Settling in Paris as a non-citizen was a serious ride, and I know for a fact that it could have ended up much worse. I had three goals my first two weeks here: 1) get a cell, 2) find an apartment, and 3) open a bank account. As a citizen in the US, I have taken for granted how "easy" it is to do all three (if you have the money, that is). In France, I was basically a non-being with a passport that got me only so far. Here is a run-down of my two weeks:
1) Getting a cell
My first order of business was to get a cellphone number. I could have used Skype, but because of the way mobile systems work outside the US, it costs a grip to call cell phones compared to landlines (for France, it costs .02 cents to call a landline and .20 to call cellphones). Not only was it going to be *slightly* cheaper to call using a cell, I would also have a number for people (i.e., prospective landlords) to call me back.
In previous trips, I would head to the 9th/18th arrondissement, at the Metro stop Barbès-Rochechouart. It's the hood shopping district, where you can find cheap everything--if you can handle the crowds and the guys hawking cigarettes (and whatever else) on the corners. I would buy a SIM card for 5E, usually a previously owned one, just so I could have something. I often received calls or texts from unknown numbers which was only mildly annoying since I was only going to be there for a few weeks. This time, however, I chose to go with a new SIM to avoid such hassle.
I thought, little ole American me, that I would be able to waltz into a store and get a cell plan with just a credit card and my passport. No siree. In France, one has to have a bank account number, an bill for proof of address, and a cancelled check. If you don't have you address on you ID, you also have to bring in a "housing testament" from the person you are staying with, as well as a copy of their ID. Maybe it's similar in the US, but since I've had a driver's license and a credit card since I was 18, I always took for granted the paperwork required to even get those things. To my great disappointment, I now have to get a prepaid card, and since I was expecting to get a new cellphone and everything with the plan, I didn't take my unlocked cell with me. ARGH. I tell the saleswoman that I have my iPhone, how much to unlock it? Fifteen to twenty euro! Aww, HELL no. So I decide to go home and do it my damn self. After 4 hours of unsuccessfully using Pwnage to jailbreak my phone, I switch to RedSn0w, and once that works I use UltraSn0w to unlock it. I go back the next day, get my SIM, and promise to be back soon with all the necessary materials to get the cellphone plan.
2) Finding an Apartment
When I was first looking for places in France back in the States, I had all these dreams and visions of staying in a one bedroom with a view, furnished with both a bed and a futon for guests. I thought I would be willing to spend as much as 800E a month for a place. Reality struck hard, as I realized that 800E was about $1200 and I wasn't ready at all to spend that kind of money on an apartment that wasn't at least a two-bedroom. Little by little, I lowered my standards, until I eventually set my limit at 500, and was actively looking for cheaper than that.
I gave myself two weeks to find a place, subletting a room that I found on Craigslist for that exact amount of time. The pressure was on; I sent out dozens of emails a day, and called when I could. A couple of times I called I got a voicemail that instructed me to leave my name, age, cell and landline number, whether I was a worker or student, salary, why I wanted the place, and how long I wanted the place. I hung up when I got those, because I knew that I wouldn't stand a chance. Via email, I only got 1 or 2 responses every other day. I was determined, though, and by day 4, I had lined up appointments to visit four places in one day. As I went from place to place, I learned what I would and wouldn't tolerate. Only one place seemed the best option, and that was eventually the one I went with when I ran into other dead ends. I'm ok with the place--the location is fantastic, it's basically in Monmartre, but the room leave some to be desired. My biggest gripe is the shower. When I first complained, I think people assumed a slight exaggeration, but when I revealed by video chat how small indeed the shower was, I received only gasps. It's a French joke…how can anyone have thought of making a shower only wide enough to rinse off in? I can't even bend down! I've the dropped the soap twice, a hard lesson learned. Although I have both a single bed (lofted) and a futon in the room, I doubt that anyone will want to stay here! The location has thus far been super convenient, but I'm not certain I will stay here forever. If I can find something that is the same price (400E/month, all inclusive) or lower, then I'll move, but for now, I'm dealing.
3) Opening a bank account
Once I was armed with the housing testament, photocopies of IDs, and bill, I was able to get an account fairly easily with HSBC, a bank that I'm with in the US. I really wonder if it helped, because it still took a hot minute to actually go through the steps to open my account, and I had plenty of paperwork to sign. Now I'm just waiting for my bank card and online account number to come in via mail, which will help with the final step of getting a cellphone plan.
Yep, yep, I'm finally getting settled, looking for my local bakery and trying to figure out which bars I'll like the best (there's one called "Long Island" on my block…very fancy too). The first chapter of my move to Paris has ended; on to Chapter 2!
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