Week 26

I’m halfway through my first year here! My week was defined by administrative tasks and socializing. I also spent an afternoon in Narbonne taking photos, checking out the architecture and exploring the city’s Roman history.

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Administrative

I’m back into administrative mode! Here are some of the tasks I accomplished this week:

Banking and insurance

For some reason, when I opened a bank account a few months ago and they asked if I wanted a bank card, I said no. This week I went into the bank to order one. While I was there, I asked about some of their other services. I need health insurance and insurance for my new apartment. I could have spent a lot of time researching all of my options but decided to keep it simple and use the bank’s offerings.

I usually find it much easier to do these tasks in person so I can use a translation app, but it becomes a challenge when my phone doesn’t get a signal in the building.  I had some phrases already downloaded and then surprised myself by how well things went. I’m proud of how well my French is progressing.

Moving

I spent the week trying to get a handle on everything I need to do for my move. Because the apartment is managed by an agency, I need to have a gaurantor. I am using Garantme for the second time. It’s an easy process and the company is very responsive. I just had to pull together a bunch of documents.

I also set up my electricity contract for the new apartment and cancelled the one I have now. Ditto the internet. And I’ve paid for mail forwarding for 6 months while I try to remember all the places where I’ve used my current address.

Health exam

A health exam is part of the visa process. I’d forgotten all about it and almost deleted the email I got from the immigration office this week because it went into my spam folder. My appointment has been scheduled for the end of March in Montpellier. I understand it usually just consists of a chest x-ray and a couple of questions. It will be nice to accomplish another first year milestone.

Drivers licence

I applied to exchange my drivers licence several months ago and wondered what became of it. I have a full year to exchange it without having to take a test so I planned to follow up after my move. Yesterday, I was notified that they just need proof of my visa. I thought I already sent it but it’s an easy fix so this task should be finished soon.

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I ♥️ Canadians

I’ve had a busy social calendar this week. Especially busy for this introvert! Besides my routine morning coffees, I attended a 75th birthday party, had lunch with a fun group of (mostly Canadian) women, and had coffee at the home of a couple from Winnipeg. My Canadian connections are especially valuable to me.

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A visit to Narbonne

I went to Narbonne this week for the second time. Getting there is pretty straightforward, with a few transit options. This week it involved a half hour bus ride to Agde, a 20 minute wait for the train, and then a 25 minute train ride. It’s a bit time consuming but relaxing.

I love the architecture in Narbonne. It was 15 celcius and sunny the afternoon I was there, so it was lovely to wander around and take photos. The Canal de la Robine, a branch of the Canal du Midi, made for some great pictures.

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When I was in Narbonne last October, I wanted to see the Horreum, a museum that showcases Roman antiquities dating back to the 1st century AD. It also has underground ruins you can explore. It was closed the last time I was there, so I prioritized it on this visit. It didn’t disappoint.

The good thing about visiting a tourist site off season is that, quite often, no one else is there. The bad thing is, no one else is there when you’re wandering around by yourself in a creepy fascinating labyrinth of underground tunnels. I’d like to say I wasn’t startled by the fellow in the 4th photo down, but I’m surprised they didn’t send security to investigate when I let out a yelp.

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I left Narbonne in the late afternoon and loved seeing what a commuter train looks like during rush hour.

As I mentioned, it was a beautifully sunny afternoon in Narbonne, but we headed directly into a severe storm on the way home. As we passed through Bëziers, just one stop away from Narbonne, the ground was thick with hail. We came out the other side and, by the time we arrived in Agde just 15 minutes later, the precipitation was finished leaving only dramatic skies.

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Song of the week

‘Til It’s Gone has long been one of my favourite songs and feels particularly relevant now. Sometimes I find it hard to feel really happy about living my best life while others are experiencing turmoil and fear. But what a waste of blessings and good fortune if I don’t allow myself to be joyful, right? The song reminds us to accept happiness as we experience it.

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I get the keys to my new apartment on Monday. I’m excited and also feel a little tired at the thought of more change. I’m sure an evening looking at the stars from my balcony will cure that. If not, I’ll have to head to Jardiland, the local plant store, to start to plan my spring garden. It’s just around the corner!

À bientôt .