La Bureaucratie

Spent today trying to deal with form filling, and trying to get myself understood by some very unhelpful French people. It is quite disheartening to deal with people who have no interest in trying to understand or help you. You wonder if it was their children in a foreign country they would be nicer. However, my day was brightened up by a random passer-by when I ventured out to take a photograph. He proceeded to tell me about how the shops and nearby buildings were brand new, and how the old ones had been knocked down to make way for them. Felt alright to actually speak some French with a person intent on trying to understand me.
NB: rubbish, not poubelle not dommage, but déchets , if you're on about the things that come out of a bin. It is really hard sometimes to think of a word on the spot.

Spoke to quite a few people from home today who seem to be feeling similar feelings of isolation - I think it is totally normal, but I am really looking forward to going into the school to meet people! One person I know is sharing a kitchen in student apartments, has been there a few days and has seen only one person. Someone else I know, who like me is staying in a foyer, has been there four days and has yet to see another person. Everyone is looking forward to going to work I think, it is a bit harder to be an assistant de langue rather than going to university as you can find yourself in a town knowing absolutely no-one rather than going to another country with friends. The pros of being an assistant however would be the fact you are very much forced to speak the language, as you have no backup and have to converse with new people.

Skype = absolute life saver for when you really need that contact with people you know. I've already had a few sessions, both excited and down I would say! Bad things about Skype:-
- It echoes and beeps rather a lot when the internet is bad. Solution: if each side mutes their microphone when the other one is talking it seems to stop this
- Sometimes the video freezes when you or the other side are in a not-so-attractive position
- If the internet is really bad, the call gets dropped - not too good when you are in the middle of a conversation!

Apart from that, quite a lazy day. Back to doing tomorrow, after I translate and check a French inventory for my apartment...