Paris, France: August-October 2006

The Beginnings

Imagine, a happiness that is so strong that nothing or noone can really describe. Studying in Paris is a dream of mine and to have finally made it into a reality is so amazing. I remember just starting out 6 years ago and look at me now, going to a French university with others who their first language is French. How exciting.
My first couple of weeks were rocky. I had to battle jet lag, school and trying to find a place. Not easy, let me tell you. I thought I had confidence in French since I did live on my own if Bruxelles, Belgique last year but it does not compare really to the life I have hear. I never really knew how independent I had to learn to be. I had to learn that things are just given to you but you had to go out and make things happen yourself. Unlike in the U.S., where a lot of things are handed out to you. Here, the French beauracracy is a pain, and I mean a PAIN, telling you to go here go there, they can't just give you a straight answer. For example, trying to enroll into classes. The French are so set on their ways that they refuse to modernize. In order to enroll in class, you have to literally go to the building its in, again face the French beauracracy and have them tell you that you are in the wrong line or wrong room after having waited in a 2 hour line, no exageration. So getting the classes I needed were a bit crazy but the French wouldn't be French if they didn't complicate things. Ask any French person this and they will totally agree.
Anyway, so battling classes were a bit difficult, so was finding a place. Since Paris is primarily a student city, housing is not an easy task. Housing is in high demand and the cost of living is by no means accomodating to the typical poor college student. I expected to be paying a lot but when I really started researching and looking, things are not cheap, and when you do rent out a place don't expect to get much for your money. In my case, I have a chambre de bonne, which was a maid's room way back in the day and they are always located at the very top of a building and in order to access them, you usually have to climb up 6-8 flights of stairs with no elevator, and the stairs are usually old and ricquety. Unlucky me, my room is on the 6th floor, no elevator and my room is not that big but it has a view of the top of the eiffel tower. I guess it does pay off to have a room up high, and by the end of this year i will have buns and thighs of steel. Hahaha. I also share a bathroom and kitchen with another girl from my program. I pay 430 euros which is roughly 530 dollars which includes everything except my phone and internet. Not too bad compared to others. But I love the freedom that I have here. My own space, I can go at my own speed, and I don't have to answer to anyone but myself. Its great.