Ah That's Why I Left

From a friend's blog; it reminds why I left La Belle France (see Sunday's entry about Paris)

12 January

Nightmare in France

I went to declare my address change...

Of course a foreigner has to do this within 8 days having all paperwork to prove the new address (telephone, electricity etc..)--

it's a fucking nightmare to do and I spent the last three days making photocopies and preparing my file

So I go to the sous-préfecture - of course standing in the wrong welcome line...there is a special one just for foreigners.

I state my request, show my carte de séjour....and before I can even show any of the offical papers and their photocopies...
"NO !"

"i can't change my address?"

"NO! - YOUR CARD IS GOING TO EXPIRE !"

(let's not mention the fact that a carte de séjour always has an expiration date - it is valid only one year!)"

but i have an appointment at the Prefecture de Paris for the 6th of February and i need to show them my change of address"

"NO! - YOUR CARD IS GOING TO EXPIRE !"

"but i don't understand, i am here to declare my address change so that i can have the paper when i go to renew my card"

"NO! - YOUR CARD IS GOING TO EXPIRE !"

"yes i know that is why i need the address change to show the prefecture when i go on the 6th to renew"

"#&?!*#!!&#####&&!!***!!!#### NO !""#&*!!!&& les Indians et les Sir Lankins ###&!!**!!"

"NON!"

"NON!"

"NON!"

"NEXT"...

"Hello, Préfecture de Paris, i have a question - the sous-prefecture de L'Hay Les Roses won't let me change my address because my carte is going to expire... yes i have a appointment, yes... yes...

"...yes we know we have this problem often when someone moves out of Paris. When you go to the Préfecture use your old address.

"you mean to basically lie"..

yes. Otherwise the préfecture de Paris will not give you a new carte!

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!

Back to photocoping...- so I haven't yet moved and you haven't yet seen any pictures of this !!!

If you're going to visit you'd better call ahead because i might not be where i am offically and if anyone asks, i'm a Parisienne.