Day 2-5: Settling in

Our first few days in Grenoble were a lot of signing, even though we do not know what we are agreeing to. Thanks to Nathan's employer, we have an agent helping us go through these procedures. They found us our apartment before our arrival, which was crucial to apply for "Carte de Sejour," a resident card. They also helped us open a bank account, which we need to set up the internet. We are now waiting for the bank card to be sent by mail.

Applying for Carte de Sejour at the prefecture started by lining up at 8:30 in the morning before the building opened, but most of the people there were for their driver's license (I think). We were one of the first ones for Carte de Sejour. Things we needed were:

1) Passports and a copy of the visa page with entry stamp
2) home contract
3) convention d'accueil
4) work contract
5) Nathan's Ph.D diploma (and French translation)
6) birth certificate (and French translation)
7) marriage certificate (and French translation)
8) medical visit documents
9) ID photos (4)
10) three stamped envelops with our return address

We applied, but we did not receive anything then. We are waiting for "recepisé,"a receipt to be sent by mail. Nathan is in Klagenfurt, and hope he will be able to get back to France without paying a hefty fine (as we were told by someone).

In the meantime, I am thinking about whether I should go up to the Bastilles (the fort) taking the cable car seen in the photo above...

Day 1: Flying dog and bonjour France

(It has been a week already, but I am still without internet at home. This blog post is provided by the free wifi service by "French Coffee Shop" in Place Claveyson).

We made it. Nathan, Chana and I safely arrived in Grenoble, a beautiful little city surrounded by mountains.

Our flight from Toronto to Paris was uneventful. Chana was not sure what was going on when we left her to go through the security. Air Transat crew put a sticker on her crate which was to be filled out by the staff when she would get fed and given water. We were quite happy about this, but of course it was never filled out. Chana made it though without any issue, though we noticed her sheepskin bedding had a lot of fuzz coming off when we settled in our apartment. She might have been trying to dig an escape hole during the flight!?

Immigration at the airport was easier than anywhere in the world I have traveled to, and the officer saluted me in Japanese. When I went through the immigration in Canada on a student visa, which I experienced twice, I was taken to a special room, waited for hours for my turn. There was no such procedure this time, a simple stamp and Konnichiwa.

Clearing the custom with a dog was expected to be difficult, but again it took 30 seconds. They did not even check Chana's microchip... After the custom, Chana was out of her cage, eating at the restaurant at the station, and riding on TGV! Her hairdo is always a great attraction, and it is my mission to have it alive when I take her to her first grooming.

After 22 hours or so since we left our beloved CLEAN home in Waterloo, we arrived in our new apartment in Grenoble. I would post some photos, as soon as it is presentable :).

Applying for French Long Stay Visa

France: a country of romance, beautiful language, and delicious bread... It must be these three things they really want to protect that they make the visa application look so intimidating. Yes, it looks intimidating, but it is not. Our experience at the French Consulate in Toronto was very smooth and pleasant. Here are some tips and info for those who may follow our paths.

We applied for :

Long Stay Visas (over a year) for Scientist, and an accompanying family member: July, 2010

1) Book your Rendez-vous: You have to make a personal appearance at the consulate for any type of visas. The appointment is done online, and it is almost fully booked. You cannot make double appointments, but you can grab the earliest one available, and keep changing it if there is any vacancy sooner than your date.

2) Gather all the documents: Follow the consulate website and gather all necessary documents. The biggest challenge lies in the format of the photos. The size is a standard, but the size of the face in the photo is larger than ordinary passport size. Find a competent photo studio. Do not go to CAA!

3) Email the consulate if you have questions: It says you need the airplane reservation when you apply for the visa. We did have ours ready, but when I emailed them, they told us that was not necessary.

Our visas were issued on the same day, within an hour. On their website (Toronto), they say it takes three months. When you are waiting for your turn at the consulate, a note on the wall says it takes three weeks. My life has been shortened by three years by such exaggerated information.

Apparently, this part is nothing compared to the application for "Carte de Sejour" once we arrive in France.

On Achievement

Click here for Nathan's Convocation Photos

Thank you Henry and Gail, Mom and Dad Stewart, Jason, Arthur and Sharon, Monique and Abram for joining us to celebrate Nathan's achievement!

Nathan's convocation was on Friday. Dressed in the green and red regalia, Nathan savoured his glorious moment, the moment toward which he worked hard to achieve. It was a glorious moment for his family and friends as well, who waited with patience and confidence.

As I attended the convocation where the air was filled with pride and honour, I had a moment to reflect on achievement. When I was in Grade 8, we had to write an exam called "achievement test" in nine different subjects. From its name it sounds like the purpose of the test is to show how much you have achieved or learned so far. However, the true nature of this exam was a gateway that determined which high school you could go to. Well, it did not guarantee your entrance, but it gave you a chance to take the entrance exam for the high school. There is always another gateway you have to cross.

Achievement, according to my definition, is getting a ticket for the future that lets you have a wider selection to choose from than those who did not get it. What it takes to get such achievements are one's initiation, hard work, and a lot of support from people who standby. Hence, I believe the moment of achievement must be composed of glory and humility, 50/50. And right after you grab it, you will have to start working toward another one.

When many people claim their achievement was done by themselves, when many people praise their own work without hesitation, when many are complacent with what they have already, I cannot help but think that this might be the outcome of too much praises they received growing up. I feel very thankful for my parents who raised me with the virtue of hard work and humility. Feeling glory just happens naturally.

Moving to France

It is now official that Nathan and I will be moving to France for two years. I must be a descendent of nomads, or this zesty feeling I have about our move cannot be explained. Basho Matsuo, a poet in the 17th century, wrote in the introduction of his travel journal:

Days and months are travellers of eternity. So are the years that pass by. Those who steer a boat across the sea, or drive a horse over the earth till they succumb to the weight of years, spend every minute of their lives travelling. There are a great number of ancients, too, who died on the road. I myself have been tempted for a long time by the cloud-moving wind--filled with a strong desire to wander.

After living in Waterloo for five years, it is somewhat sentimental that I have to leave things I grew fond of behind. I will miss the fresh vegetables from the region, miss great friends I met, and I will miss things that I now take for granted. Yet, it is time that we move on. Let me interpret "A rolling stone gathers no moss" with a positive attitude.

Just Like Starting Over

It has been 70 days since I came back home in Japan. The days I spend here are "extraordinary in the ordinary" and "ordinary in the extraordinary" at the same time.

Our loving father has left us on March 23, and to me, it feels as if the captain of our ship has been kidnapped by pirates. We now have to learn how to operate the ship without him, and we have to set the course for the ship. Hopefully one day we can reunite with him on the shore of a beautiful island...

I am so grateful that I was able to be with my dad and my family for the very last month of his life. Thanks Nathan for making it possible. Thanks Jen for giving me the courage to drop everything and leave in February. Nothing is more important than your own family in the end. Nothing.

Never Give Up!

It is mid-February, and our life is as exciting as ever. Nathan is working at the top speed to finish up his dissertation which is due in 10 days. After that, Chana goes to Power Tripp for a couple of weeks hanging out with bunch of border collies while Nathan and I spend some time with my family in Japan. Nathan will be busy preparing for his oral defence, but hopefully some Japanese treats will help recuperate from his thesis writing.

Life is full of challenges and obstacles. It is never boring. I am glad that my parents raised me to be persistent about everything I do. Persistence can be a negative attribution, but it is a great asset for me as I am naturally a bit too optimistic and easy going sometimes. Now facing some hurdles ahead in my life, I am fairly relaxed and calm about it. I guess I feel that way because I know I can manage things as long as I don't give up.

So today, I found something I lost last week! Persistence paid off! I lost (well Chana lost) a ball in the field covered with snow. Yes, it is a simple dog fetch toy, but I do not like losing things. Although I was told to wait until snow melts, I decided to go back to the field again for one last time...shuffling the snow with my feet while Chana ran around wondering what I was up to...

Well, now I feel greatly motivated to work on things.