October 5, 2008
Dear Diary,
Lots has happened since I last wrote. I finally met Lori. She's super nice and helped me in my apartment search! I'm now living in an apartment close to the water! It's one block from Boulevard Gambetta and a block and a half from the Mediterranean Sea. How sweet is that? So I get to see the water everyday if I want! Also, my apartment set-up is really awesome. Paying 470 euro for first month and 420 euro/month after I move into the smaller room (which will be available at the end of October). There are four other roomies at the moment: Armin (German guy), Lisa (German girl), Natchalee (French girl), and Alicia (Spanish girl). They had a party for me my second night in the apt, and we all went to Wayne's bar in Vieux Nice (Old Nice). Robert Migdal, my landlord, is a little weird with his rules and all, but living in the apartment is so fun that I'm sure I can handle it all. Each roomie had a room that is furnished (meublee), plus there is a toilet room (with sink), equipped kitchen, bathroom (with shower, tub, double sink, mirrors), and washer/dryer. We also have wifi, a tv, and free international calling (to other landlines), which makes France a lot more bearable at times....
Oh, I also met up with other assistants in Cimiez at the Relais de la Jeunesse. They all seem very nice, but there's this weird girl from South Africa that supposedly came with no money, no nothing. She's been mooching off people since day one and her bf from Africa has tried calling my phone numerous times. Each time he does it, I hand up on him b/c it's expenseive and wastes my money and I don't know where his freaking gf is. He should email her b/c he has just as much chance finding her that way as I do. Geez. I also met the English girl who will be working at Lycee Henri Matisse with me. She's okay. Her name is Jenny and she's living in Vence (old people town) rather than downtown Nice. I hope she survives.
In addition, I finally opened a bank account (at Credit Agricole) and the guy that helped me there was super sweet. It took me about two hours because I had to decide what type of housing insurance I wanted (Migdal said it was mandatory) as well as what type of credit card and card insurance policy I wanted. So each month they'll automatically be taking out about 5 euros in fees, which isn't bad. And hopefully, if I get all my paperwork in, I'll be paid by the end of the month. The paperwork has been a slight nightmare b/c instead of having my long birth certificate, I had the short one. So I had to send all this stuff to Allison so she could get it in Columbia. Then she emailed me a copy, but now I have to find someone to translate it in the next few days so I can turn in my info to Natalie Cerny for my carte de sejour. It's all very complicated and annoying.
Yesterday I met up with Paul Vallet (my contact), and we ate lunch at her friend's house near the high school in Vence. So basically I spent my afternoon with a bunch of old English couples. I think they felt bad for me when I said I couldn't cook, because I ended up leaving with leftovers...score! ;) I took home some taboule and seafood casserole.
At the moment, I'm currently sitting at the train station in Cagnes-sur-Mer waiting for Paule to pick me up so we can go to a hash (hike) with her and the English people. It took about 15 minutes by train to get here from Nice, and only cost me 2,50 euro. It's not reasonable to take the train to work b/c it doesn't go all the way to Vence. Instead I can pay 1 euro for the bus (which stops 2 blocks away from my house) and ride 45min to 1 hour (depending on traffic) to the end of the route, which is right around the corner from my school. It's a very scenic route and you go from being on the beach to being up in the mountains. It's like going from Folly Beach to Cherokee, NC in less than an hour. Very pretty. I think Mommy would like it here. Oh, and today's her bday! Happy 48th birthday, Mommy!
Paule will be here soon, so I'm gonna quit writing and get my bag ready. Hope to get the chance to write again soon...before school starts and all!
-Ashley
Lots has happened since I last wrote. I finally met Lori. She's super nice and helped me in my apartment search! I'm now living in an apartment close to the water! It's one block from Boulevard Gambetta and a block and a half from the Mediterranean Sea. How sweet is that? So I get to see the water everyday if I want! Also, my apartment set-up is really awesome. Paying 470 euro for first month and 420 euro/month after I move into the smaller room (which will be available at the end of October). There are four other roomies at the moment: Armin (German guy), Lisa (German girl), Natchalee (French girl), and Alicia (Spanish girl). They had a party for me my second night in the apt, and we all went to Wayne's bar in Vieux Nice (Old Nice). Robert Migdal, my landlord, is a little weird with his rules and all, but living in the apartment is so fun that I'm sure I can handle it all. Each roomie had a room that is furnished (meublee), plus there is a toilet room (with sink), equipped kitchen, bathroom (with shower, tub, double sink, mirrors), and washer/dryer. We also have wifi, a tv, and free international calling (to other landlines), which makes France a lot more bearable at times....
Oh, I also met up with other assistants in Cimiez at the Relais de la Jeunesse. They all seem very nice, but there's this weird girl from South Africa that supposedly came with no money, no nothing. She's been mooching off people since day one and her bf from Africa has tried calling my phone numerous times. Each time he does it, I hand up on him b/c it's expenseive and wastes my money and I don't know where his freaking gf is. He should email her b/c he has just as much chance finding her that way as I do. Geez. I also met the English girl who will be working at Lycee Henri Matisse with me. She's okay. Her name is Jenny and she's living in Vence (old people town) rather than downtown Nice. I hope she survives.
In addition, I finally opened a bank account (at Credit Agricole) and the guy that helped me there was super sweet. It took me about two hours because I had to decide what type of housing insurance I wanted (Migdal said it was mandatory) as well as what type of credit card and card insurance policy I wanted. So each month they'll automatically be taking out about 5 euros in fees, which isn't bad. And hopefully, if I get all my paperwork in, I'll be paid by the end of the month. The paperwork has been a slight nightmare b/c instead of having my long birth certificate, I had the short one. So I had to send all this stuff to Allison so she could get it in Columbia. Then she emailed me a copy, but now I have to find someone to translate it in the next few days so I can turn in my info to Natalie Cerny for my carte de sejour. It's all very complicated and annoying.
Yesterday I met up with Paul Vallet (my contact), and we ate lunch at her friend's house near the high school in Vence. So basically I spent my afternoon with a bunch of old English couples. I think they felt bad for me when I said I couldn't cook, because I ended up leaving with leftovers...score! ;) I took home some taboule and seafood casserole.
At the moment, I'm currently sitting at the train station in Cagnes-sur-Mer waiting for Paule to pick me up so we can go to a hash (hike) with her and the English people. It took about 15 minutes by train to get here from Nice, and only cost me 2,50 euro. It's not reasonable to take the train to work b/c it doesn't go all the way to Vence. Instead I can pay 1 euro for the bus (which stops 2 blocks away from my house) and ride 45min to 1 hour (depending on traffic) to the end of the route, which is right around the corner from my school. It's a very scenic route and you go from being on the beach to being up in the mountains. It's like going from Folly Beach to Cherokee, NC in less than an hour. Very pretty. I think Mommy would like it here. Oh, and today's her bday! Happy 48th birthday, Mommy!
Paule will be here soon, so I'm gonna quit writing and get my bag ready. Hope to get the chance to write again soon...before school starts and all!
-Ashley
posted by ashley at
2:59 PM
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