Game Over

OK. So the carte de s�jour thing is "done."

Well, as done as it can be. Let me explain.

First of all, I actually found myself feeling guilty for writing that most of the people who work at the prefecture are ugly with bad fashion sense. The girl who helped me was cute, smiley, and rather stylish. She was also probably a year or three younger than me, but no matter. We had a little nose ring "bond" - this is the only possible explanation as to why we got along so swimmingly, considering the situation.

So let's scratch off the childish insults that are on record from yesterday, mmkay?

Secondly, my file was just dandy, but the girls at the prefecture decided I needed - for some inane reason - proof of having a bank account in France. Naturally, this wasn't on the document list provided (it never is) and comes more or less out of nowhere. So when NoseRingBuddy asked me for my bank card, I thought, "Oh sure, I can totally do that." The problem, of course, was that I don't carry around my card with me all the time. And today just happened to be one of those days.

So great. I was sent back home to recuperate my card, and they said that I might as well bring along my last bank statement so they could invade my privacy a little more. Jolly. And then I went back to the prefecture, waited in that long-ass line that I had woken up so early for in order to avoid, and dropped off my new "required" paperwork.

My NRB told me to sit and wait until I was called, at which point I pulled out my Arabic textbook and began a-studying. Funny thing, though. Right at the moment I opened the book, my January bank statement fell out of it. I had gotten it in the mail a few days prior and had been carrying it around with me ever since, completely forgetting to file it. In fact, and I think this is obvious by now, I had completely forgotten it at all.

As I giggled sarcastically at the irony of it all (could have avoided that trip on the metro, could have not gotten in a tiff over the hour of my return, etc), I heard my name called. Apparently, we're good to go. So the NRB gave me back my paperwork, and we had the following conversation:

NRB: Ok, so here's the original of your proof of housing, proof of money, student card, past grades, work permit, and pay stubs.
Me: Thanks.
NRB: Look over this paperwork and make sure there are no mistakes.
Me: (looks it over) Looks ok to me.
NRB: Ok, so here's your temporary carte de sejour, and here's your paper letting you know when your next appointment is.
Me: ::: a little too shocked to respond::::
NRB: You can come any day after the 16th of February, the sooner the better.
Me: But, wait. Aren't I going to get a carte de sejour?
NRB: Oh yeah, you will.
Me: So why do I have to come back? Aren't you supposed to stick the sticker in my passport now?
NRB: Oh... no. It's all changed. Ever since January 1st, 2006, you get a temporary card and then you have to come back a month later to get the long-term card. It's plastified, so it takes us longer to process them.
Me: It takes a month?

I don't find this amusing because it means I have to get two different work permits - one for the period going from now until February 16, and then another for the period from February 17 onwards. Plus, it means I have to go back to the prefecture in a month, and wait in that awful line, and sit in those nasty green chairs.

But at least my paperwork was accepted with only an hour's worth of unnecessary hassle. It has been far, far worse in the past.