I’ve been following forums and Facebook groups more closely in the last few years, knowing I was going to be applying for citizenship soon. There are some areas of the country that have notorious reputations for that process. Montpellier, for … Continue reading
A note from the authors: In these articles, we (Molli — MS and Gracie — GB) have a conversation about a topic that’s familiar to both of us. In addition to providing information, our aim is to explore it from … Continue reading
When I first decided to start my life in France after years of being an au pair and a student, I started to hear talk of something called a mutuelle. I had already been enjoying the benefits of seriously discounted … Continue reading
After I successfully enrolled in France’s health insurance system and got my temporary social security number or numéro provisoire, I went to see many doctors. At the beginning of the appointment, they would look at my certificate of registration and … Continue reading
For the first year after I arrived in France, every time I went to the pharmacy or doctor, they’d ask for my carte vitale. This is the health insurance card every French person has which allows them to be reimbursed … Continue reading
“Nine hundred euros?” I was stunned. The admin person for a French school in Paris had just called me back and told me that was the budget I had to spend on French classes. I had spent a couple of … Continue reading
“To maintain order in your bureaucratic life, you more or less have to stay home; go away for any length of time and you’re always likely to run foul of some agency or another.” – Michel Houellebecq, Submission One of … Continue reading
It didn’t seem that long ago that I penned an article explaining the few steps necessary to change your address. So, as a “veteran” of the process, I thought it would be just as simple to do it again. Not … Continue reading
I was standing with a number of my fellow passengers that had just disembarked at the Saint-Germain-des-Près métro station. There were a number of ticket inspectors in front of me scanning the Navigo passes or simple tickets of the passengers. … Continue reading
Most Americans are used to being able to go online and for the cost of $1 (USPS says this is for identity verification) and the time it takes you to fill out the necessary online form you can change your … Continue reading