(Actually written on Friday, posted on Saturday thanks to the annoying internet problems that seem to catch up with me wherever I go)
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I've got two hours before my train back to Feurs, so I might as well post a short update. There are still many things up in the air as far as internet and living situation go, but at least I'm now significantly less likely to be deported. After last month's train fiasco, I was determined not to miss my OFII (Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration) appointment today in Lyon, since apparently they get mad if you blow them off twice (and there's no way to let them know if you have a good reason for missing the appointment, since no one answers the phone or responds to email).
My rendez-vous was at 1:30, so to be absolutely certain of not missing it I took the 9:30 train out of Feurs and did some inadvertent ice dancing on the way to the train station. Eight inches of snow over the past couple days has yielded some very icy streets, but so far I have managed to avoid busting my ass... let's hope I haven't spoken too soon. I've got somewhat mixed feelings about the snow; having grown up in warm, humid Georgia, the usually rare sight of accumulated snow at first heralds joy (and certainly disbelief in November), but once the snowball endorphins wear off I realize how incredibly unprepared I am for trudging around in the snow and ice. Pretty from a window, treacherous to actually go out in... even the normally 30 second walk from my house into the lycée became more adventurous.
Speaking of treacherous, the weather this morning was absolutely ferocious. Heavy snowfall, biting wind... not a pleasant walk from the Perrache train station to the slightly hidden OFII building. I wasn't sure I still had feet by the time I figured out where it was, and then I had an hour and a half to wait until my appointment. Since they were about to close for lunch, I figured I'd find a café to pass the time, but the only places around I could find were expensive-looking restaurants. But rather than subjecting myself to frostbite, I decided to subject myself to angry-waiter glares when I only ordered a coffee in an upscale Italian restaurant and mooched off local internet. It's so nice to get unrestricted internet once in a while... ok, here I'm going to hold back from lycée-internet-sucks rant.
Actually, I can't restrain myself (though I did try). Wednesday there was an appointment set up with France Telecom to set up a new line, since we've long since established that the current one is physically cut and nonfunctional. They came, they crawled around under the house, they saw where the wires hooked up... but did they put in a new line? NO, of course not! Why not, you may wonder? No reason given. Just didn't do it that day, even though the appointment was specifically to put in a new line. Ok, end rant. It's almost enough to make me appreciate AT&T... almost.
Alright, back to the regularly scheduled program of French Bureaucratic Appreciation. For the most part, the OFII appointment went smoothly; I'd expected to have to wait at least 20 minutes, but my name was called right away and I was out in less than 45 minutes. After a slightly uncomfortable moment with the doctor (did he really have to stick my hand in his sweaty armpit to put the blood pressure band on my arm? did listening to my heart really require sticking his hands down my shirt?), I was deemed healthy enough to remain in the country and finally got the coveted titre de séjour in my passport. Now I can leave France with the ability to come back!
Being in no particular hurry to get back to frigid Feurs, I decided to wander around and gradually make my way to the Part-Dieu mall and train station. I'd actually hoped to try CouchSurfing, but unfortunately didn't have that idea in time to line something up, so back to Feurs I must go. Much of the snow has already turned to muddy slush, but there are still some pretty views if you're willing to stand the cold long enough to pause and admire them (to the left: Fourvière in the background, taken in the Place Bellecour; the statue is of Louis XIV). Thankfully it had stopped snowing this afternoon and the wind held off enough to make it a pleasant walk, despite the sub-freezing temperature.
Ugh, the McDonald's fumes are starting to get to me. Even in France, you can almost see the grease floating in the air... but oh, the wifi makes it worth it. I almost feel guilty for not ordering any food, and then I remember what country I'm in and how silly it would be to eat at such a quintessentially unhealthy American establishment when there's much fresher, tastier food readily available. Gotta get out of here before I succumb and buy a Big Mac.
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