25 kilometers and the longest day will be about 32 kilometers, so that is a good goal.

So what did I think about the socks?

I am not in love with them. My legs and feet were HOT! Plus the second toe over rubbed a little bit, but I could feel the anti-blister fabric working on my heels and the balls of the foot. AJ seems to really love his. His socks were noticeably wetter than mine, which was why we wanted to get good socks. Most importantly, his feet were happy, dry, and not stinky. No ripe cheese smelling feet here!

Overall, the rain cleared by the time we got down the stairs of out building. It rained lightly once we hit our destination. We feel good and are not too tired. We are looking forward to doing it again next week wit our boots and some gear!

As for today, the total steps walked from setting the pedometer right as we stepped out of the apartment until we got back is….

Camino Mock-up

AJ and I are getting pretty excited about the Camino de Santiago. It seems like it was only yesterday that AJ suggested watching THE WAY.

Our plans for the Camino have slowly evolved — getting my aunt and uncle to come for 10 days, planning gear, training, etc.

Today while AJ was at work I made a pot of coffee for myself, cleaned our little apartment, and decided now would be a good time as any do mock-up my hiking bag with what I have.

I decided to put it on our two-seater table instead of our bed because it would restrict the amount of space I would have. I have been slowly revising our packing list (it’s kind of like writing a children’s book — it’s never not being revised until the damn thing is done!).

I began by pulling out clothes. Three shirts, two pants, a fleece, a scarf, my Birkenstocks… In like two seconds flat I was like, “Oh my, this is going to be a lot.” Since I do not have specialty hiking socks yet, I just used two pair of socks as stand-ins. Good news is that in the process I realized two out of the three shirts I had were 100% cotton, so not a candidate to take on the camino. Luckily I had another lightweight shirt and, lo and behold, it was only 30-something percent cotton. Winner! My new PJ top. My one possible luxury is an extra blouse in the case I want to be pretty and not want to wear a T-shirt.

Toiletries were next. I pulled everything out for the both of us. Even extra sunscreen and insect spray that I will give my aunt and uncle. It wasn’t a lot. I suppose from past travel exploits I have a lot of small toiletries available. My one luxury there will be contacts and contact solution.

Then extra gear. I filled up my one-liter water bottle (although I’ll be taking my Camel back system, but it is downstairs in storage). I put a poncho, quick-dry towel, peanut butter cups (back-up food supply), and a spoon (because I may want to eat yogurt or chocolate mousse or something along the way) in the pile. I used a sheet rolled up in place of my sleeping sack since my aunt has mine. The only thing I was really missing was my Gortex rain jacket, which I have to buy.

Everything fit on the table top. Yay!

So I took a picture and sent it to my aunt and AJ– rejoicing! Yay, yay, yay!

Wait, but will this fit in the 40L backpack I’m planning on buying? Let’s try it out!

I looked at the picture from a camino book AJ is reading that suggested how to distribute weight in the pack. I used my normal, everyday backpack to use as a judge of how much space the stuff would take up.

The good news is that everything fit! I even attached the solar panel to the outside with a carabiner. I have to admit– the bag wasn’t too heavy until I put the water bottle on.

I am super excited and now know that the packing list is good-to-go.

Tonight we are off for our first shopping adventure. We are going to buy socks!