Thursday, May 27, 2010

Update on Day Zero...

It is 1730, and I am squared away in my apartment. The first load of laundry is done, the few dishes I do have are washed and drying, and I have my BOSE "take anywhere" speaker connected to my last iPod .

I got my "Carte Navigo", that automatically reloads or something and I never have to worry about those flippy white tickets again. When I showed up, in poor French, I expressed my desire to buy one. When they figured out what I wanted, I was told, "Tourists cannot have Navigo; buy Paris Visite" (which I had been doing). Undaunted, I told them, "Je ne suis pas touriste, je suis resident" (I am not a tourist, I am a resident). They looked at me with a litle surprise, and I produced my passport and long stay visa, a confirmation of residence, and my banking information. Fifteen minutes later, I was scanning that Navigo card as I boarded the bus to meet the movers back at the apartment.

The movers were careful and efficient. I was the lone bi-lingual in the crowd, but we managed anyway. I choose the furniture from a spreadsheet checklist, no pictures, but what I got matches well enough, and some of it looks new. The desk is way too big, but it won't be here long, as is the dining room table. Had a little trouble getting the refridgerator where I wanted, because the combo washer/dryer (one basket, a two-in-one-deal) stuck out too far. Better double check that IKEA design, and/or make sure I find a smaller clothes washer...

I made two shopping trips, both to grocery stores. The European Internet map services do not seem to be as accurate as their American counterparts (I know, there are errors there, too, but I am seeing more freq errors here). The big grocery chain Carrefour was supposed to have store nearby. I walked right to the map location, and it was not there. The street wasn't even there. Fortunately, the villages and sections of town are good about putting up their own maps. I found the street, and, well, let's say estimating scale is difficult at times. Long walk. Two bags of groceries. And I realized that neither of the buses running that street went by my stop. And I was WAY downhill from home. Of course I got to the hill, and hike almost halfway before I came to a bus stop that could take me near home. Yeah, my Internet is not in yet, or I could have figured that out in advance; about the buses, I mean, or not.

The second trip was about an hour and a half after the first one, but I went to the "Alimintare Generale" (General Store, I guess), and got paper plates, plastic forks, laundry detergent, garbage bags, and some ham and butter. MUCH, TRES MUCH shorter walk, and one regular bag. And no, I have not addressed those @#$% fixtures, yet!

Tonight is the end of Day ZERO, tomorrow begins Day One...a demain!

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