Week 5
So how is Paris? Well in short, I am a rather happy bunny.
Now before we move on to why I am a rather happy bunny, I feel I must fully explain my deep seeded hate for my local bank - BNP Paribas.
So it all started that sunny day way back when, (September 25th) when I went to open my bank account. I should have known that things were going to be weird from the moment when trying to open my account with Mr X and he didn’t accept my passport as valid identification. Wait what??????????? Yes I am not joking. I handed over my passport in full confidence that my globally recognized, fully functional, up to date passport that I’ve used to go from Malta to Spain, to America to Egypt would be accepted in this bank, by this man. Surely??? Surely not! Now understand my confusion, I was lost for words and spent the next 10 minutes trying to explain (as politely as possible of course) that this man was a fool who should be slapped and fired for his ignorance.
Anyway, after a while I gave up trying to reason with this fool – as you can never beat a fool – he will only drag you down to his level and beat you (soundly) with experience. Instead I brought out my UK driving licence and.............I hit a brand new brick wall of stupidity!!!! After looking at my licence like it was some foreign object, as opposed to the international identity card it is, and flipping it over......numerous times, - he simply slid it back across the table to me and shook his head gravely, like I had failed a test or something??? So yes now I am more than a LITTLE bit annoyed. – In hindsight, I should have realized the extent of this man’s stupidity at that moment and then and asked to see someone else, yes I know that. But instead, being the novice I am in matters of foolishness, I simply got out every card I had from my Nigerian licence to my Tesco club card only for him to accept my International Student Card????? People seriously what is up with French administration!!!!!????? It pisses me off as much as unrelenting bad breath.
Now for those who are not with BNP I need to explain the next part – all students are entitled to a Carte Visa Classic, a chequebook and an overdraft facility with the ‘Esprit Libre Intiative’ deal that BNP is offering. Not sure how long they are going to do it for, but everything is free (I’ll get to that later) and that is a real deal coz most things aren’t if you join a big bank.
So anyway, as was my right I asked for the Carte Visa Classic (instead of Visa Electron) that most people get only for Mr X to refuse and say I am not allowed it. Of course I just quoted (‘word for word’) the ad from the net and still he refused apparently because I was a student and had no source of income. At the time I didn’t realize that this was more FOOLISHNESS (ít’s endless) and you are entitled to these things irrespective! Anyway, i returned on our next appointment and showed him my assistants contract, my proof of salary and everything that he said I needed to guarantee me all these services. Now he turns around and has the cheek to tell me I didn’t explain that I wasn’t a student the first time!!! Well I did you overgrown ignoramus, I even sent him an e-mail afterwards (still have a copy) to make sure I explained properly and he REPLIED saying he UNDERSTOOD. COME ON!!
Of course I also asked if this service was free, only for him to tell me that it was not, and then for him to add that he ALSO thought it was? How can you openly admit ignorance of your bank right there and then???? FYI – it costs everyone 2.30 euros a month or something to subscribe to the bank card – something they don’t tell you before.
Moving on, so I left that day thinking everything was gravy only for the stupid Carte Electron to arrive in the mail. I was back at the bank in 10 minutes only for Mr. Fat head to tell me I needed to make ANOTHER appointment to open the services I wanted and get the Visa Classic. Why did you NOT tell me that in our 2nd appointment? I mean REALLY why????? As you can tell, I was more than a little bit annoyed at this point and decided that in our next appointment, all hell was going to break loose. So i dutifully planned every patronizing thing I was going to say the morning of my appointment only for the director to call me and tell me my appointment was cancelled because Mr. Big Nose had left the agency???? Of course this probably had nothing to do with me, but I like to think he ran away in fear of the verbal trauma he was going to suffer at my hands. This took 4 weeks.
On a better note – had a meeting with the director next (he replaced Mr Bum face) and sorted out everything in 10 minutes. My chequebook and visa classic card came the next week. All good right? Almost, just almost.
Now I found a new problem – online transfers. Trying to sort out my rent with my landlady and my stupid online banking hardcore didn’t feel like letting me do an online transfer. Of course I was confused, i had done all the necessary – added the beneficiary, got the activation code, activated the system bla blab la, but still got nothing. When I told my landlady she didn’t believe me of course until I showed her and she read the message herself. Told me to go to the bank and get them to ‘activate’ my online transfers. What a ridiculous system??
So went to the bank and got the once rather attractive woman (as she works at the bank i hate, i am struggling to like her) to do the business. She smiles at me and tells me it is all done. Only for me to go back home, try and log on to my account and be UNABLE to. I was back at the bank in 5 minutes and simply asked what have you done? ‘Well I reset your account seeing as you told me it wasn’t working.’ ‘It was working fine except the online transfers and it is the bank’s fault at that, I have done nothing here, so why would you do that?’ ‘It is the only way, just wait for your new code which you will get in a few days, I am just trying to help’. ‘So let me get this right, my online banking was perfectly fine before i came here except I couldn’t transfer money online, I asked you to fix it. But now, no longer can I STILL NOT do online transfers, I cannot even log on to my own account, I have to wait for a silly code to arrive in the mail, and if I want to do a transfer, I have to come to the bank each time? This is how you’ve helped me?’....... No answer.
Okay maybe I was a little mean and if that really is the only way well then i might feel bad – BUT I found out it’s not! I really, REALLY, do not like French admin and I’m still waiting for that flipping code.
Right onto better things (apologies for the gigantic rant) but I felt I had too even though I’ve barely left any space for anything else so i’ll have to keep it brief.
So came back from England on Wednesday and was really depressed at first. But when I woke up I felt as right as rain – had a great day at work, (my students are really lovely) and remembered all the reasons why I’m having so much fun in France. Also actually got involved more than before in lunch talk, cracked a joke and found out that all my teachers openly dislike the proviseur – it was some emphatic head nodding I tell you! Also found out lots of my students are going on stages for about a MONTH, means less classes for me and still getting paid – CACHING $$$$.
Also went to this African event on Thursday called ‘The Before’ and it was really cool. Like a great African vibe that I did not expect to find in the centre of Paris and there was even a dance class where the audience got taught two different African dances – Dombola and Macossa. Sorry if you don’t know what it is....look it up. On another note, some people just don’t have rhythm, I mean I really rate people for getting involved nonetheless, i love people that just get stuck in. But still, some people’s hips should have a safety belt or something because it just doesn’t work jeez. Also kind of felt sorry for the woman who got the full ‘Dombola Experience’ from the African instructor. – Proper had her sit on a chair and just experience his dancing.....she looked like she was starring in paranormal activity....... poor, poor woman. If you haven’t seen it before, the shizz can freak you out 4 real.
Another good day of work on Friday except almost died coming out of the metro station at Bastille – as the place stank like a rhino’s anus! No I have no idea how that really smells, but i’ve watched my fair share of discovery channel, and with the size of their ‘business’ it certainly can’t smell like roses. Still wondering what made that smell that day.
Weekend was really chilled – you noticed I haven’t mentioned going out yet? Well it’s because I’m too broke...still. England trip cut my pockets...deep. So I spent the weekend doing my CV and applications etc and just relaxing. I need that paper man!
Also discovered my landlady’s son has built a gym in the basement when I went down to do my laundry.....yes PLEASE.
Monday and Tuesday were also relatively chilled days, nothing much to talk about there. Had fun at work, was teaching repeat lessons now because lots of my students have gone on stage so I get random classes. I don’t really mind because they’re all quite nice but all the same i wouldn’t mind a bit of continuity.
Went to duplex on Tuesday night, nothing really much happened there so we’ll skim over that.
House party on Wednesday night was pretty cool but a little too much smoking and 80’s pop music for my liking, but meh we all have different tastes. However, wasn’t pleased with the chick who knocked over a mirror and then had the cheek to blame it on me......silly woman! Nor did i appreciate the man on man kissing; if you’re gay that’s cool and all. But if you’re straight and then just start pulling guys because being drunk gives you an excuse.....well then not so cool in my opinion.
Also I realized that night that my desire to conserve money has stretched to new lengths as opposed to taking a 20 euro taxi, i took a 2 hour free bus journey home. It will be worth it in the long run.
On another note, I think my back is allergic to France, i’ll explain next week.
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