Hello everyone!!!
I am really sorry that I do not write as often as I would like too. The problem is that I still do not have the internet at my new place. The 60 year old man doing the renovations in my apt is the only guy who can fix the internet problem we are currently having and he has not been here since I moved in. Im hoping he is ok. 60 year old man doing hard renovations day after day.. you never know!! So for now I have to use my roomates computer but I feel bad about doing that so most of the time I just take my computer to a little cafe however I can not do that all the time. So you will have to bare with me for a while. As soon as it is fixed I will be able to keep regular updates.
Everything is still going fantastic. 2 nights ago I was out with some friends at around 11pm. We sat down close to a canal and had some food and they drank wine (stillllll not use to it.. but you will all be pleased to know that I now dont barff to the smell of wine, quite the improvement) and all of a sudden I looked up and at a distance I could see the eiffel tower. It was the first time I saw the eiffel tower at night since Ive been here.. and not only that, but it was flashing and somehow.. it finally got to me that I was in Paris.. It took 20 days... but I got it.. I sort of realized that I wasnt here for only a week or two.. but for a whole year... living a totally different experience than whatever I had experienced in Paris before. I looked beside me and all the people around me were people I didnt know a month ago. I dont know how to explain it really, but it was AWESOME!!!! :) Just everyday meeting new people living different things its so sweet!
There is one thing I still cant get use to.. even though the majority of you will say that its like back home.. but its NOT!!! its the whole give 2 kisses on the cheek business. Its all the time!!! you enter a room you leave a room, you meet someone in the street in a mall in a grocery store.. ITS ALL THE TIME... i dont remember being so kissy kissy back in Quebec. And some people get offended when I forget to kiss them before I leave.. twice I got the "you left without giving me kisses yesterday, your in France now thats how we do it here" hahaha.. it just feels so different! im going to come back home and be the most kissy kissy person ever! My family better get use to it!!... or maybe not.. i dont know...
Also.. EVERYDAY minimum twice a day I get the "ah I love your accent it is so cute!!! youre from Quebec.. keep talking to me.." or the "your french is funny!!!" and I even get it in English " ah your Canadian accent is sooo cute!!!!!" so no matter what I speak im either cute or funny.. which I guess is not SUCH a bad thing :P im even teaching my french friends some French Canadian and they get a kick out of it!!!!!!
So all in all I have been keeping busy, enjoying Paris as much as I can. I have a huge picnic planned for May 1st and i am looking forward to it!! it will be fun!!
As for my job.. i dont know if i REALLY want to get in the details... but all I can say is.. OH DEAR GOD HELP ME!!!! she is crazy... my boss is absolutely crazy!! you know.. I cant go from a sweet angel boss like Doratha to a crazy yelling-throwing stuff boss like her... I need an in between. I know no boss will EVER be like Doratha.. BUT COME ON... this cant be for real. For example;
There was a lady staying at the hostel who was sick, so sick she couldnt stand up without falling.. she was dizzy... puking.... basically needed to go to the hospital so I asked my boss if SOMEONE could accompany her to the hospital.. and i guess she thought I was asking if I could accomnpany her to the hospital (which is just across the street.... i know because she yelled at me so much when I asked where the hospital was) so she starts yelling, in French of course and saying..... WELL OF COURSE YOU WANT TO GO!! YOU ARE NOT A RECPTIONIST ANYMORE YOU ARE A NURSE...GOOO ON GOOOO so i told her... no im asking if SOMEONE can go with her..... WELL YOU WANT TO GO SO GO....GOOOOOOOOOOO (and boy was she screaming.. the sick lady even started crying) so I tell her.. No I dont want to go.. I want to know if someone can go with her... YOURE SO STUBBORN YOU.. WILL YOU JUST GOOO YOU WANT TO GO NURSE THEN GOOOOO.... so i said maybe we can call an ambulance... DO YOU REALLY THINK AN AMBULANCE WILL COME HERE JUST FOR THAT... COMEEE ONN JUSTT GOOOO then she threw some stuff on the counter.... I was so pissed... so i looked at her and said... fine im going but you better not be angry with me when I get back.... when I was walking towards the hospital I was telling myself.. NO WAY!!! NOOO WAYYY GEN!!!! just grab your stuff and leave NOW dont take this!!!! she is evillll.. EVILLLL!!!! when I got back I was so nervous... but at the same time I was happy that the lady was at the hospital because she really was not feeling good.. anyways she was calm when I got back... fiou
she yelled again after when I asked her a question.... I was trying to understand something and she was just yelling so I gave up trying to understand. DORATHA I MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!! no words can explain how much I miss you and I love you so much and you are the best boss in the whole entire world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So for now, until may 6... I am only working wednesdays.. there was a debate that I might also be getting Sundays.. but she told me she didnt feel I was too mature enough to be left alone and that all day I was doing things I wasnt suppose to be doing.. of course right after that she left for the entire afternoon leaving me ALL ALONE and when I asked her what I was doing wrong... she couldnt say anything... I found out later that she just doesnt want to fire the guy who is on Sundays because from may 6 to may 22 i am doing EVERYDAY.. and she didnt want to fire the SUnday guy so that he could work the Sundays so i wouldnt have to work 14 days non-stop...which you know is kind of nice of her.. but if there really was a day I would want to work.. it would be sunday because she is not there... but cant have it both ways I guess! Anyway, come May 22 I will be working 2 days a week (20 hours a week) which is pretty decent... as it will give me a few days to do some Euro-Travelling... work 2 days get 5 days off to go here and there!!! well thats assuming that I can handle her little fits, if not I will just look for something else. I mean I will not let her ruin my Paris experience. No way! If it is too much or if I am constantly under pressure I will find something else. FOR SURE come October I will look for something else.. something with more hours.. since it will be getting colder and I wont want to do AS much travelling.. and im pretty sure I will be needing some money...
but either way im sure it will all work out!! and hopefully no body will get hurt (possibly her).. hehe!!
Wow I wrote a lot.
I have to get ready because my friend Jesper is coming over and we are going to watch my new favorite show in the world, How I Met Your Mother.. ohhh gosh its swell :)
Hope everyone is doing good!!
Miss you!!
Love you!!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
OUUPPPPSSSIIIIEE
hey gang!
I just realized that I forgot to put down the apt number... actually it is because I did not know that there was one... so.....
My address is ;
12 rue d'Aubervilliers #12
75019
Paris France
hopefully no one sent anything yet....
alright.. sorry about that!
So apart from that everything is going good! I had a MARVELOUS day walking around Paris. I will post pictures tomorrow.
I also start work tomorrow! Yay for me!! :)
Hope everyone is doing good!
Love you!
I just realized that I forgot to put down the apt number... actually it is because I did not know that there was one... so.....
My address is ;
12 rue d'Aubervilliers #12
75019
Paris France
hopefully no one sent anything yet....
alright.. sorry about that!
So apart from that everything is going good! I had a MARVELOUS day walking around Paris. I will post pictures tomorrow.
I also start work tomorrow! Yay for me!! :)
Hope everyone is doing good!
Love you!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Supper with Tarik and Sebastien
BONJOUR!!! :)
So like I said before, on Tuesday April 14th I had a supper with some friends. A really good supper. The food was soooo delicious!! I took some pictures of the first course and the desserts.. but forgot to take pictures of the main course.. I guess I was too hungry.... but sebastien and I had beef with some delicious mushrooms and Tarik had some duck.... all in all.. it was good and well presented! Enjoy!
Tarik (on the left) and sebastien (on the right). So fun to be around. I had an amazing time with them. I tell you, the best food i've had in Paris, so far and the best time.
Alright people... for those of you who know me.... will be surprised... that is ME DRINKING SOME WINE!! I know right... shocking!! best tasting wine I ever had... I had about 4-5 sips.. then couldn't drink anymore... BUT I HAD 4-5 SIPS OF WINE!!! YAY FOR ME!
That is Tarik!! He is such a funny character!! haha so french and so funny!
Creme brulé au fois de gras and something something..
Chair de crab.. ou chair de homard.... hmmm can't remember
Salmon with vanilla and spices... that was mine... MIAM!
This was Tarik's dessert. Coffee, some apple stuff and the chocolate thing in the middle is filled with melted dark AND lots of melted white chocolate. I had that chocolate thing but in bigger. I didn't take a picture of it because it looked plain in the plate.
warm mixed fruits in some rhum.
Well I hope it made you hungry!!! :)
So like I said before, on Tuesday April 14th I had a supper with some friends. A really good supper. The food was soooo delicious!! I took some pictures of the first course and the desserts.. but forgot to take pictures of the main course.. I guess I was too hungry.... but sebastien and I had beef with some delicious mushrooms and Tarik had some duck.... all in all.. it was good and well presented! Enjoy!
Tarik (on the left) and sebastien (on the right). So fun to be around. I had an amazing time with them. I tell you, the best food i've had in Paris, so far and the best time.
Alright people... for those of you who know me.... will be surprised... that is ME DRINKING SOME WINE!! I know right... shocking!! best tasting wine I ever had... I had about 4-5 sips.. then couldn't drink anymore... BUT I HAD 4-5 SIPS OF WINE!!! YAY FOR ME!
That is Tarik!! He is such a funny character!! haha so french and so funny!
Creme brulé au fois de gras and something something..
Chair de crab.. ou chair de homard.... hmmm can't remember
Salmon with vanilla and spices... that was mine... MIAM!
This was Tarik's dessert. Coffee, some apple stuff and the chocolate thing in the middle is filled with melted dark AND lots of melted white chocolate. I had that chocolate thing but in bigger. I didn't take a picture of it because it looked plain in the plate.
warm mixed fruits in some rhum.
Well I hope it made you hungry!!! :)
Later!!!
Pictures!!
Hello gang!! :)
Ok, so on April 12th I did a little bit of walking around and took some pictures. I think most of you have seen them on facebook, but for those of you who do not have facebook, what's wrong with you??!! No, i'm just joking!! For those of you who do not have a facebook, I will post the pictures now. I must say that I am very satisfied with the pictures. You will notice that most of them are in black and white, I guess that's just my thing!!! Makes them look so much nicer!! :)
Ok, so on April 12th I did a little bit of walking around and took some pictures. I think most of you have seen them on facebook, but for those of you who do not have facebook, what's wrong with you??!! No, i'm just joking!! For those of you who do not have a facebook, I will post the pictures now. I must say that I am very satisfied with the pictures. You will notice that most of them are in black and white, I guess that's just my thing!!! Makes them look so much nicer!! :)
Hope you enjoyed!!
Kisses and hugs to all!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Cellphone!
Hey gang!!
Sorry I haven't written in a few days but nothing really exciting, worth mentionning has happened.
Yesterday I went to get my cellphone activated. I decided to go for the Pay-as-you-go option, rather then getting a one year contract because let's face it, who knows what will happen between here and 1 year. I rather not be tied to anything just in case I decide to go travelling rather than staying in Paris (which is not the case for the moment, but who knows).
So my number is 0033 6 65 38 74 62
No one from out of the country has called me so far, so I am not 100% sure that it is actually 0033 before my number, but I asked someone working at an internet place and he told me that's what it was. Hopefully someone will try calling me and I will be able to clarify whether it is that or not. I know it is 33... I am just not certain if it is 033 or 0033... so yeah....
Ok so cellphone (CHECK)
Apartment...... well. Good news. I have visited the apartment my friend Jay suggested. And as of today (April 15), I am starting to move my stuff out of Gilles' house and into my apartment.It is a really ncie apartment. Very big compared to other apartments in Paris I have visited. My room is a little bit bigger than my room back home on Barclay Avenue. The apartment in itself is very well divided. My roomate, Jean-Luc and I have rooms that are on completely opposite sides of the apartment, which is good because I feel like I have more privacy this way. My room also has a fireplace.. OUH LA LA!!! ok... so he hasn't made it work in many years, and I don't think I will either, but hey! It's still a fireplace. The walls are a little bit busted up but nothing that can't be hidden with a few posters and an awesome Heinken flag... and hopefully soon enough, a Habs flag!! :) The room is already all furnished with Jay's old furniture, which means I don't have to buy anything and that is awesome. The apartment is actually in the process of being renovated. My roomate is paying a guy to redo the entire bathroom and to change all the flooring. So it will be messy for a while but once it will be over, it will look beautiful. The apartment building is also being renovated. I guess they are redoing the front surface of it. That will be going on for another 2 months. So because of all this, instead of paying 400 Euros per month, I am only paying 370 and that includes EVERYTHING. Internet, phone, heating electricity. So it's a pretty good deal. One little thing I really enjoy about the apartment is that the toilet and the shower are in different rooms. That will be handy in the morning. The apartment is also on the 5th floor with no elevator. Its quite a journey up.. but I guess I will get use to it!! :)
So, if anyone wants to write to me... or send me stuff
my address is
12 rue d'Aubervilliers
75019
Paris, France
There is no apartment number so make sure to clearly state my last name.
Madeleine, the metro is Stalingrad, Line 2,5,7 if you want to google map it!! :)
so, apartment (CHECK)
Now.. job... ah la la! What a confusing story!!! That woman is just too confused for her own good. I still don't know if I have some steady hours. I got the training done for the computer, to make reservations and respond to e-mails etc. but now she wants to see how well I do with the computer. So on Friday I have to go for one hour. I asked her if I would be getting steady hours soon because if not I would look for something else and she assured me that I would. I know for sure I will be doing 6 days a week ,10 hours a day for 2 weeks in May, when Victor goes on vacation. Also, there is a possibility that Victor will only be working 5 days a week, therefore I would work 1, 10 hours shift a week and have to come in everyday for 2-3 hours in order to do the reservations and answer the e-mails. Which is not too bad, the only thing I really don't enjoy is having to go to work every single day. That means I can't ever leave for the weekend to go anywhere. I am debating whether it is good or not. I worked on my CV yesterday. I think i will start looking for something else. I think it is way too stressful working for her. She screams all the time and makes mistakes and then yells at you because she thinks its your fault. I will see how it is on Friday. If im not feeling it I will go look elsewhere. Ireally want to work in a little grocery store or like a big Zellers / Wal-mart type store. I really want to work at a cash. All I know is I want to figure it out soon!!!! :)
so, Job ( not a check)
Every thing is going really good! Yesterday I went to the restaurant with 2 friends, Tarik and Sebastien. It was just amazing and so random. I was hanging out at the Peace and Love and they walk in ( I had met them a week ago and I had went over to watch a soccer game at their friends house, and we ended up being like 10 people). So we start talking and they were going to eat just a few doors away so they asked me to come. It was probably the most fun i've had so far. The food was delicious and they are just absolutely so funny.... SO funny!! I took some pictures, I will post them later on tonight as now I have to start packing some stuff and start moving.
SO I hope that everyone is doing well!!! I hope the weather in Val-d'Or is better :S
Here it has been so warm, i'm almost afraid of what it will be like in July, August.
I love you all!!
:)
Gen
Sorry I haven't written in a few days but nothing really exciting, worth mentionning has happened.
Yesterday I went to get my cellphone activated. I decided to go for the Pay-as-you-go option, rather then getting a one year contract because let's face it, who knows what will happen between here and 1 year. I rather not be tied to anything just in case I decide to go travelling rather than staying in Paris (which is not the case for the moment, but who knows).
So my number is 0033 6 65 38 74 62
No one from out of the country has called me so far, so I am not 100% sure that it is actually 0033 before my number, but I asked someone working at an internet place and he told me that's what it was. Hopefully someone will try calling me and I will be able to clarify whether it is that or not. I know it is 33... I am just not certain if it is 033 or 0033... so yeah....
Ok so cellphone (CHECK)
Apartment...... well. Good news. I have visited the apartment my friend Jay suggested. And as of today (April 15), I am starting to move my stuff out of Gilles' house and into my apartment.It is a really ncie apartment. Very big compared to other apartments in Paris I have visited. My room is a little bit bigger than my room back home on Barclay Avenue. The apartment in itself is very well divided. My roomate, Jean-Luc and I have rooms that are on completely opposite sides of the apartment, which is good because I feel like I have more privacy this way. My room also has a fireplace.. OUH LA LA!!! ok... so he hasn't made it work in many years, and I don't think I will either, but hey! It's still a fireplace. The walls are a little bit busted up but nothing that can't be hidden with a few posters and an awesome Heinken flag... and hopefully soon enough, a Habs flag!! :) The room is already all furnished with Jay's old furniture, which means I don't have to buy anything and that is awesome. The apartment is actually in the process of being renovated. My roomate is paying a guy to redo the entire bathroom and to change all the flooring. So it will be messy for a while but once it will be over, it will look beautiful. The apartment building is also being renovated. I guess they are redoing the front surface of it. That will be going on for another 2 months. So because of all this, instead of paying 400 Euros per month, I am only paying 370 and that includes EVERYTHING. Internet, phone, heating electricity. So it's a pretty good deal. One little thing I really enjoy about the apartment is that the toilet and the shower are in different rooms. That will be handy in the morning. The apartment is also on the 5th floor with no elevator. Its quite a journey up.. but I guess I will get use to it!! :)
So, if anyone wants to write to me... or send me stuff
my address is
12 rue d'Aubervilliers
75019
Paris, France
There is no apartment number so make sure to clearly state my last name.
Madeleine, the metro is Stalingrad, Line 2,5,7 if you want to google map it!! :)
so, apartment (CHECK)
Now.. job... ah la la! What a confusing story!!! That woman is just too confused for her own good. I still don't know if I have some steady hours. I got the training done for the computer, to make reservations and respond to e-mails etc. but now she wants to see how well I do with the computer. So on Friday I have to go for one hour. I asked her if I would be getting steady hours soon because if not I would look for something else and she assured me that I would. I know for sure I will be doing 6 days a week ,10 hours a day for 2 weeks in May, when Victor goes on vacation. Also, there is a possibility that Victor will only be working 5 days a week, therefore I would work 1, 10 hours shift a week and have to come in everyday for 2-3 hours in order to do the reservations and answer the e-mails. Which is not too bad, the only thing I really don't enjoy is having to go to work every single day. That means I can't ever leave for the weekend to go anywhere. I am debating whether it is good or not. I worked on my CV yesterday. I think i will start looking for something else. I think it is way too stressful working for her. She screams all the time and makes mistakes and then yells at you because she thinks its your fault. I will see how it is on Friday. If im not feeling it I will go look elsewhere. Ireally want to work in a little grocery store or like a big Zellers / Wal-mart type store. I really want to work at a cash. All I know is I want to figure it out soon!!!! :)
so, Job ( not a check)
Every thing is going really good! Yesterday I went to the restaurant with 2 friends, Tarik and Sebastien. It was just amazing and so random. I was hanging out at the Peace and Love and they walk in ( I had met them a week ago and I had went over to watch a soccer game at their friends house, and we ended up being like 10 people). So we start talking and they were going to eat just a few doors away so they asked me to come. It was probably the most fun i've had so far. The food was delicious and they are just absolutely so funny.... SO funny!! I took some pictures, I will post them later on tonight as now I have to start packing some stuff and start moving.
SO I hope that everyone is doing well!!! I hope the weather in Val-d'Or is better :S
Here it has been so warm, i'm almost afraid of what it will be like in July, August.
I love you all!!
:)
Gen
Thursday, April 9, 2009
What a BEAUTIFUL day in Paris
Wowowwwww!!!!
The weather was so beautiful today (Thursday). The sun was shining when I woke up........ at 1:30 pm.... yup... 1:30 pm...... I went to bed very late... NO mom... not because I was out partying all night long!!... but because I stayed on Msn and talked with my sister!! awww!! Valid excuse!!! Anyways so when I woke up, I opened my two huge French windows to let the sun shine in...... it was so perfect... really!!! even a little bird flew to the gate right beside my window and started singing... a FAIRY TALE!!! maybe i'll meet my prince charming!! haha! ;) Anyways, it was sooooooooooo warm.. I was wearing a hoody and I was too warm.... WAY TOO WARM....
then my mom sent me some pictures of all the snow that is in Val-d'or... and I ALMOST felt quilty to be walking around with just a tiny t-shirt... really.. I almost did!! :) Sorry people from Val-d'Or! Bon courage!
So I decided that today was the pefect day to take pictures of my room and a few of the neighborhood where I live for the moment. (I am visiting my possible future apt on the 13th, if I like it I can move in on the 15th, and if that doesn't work out, my friend Jesper, who works at the Peace and Love offered me a place to stay.. so either way... I won't be homeless..hehe )
So this is my chamber of secrets. Notice my big french window. There are two windows and they open up completely. It's awesome!! Go Phillies.
This is what I see when I am sitting on the bed. My little computer area. Notice the picture of my family hanging on the wall... awwwww!! :) I am super comfortable!! Really i can't complain. Its really cute! I have a huge dresser that i can store all my clothes in. That little black desk on the left is where I store my papers and electronics and stuff... its wonderful!!
Well that is about it for now. :)
I had a really good day today. I met up with my friend Milen at the Peace and Love Hostel. We had a "sort of coffee".. YES YES I had a "sort of coffee"... mmm it was wonderful!!! Then I went to visit his apartment.. ITS HUGE!!! A huge room!!! I hope my apt is like that because wow... I would love it... I would never come back home ;).... maybe it shouldn't be that wonderful then. Then we went to check out a gym.. and the gym had an ice rink and we can play hockey.... I mean I won't... but its still cool! :) I also learned that French people have a hard time understanding me.. not only because of my hard core accent.. but because I talk TOOOO fast.... I have to watch out for that!
After that we went back to the peace... and a soccer game started so the hostel was packed with locals who were watching the game. I started talking with a few people and they were going to their friends house to watch a second game, which is a 30 sec walk from the hostel. So they invited me to go with them so I did.... ok so soccer is not my fav sport, I can't say I had an AMAZING time watching the game.. but just hanging out with 12 people I never met before was A LOT of fun!.. A LOT of fun!! My some of the words they use are just so funny... way too funny!!! so that was fun it make my day very interesting!!! I love hanging out at the hostel because I just meet sooo many people! Ok so a lot of them aren't there for too long.. but there are also a lot of locals that hang out there to watch the games, so its pretty sweet!!
So as not to forget my french canadian roots... I am going to end this here as I am currently listening to the Habs vs. Bruins game. It is 2:18 am... pff...so what!!!!GO HABS GO!!!! GO HABS GO!!!!
Hope al is well for everyone!! :)
Miss you
Gen
Monday, April 6, 2009
Productive Day !
Ah! Day One in Paris!!! What shall I do!!!! I gave myelf the week to relax before I start looking for a job and an apt. My friend Gilles is letting me stay at his house for a bit. So nice of him!!!!!! However I still want a place of my own, so I will eventually look for a room or something.
So I wake up around 9 get ready and leave. Hmm, what shall I do. Close to the apt, there is a mall. So i go in the mall and see that the three main cellphone companies have stores in the mall. I go to each of them and find the best option for me. Of course before I can activate a cellphone I need a proof of residence ( My friend Gilles can just write a letter saying I live with him) I need a valid ID ( My visa/ passport, no problem) and I need to have a " Carte Bleue" Which is simular to a credit card, but not quite a credit card. To get that, i need to open a bank account. So I go to the bank to open a account. To topen an account I need a proof of residency ( again Gilles can sign a paper) I need a valid ID, I need a photocopy of Gilles ID, a photocopy of an electric bill and I need a working contract.... hmm... a working contract... that means I need to find a job before I can get a cellphone... Thats Bogus!!! but...Oh well!!
So I gather all the information I need and I head out to the peace and love hostel! The best hostel in the world. Naima is working, when she sees me she becomes super excited and tells me she might have a job for me.. WHAT??! NO WAY!!! A hostel that is close to the Peace and Love Hostel. They sort of work together. While Naima was talking to the owner of the Hostel, a guy, Sami sitting beside me, starts talking to me. After talking for a bit, he asks me if I want to visit an apt with him in a few minutes because if he doesn't like it and doesn't want it, maybe I would. uh.. YEAH I DO!!! woh.. a job and a possible apt in 10 mins.. AWESOME!!
So I get the adress to the Hostel, say a BIG thank you to Naima, and head off with Sami to the Apt. It wasn't great at all, but at least I got to see what a Paris apt was really like and could now compare. Sami has been living in Paris for several years now and he also said it was an awful apt. So im guessing it wasn't that good. So we make plans to meet up later and I head out to meet the owner of the Hostel.
I get to the Hostel and a guy I know from the Peace and Love Hostel is already working there... SWEET! I meet the owner and she immediately tells me what my tasks will be, how much ill be making blablabla.... hmm... So... I get the job???? Do I??? I start training tomorrow from 11 to 2 then again on saturday from 4:30 to 6:30 and then we will decide together if it is a good job and if so, the contract will be signed on Monday.....
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!! WORKING IN A HOSTEL!!!! OH MY GODDDDD!!! YEAHHHHH!!! I will be making 80 euros a day for a 10 hour shift, 5 days a week. Its pretty sweet and definitely what I wanted as a job! Can't complain!
So then I go back to meet Sami and visit his apt, since he is leaving it. His apt is the cutest little apt I have ever seen in my life!!! NO JOKE!!!! But he would be leaving in only 2 months... and it is kind of expensive... and most of all.. not furnished.... which is no good for me.. as I need a furnished apt..... bummer!!! So we talk for a bit and then he shows me around the area, giving me litle tricks about shopping in Paris. VERY nice person!! He gave me his number and said to call him if I want to hang out. YAY MY FIRST PARIS FRIEND!! :) Yay for me!!
I go back to the Peace and Love and just started talking to everyone. Josh from Philadelphia who is not a major Flyers fan but loves the Phillies and soft Pretzels, Ian from Montreal who currently studies in Scotland and totally sounds british and not French canadian.. REALLLLY AWESOME GUY!! we only hung out for a few hours cuz he had to take his flight back to Scotland but it was sad to see him leave cuz he was super funny.... Andrea from Edmonton who is just so adorable and so pretty.... but is an Edmonton Oilers fan... :P And a guy names Milen who has been living in Paris for 8 years. I have seen him before when i stayed at the Peace and Love but just briefly talked to him. He is soooo nice and such a fun person to be around!!
Then when Jay arrived, the guy working at the Hostel, he told me he had an apt for me at 350- 400 Euro, just around the corner, all furnished, with a guy who is NEVER there... umm.. AWESOME!!! So tomorrow I am going for my training, then going to visit the apt...
I think you can say that my first day was OH SO PRODUCTIVE!!!!!! A job AND an apt?? Wow!! Things are starting to fall into place!!!! I can't lie, IM HAVING AN AWESOME TIME.. even if I have only been here for 2 days!!!!!!! :) I love it I love it I love it!!!!
I will keep you guys updated when I have more news about everything! In the mean time, please leave comments!! And if you do, please write your name becaue if you don't it will be written unknown and then I won't know who wrote the message!!!
Much much much love!!!
Gen!
So I wake up around 9 get ready and leave. Hmm, what shall I do. Close to the apt, there is a mall. So i go in the mall and see that the three main cellphone companies have stores in the mall. I go to each of them and find the best option for me. Of course before I can activate a cellphone I need a proof of residence ( My friend Gilles can just write a letter saying I live with him) I need a valid ID ( My visa/ passport, no problem) and I need to have a " Carte Bleue" Which is simular to a credit card, but not quite a credit card. To get that, i need to open a bank account. So I go to the bank to open a account. To topen an account I need a proof of residency ( again Gilles can sign a paper) I need a valid ID, I need a photocopy of Gilles ID, a photocopy of an electric bill and I need a working contract.... hmm... a working contract... that means I need to find a job before I can get a cellphone... Thats Bogus!!! but...Oh well!!
So I gather all the information I need and I head out to the peace and love hostel! The best hostel in the world. Naima is working, when she sees me she becomes super excited and tells me she might have a job for me.. WHAT??! NO WAY!!! A hostel that is close to the Peace and Love Hostel. They sort of work together. While Naima was talking to the owner of the Hostel, a guy, Sami sitting beside me, starts talking to me. After talking for a bit, he asks me if I want to visit an apt with him in a few minutes because if he doesn't like it and doesn't want it, maybe I would. uh.. YEAH I DO!!! woh.. a job and a possible apt in 10 mins.. AWESOME!!
So I get the adress to the Hostel, say a BIG thank you to Naima, and head off with Sami to the Apt. It wasn't great at all, but at least I got to see what a Paris apt was really like and could now compare. Sami has been living in Paris for several years now and he also said it was an awful apt. So im guessing it wasn't that good. So we make plans to meet up later and I head out to meet the owner of the Hostel.
I get to the Hostel and a guy I know from the Peace and Love Hostel is already working there... SWEET! I meet the owner and she immediately tells me what my tasks will be, how much ill be making blablabla.... hmm... So... I get the job???? Do I??? I start training tomorrow from 11 to 2 then again on saturday from 4:30 to 6:30 and then we will decide together if it is a good job and if so, the contract will be signed on Monday.....
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!! WORKING IN A HOSTEL!!!! OH MY GODDDDD!!! YEAHHHHH!!! I will be making 80 euros a day for a 10 hour shift, 5 days a week. Its pretty sweet and definitely what I wanted as a job! Can't complain!
So then I go back to meet Sami and visit his apt, since he is leaving it. His apt is the cutest little apt I have ever seen in my life!!! NO JOKE!!!! But he would be leaving in only 2 months... and it is kind of expensive... and most of all.. not furnished.... which is no good for me.. as I need a furnished apt..... bummer!!! So we talk for a bit and then he shows me around the area, giving me litle tricks about shopping in Paris. VERY nice person!! He gave me his number and said to call him if I want to hang out. YAY MY FIRST PARIS FRIEND!! :) Yay for me!!
I go back to the Peace and Love and just started talking to everyone. Josh from Philadelphia who is not a major Flyers fan but loves the Phillies and soft Pretzels, Ian from Montreal who currently studies in Scotland and totally sounds british and not French canadian.. REALLLLY AWESOME GUY!! we only hung out for a few hours cuz he had to take his flight back to Scotland but it was sad to see him leave cuz he was super funny.... Andrea from Edmonton who is just so adorable and so pretty.... but is an Edmonton Oilers fan... :P And a guy names Milen who has been living in Paris for 8 years. I have seen him before when i stayed at the Peace and Love but just briefly talked to him. He is soooo nice and such a fun person to be around!!
Then when Jay arrived, the guy working at the Hostel, he told me he had an apt for me at 350- 400 Euro, just around the corner, all furnished, with a guy who is NEVER there... umm.. AWESOME!!! So tomorrow I am going for my training, then going to visit the apt...
I think you can say that my first day was OH SO PRODUCTIVE!!!!!! A job AND an apt?? Wow!! Things are starting to fall into place!!!! I can't lie, IM HAVING AN AWESOME TIME.. even if I have only been here for 2 days!!!!!!! :) I love it I love it I love it!!!!
I will keep you guys updated when I have more news about everything! In the mean time, please leave comments!! And if you do, please write your name becaue if you don't it will be written unknown and then I won't know who wrote the message!!!
Much much much love!!!
Gen!
Pack light...? NO... I PACK HEAVY!
wow... I am super pissed. I have been writing a log for the last Hour, and I somehow managed to lose it. I am NOT happy! Not even just a little bit!
I'm going to nutshell it!!
So, The day is finally here! Excited, at the airport, my family is parking the car, so I figure i'd check my luggage so theres time left for us to have supper. I arrive at the Air Transat counter, NOBODY! SWEEEET! So I arrive with my 2 suitcases, my big back pack, my carry on and my "purse". The dude looks at me and my luggage and asks me if im travelling alone. Um yeah, its going to cost me a lot, I know. I put my stuff on the balance, 61 kg's.
"Um mam, do you know its 24 kg per person and every extra kg is 15 $ your total is 570$?
@&*#*&$&($(@^# ARE YOU $#*&*% KIDDING ME??? 570$???????? Im going for a year, its unreasonable to think I can pack for only 24 kg, there is NOTHING you can do? I paid 360$ for my ticket there is NO WAY i am paying 570 for my luggage.
"nope sorry, actually it use to be 20$ per extra kg"
Well i'm not paying that, so I will deal with some things and come back. By the time I get out of the line, my family arrives and I give them the most horrid look ever. I immidiately open my suitcase and start throwing things in garbage bags my dad had bummed from a cleaning guy. " I don't need this.... I can live without this..... I don't need this.... I need this but I guess I can get it there" I had to part from my Adidas France soccer shoulder bag. My heart fell apart. I have been wearing that bag for a year. I had to make a choice, it was difficult but I did it :( We managed to get rid of a suitcase, stuffing everything in the big suitcase ( Literally having to sit on it to be able to close it) and stuffing some stuff in my carry on as i was allowed a 11 kg carry on.
My sister and I go back to the line my big suitcase weighs 34 kg and my back pack 9 kg.
" Sorry mam, your suitcase can not weigh more than 32 ks as a safety measure for the people who have to carry it to and from the plane..."
ARE YOU #&^#*$$(# KIDDING ME!! ALL I WANNA DO IS CHECK IN MY LUGGAGE SO I CAN HAVE SUPPER WITH MY FMAILY.... WHY MUST YOU BE SO DIFFICULT!!!!!"
So we get out of the line and stuff things in my back pack... stuffing and stuffing and stuffing. After we think its enough, we go back to the line and FINALLY everything was ok, except that I still had to pay 330$ for the excess weight to which I found out later on that if I had called Air Transat and explained to them my situation they could have accomodated me by either giving me extra kg's or giving me 50% off the excess weight fare...
!^%#@^$))@^# COULD I NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT BEFORE??? SERIOUSLY??????
Anyways thank you to my parents who paid half of the amount!!!!!!! :) I appreciate it!!!
After the whole shananigan, we had 1h left for supper and good-bye's, which was not nearly enough time!!
The flight went well despite the turbulance due to the horrible weather. The movies were good, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and... TWILIGHT!!! Sunshine, i thought about you the ENTIRE time Twilight was playing hahaha! :) The food was also amazing!!
When i got to paris, my friends Gilles was there to greet me, which was really awesome!! He had his car so we didn't have to carry all my stuff in the metro!!! FIOU!!!
The weather was so gorgeous!!! So warm!!! Im sure I would have caught a sun burn if I was out for a long time!!!! :)
When we were close to landing and I saw the different colored fields... shades of yellow, brown, light green, dark green.. and saw the white houses with the red roofs, i thought about the first time I landed in Paris with my sister. I remembered the nervous feeling i had.. the feeling of Unknown.... not knowing was to expect, then i remembered taking the train from this country to the other... and just having the best experience of my life. It made me smile. Knowing that for the next year, I COULD go to Germany if I want too.. I can go to Czech Republic if I want too.. I CAN even go to Ireland if I so desire too. There is so much that I can do and I am super excited that my adventure has begun!
I hope that everyone is doing well!!!
I will try and post some pictures soon, I just haven't quite figured out how to do so yet!!!!
Big Hugs to everyone!!! :)
I'm going to nutshell it!!
So, The day is finally here! Excited, at the airport, my family is parking the car, so I figure i'd check my luggage so theres time left for us to have supper. I arrive at the Air Transat counter, NOBODY! SWEEEET! So I arrive with my 2 suitcases, my big back pack, my carry on and my "purse". The dude looks at me and my luggage and asks me if im travelling alone. Um yeah, its going to cost me a lot, I know. I put my stuff on the balance, 61 kg's.
"Um mam, do you know its 24 kg per person and every extra kg is 15 $ your total is 570$?
@&*#*&$&($(@^# ARE YOU $#*&*% KIDDING ME??? 570$???????? Im going for a year, its unreasonable to think I can pack for only 24 kg, there is NOTHING you can do? I paid 360$ for my ticket there is NO WAY i am paying 570 for my luggage.
"nope sorry, actually it use to be 20$ per extra kg"
Well i'm not paying that, so I will deal with some things and come back. By the time I get out of the line, my family arrives and I give them the most horrid look ever. I immidiately open my suitcase and start throwing things in garbage bags my dad had bummed from a cleaning guy. " I don't need this.... I can live without this..... I don't need this.... I need this but I guess I can get it there" I had to part from my Adidas France soccer shoulder bag. My heart fell apart. I have been wearing that bag for a year. I had to make a choice, it was difficult but I did it :( We managed to get rid of a suitcase, stuffing everything in the big suitcase ( Literally having to sit on it to be able to close it) and stuffing some stuff in my carry on as i was allowed a 11 kg carry on.
My sister and I go back to the line my big suitcase weighs 34 kg and my back pack 9 kg.
" Sorry mam, your suitcase can not weigh more than 32 ks as a safety measure for the people who have to carry it to and from the plane..."
ARE YOU #&^#*$$(# KIDDING ME!! ALL I WANNA DO IS CHECK IN MY LUGGAGE SO I CAN HAVE SUPPER WITH MY FMAILY.... WHY MUST YOU BE SO DIFFICULT!!!!!"
So we get out of the line and stuff things in my back pack... stuffing and stuffing and stuffing. After we think its enough, we go back to the line and FINALLY everything was ok, except that I still had to pay 330$ for the excess weight to which I found out later on that if I had called Air Transat and explained to them my situation they could have accomodated me by either giving me extra kg's or giving me 50% off the excess weight fare...
!^%#@^$))@^# COULD I NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT BEFORE??? SERIOUSLY??????
Anyways thank you to my parents who paid half of the amount!!!!!!! :) I appreciate it!!!
After the whole shananigan, we had 1h left for supper and good-bye's, which was not nearly enough time!!
The flight went well despite the turbulance due to the horrible weather. The movies were good, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and... TWILIGHT!!! Sunshine, i thought about you the ENTIRE time Twilight was playing hahaha! :) The food was also amazing!!
When i got to paris, my friends Gilles was there to greet me, which was really awesome!! He had his car so we didn't have to carry all my stuff in the metro!!! FIOU!!!
The weather was so gorgeous!!! So warm!!! Im sure I would have caught a sun burn if I was out for a long time!!!! :)
When we were close to landing and I saw the different colored fields... shades of yellow, brown, light green, dark green.. and saw the white houses with the red roofs, i thought about the first time I landed in Paris with my sister. I remembered the nervous feeling i had.. the feeling of Unknown.... not knowing was to expect, then i remembered taking the train from this country to the other... and just having the best experience of my life. It made me smile. Knowing that for the next year, I COULD go to Germany if I want too.. I can go to Czech Republic if I want too.. I CAN even go to Ireland if I so desire too. There is so much that I can do and I am super excited that my adventure has begun!
I hope that everyone is doing well!!!
I will try and post some pictures soon, I just haven't quite figured out how to do so yet!!!!
Big Hugs to everyone!!! :)
Gen
THANX UNCLE PHIL FOR TELLING ME HOW TO POST PICTURES :)
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