W/c 8th February - BritGirl goes it alone

So.....BritGirl's boyfriend had his first day and week at work en France...it all seemed to go well. Lots of names, places, rules and procedures to remember. Remember en France bureaucracy and paperwork is the key!

As for BritGirl, the first week alone went well. A bank account was opened, yes, BritGirl was now a proud bank account holder en France and had opened the account all on her own, en francaise!!! Another proud achievement after a month of living here.

You learn when you live in a foreign country, with foreign languages and no friends to take pride in the smallest of tasks, answering someone when they ask you for directions, opening a bank account in the lingo.....achievements seem to become smaller but more important.

So, bank account open and online access working...now all BritGirl needed was her own money...living off her boyfriend's income was something she had never done and was not really looking forward to....independence had been an important factor in their relationship and in her life for the past 5 years.

But hang on, BritGirl made another achievement on her own, she ventured out of town to the "banlieues" (french suburbs) to find the health care office....which turned out to be in not the nicest area of town. But neverthess less, public transport worked, she was there with her forms in hand....now all she had to do was have a meeting with the nice French lady to be covered by the French healthcare system...nervous, dictionary in her bag, BritGirl sat in the waiting room and waited!!

Nerves seemed pointless, once the forms were handed over alongside copies of passports that was it! C'est tout! Little talking or interest was needed. It was just a matter of waiting...well thats what BritGirl understood would happen - she instantly regretted not taking copies of all the documents she had just handed over in case something went awry (ever the pessimist en France). However, again BritGirl would learn, that generally, although slow processes and typically bureaucratic they did usually work and the outcome would be what you expected. In this instance, BritGirl did later receive her Carte Vitale for healthcare and a social security number for one year. This did not make her feel more French...only more foreign and uncertain of the procedures and processes if she ever did need to see a Doctor!

The first week on her own en France seemed to pass without hitch; the french administration was a success and BritGirl had managed this en francaise, the flat was now clean and tidy with everything where it should be and loooooong letters had been written to friends and family explaining life in the bubble.

Question remains, how will BritGirl manage on her own going forwards?