11 February 2010

Productivity is my middle name...how I got things done.

This week I did everything I was supposed to do, and actually got everything done...I was impressed with myself. Here's a list of what I accomplished:
1. Created my academic contract for the semester
2. Enrolled at UBP (Universite Blaise Pascal)
3. Got my student ID card
4. Signed up for my placement test to determine which level of French classes I should take
5. Mailed my registration form to OFIL
6. Started my job
7. Opened a bank account
8. Attended my first class at UBP
9. Bought the mandatory insurance for my dorm room

That's a lot to accomplish, eh? Some things were easier to do than others, I learned that if I simply carried my passport, housing contract/letter of confirmation, a little cash, and my student card (once I got it) with me everywhere I went, I tended to be able to get whatever I needed to get. Without one or another of those things people usually just told me to come back later.

Other useful lessons/tidbits of information I've learned since getting here:
-There are international fees for using American credit/debit cards overseas.
-When using a pay-as-you-go plan, it's much more cost effective to text than to call...USUALLY. But it's generally a safe bet that texts will keep your money working longer.
-Some DVDs are made to work in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, while others are made to work in the US and Canada. My computer is American, thus formatted to play American DVDs, so the one I bought in France requires it to reformat itself, which is fine except for the fact that it will only change 4 times and after that it's stuck.
-While it's much more "French" to use the little specialty markets and to only buy enough food for a day or two at a time, it's much more cost effective to buy it at an "hypermarchee" (think WalMart or Target) for several days at a time. I spent 7.27 for food for 4 days instead of at least 7euros a day for buying whole meals each day.
-Bread, on the other hand, is worth buying in small quantities each day because it tastes much better the first day than the second.

Well, that's all I have for now, more tomorrow on my job, my first class, and some pictures of the town!

1 comment:

  1. Good to hear from you. I enjoy reading your blog.
    Its like reading a book your writitng is so discriptive.
    Enjoy and be careful. Keep me posted.
    Loveya
    Aunt Hazel

    ReplyDelete