Life in France so far as been quite... let's say... different. It's one thing to be a tourist and hitchhike around without a care in the world, it's another thing to live in a foreign country and have to find an apartment and the like. This experience I had while in Mali for about 4 months, but this time, it's for 2 years and not 4 months. I've actually been in France for less than 2 months now but I've definitely noticing some differences from living in France as opposed to living in the US. For starters, EVERYTHING is more complicated in France while everything in the US is simple as can be.
To give you all a few examples:
Opening a bank account in France: You have to go to the bank with proper identification, have to get a certificate/proof of academic registration, other valid ID (which the bank makes and keeps photocopies of), then you have to sign about 10 different pages of "contract" documents to open the account. After that, you wait for a validation letter that you have to sign, which then verifies your address and your account is "officially" open, though that might still take another week or so. After it's finally open, you have to wait for your bank debit card, which they don't send to you, but you have to wait for a letter with the pin code in it. Once you receive that, you go BACK to the bank at which you opened your account and ask for your card. You then, after about a month of waiting, finally get your debit card. Also, you have a personal bank agent, kind of like your academic counselor, which is not so in the US.
Opening a bank account in the USA: You go to the bank with one form of proper identification (passport, driver's license, etc. - American, foreign, it doesn't matter which country you're from). You ask to open a bank account (student or otherwise). Your bank account is opened immediately as soon as you deposit some money (the minimum is usually $5 to $10). They make you your debit card on the spot, which takes about 2 minutes, and you're finished!
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Buying a used bicycle in France: If it's an organized bike fair, you need to wait in line for about 1 or two hours, then you finally look for a bike. If you finally find one, you go tell someone working there, ask for a ticket then pay for that bike. Oh, you also need a form of identification (passport, driver's license... which was really weird... you're buying a freaking bike for heaven's sake!). You pay, then get a receipt to pick up your bike. You pick up your bike and leave after they check your receipt.
Buying a used bicycle in the USA: You go to a bike fair, buy the bike from the vendor and you leave.
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Renting an apartment in France: You MUST have a cosigner if you're not employed. The cosigner should also be French and you need to sign a few documents, must provide copies of student status, passport, student ID cards, etc. Also, the cosigner must copy down a huge paragraph (takes at least 10 minutes to copy) certifying his or her position as guarantor/creditor in case of tardy rental payments.
Renting an apartment in the USA: If the rent is below a certain amount, even if you're not working and you're a student, you don't need a cosigner, especially if it's a shared apartment. You don't need copies of ID, but you do need a form of ID and you need merely to copy down your ID number onto the lease. If a cosigner is required, s/he needs to merely sign an agreement and isn't required to copy down any large chunks of text.
I guess there are other peculiarities I won't get into for the moment. I'm not saying the French system is worse or bad... it's just more complicated. Overall, I suppose that the complications make things more secure in some ways... though, as an American, I find things like opening a bank account ridiculously complicated in France. I mean, I'm transferring thousands of euros from the US to France to spend in France! Isn't that sort of good for France? Why should it be so complicated? In any case, I guess the French would think our system is to informal/carefree and possibly a contributing factor to the world banking crisis. I can't blame them... it's sort of true, though I don't think opening a bank account easily has anything to do with it... still, maybe the overall looseness of the system allowed for so many subprime mortgages and... yeah, I won't get into that right now.
Oh, and I think it's colder in Strasbourg in October than it was in Madison. This morning, it was 26°F (-3°C). Pretty cold weather considering it's only mid-October. Ok, I have to get ready to go to class now. I'll try to keep you all posted!!!
Today's Random Quiz:
| You Would Win Best Documentary Feature |
 People are impressed by the sheer quantity of stuff you know, and you're learning more every day. However, you're not just informed. You also are very informative. You share what you know in an engaging and interesting way. |
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