Hey guess what I'm alive and well in Lyon! I moved into an apartment Thursday. It's furnished, and spartan. In the 7th arrondisment, my new home faces the ruins of an old factory, soon to be luxury condos. It's not my favorite, but it will do for the first year. Come next August I'll be out of their like a catapulted pumpkin breaking the sound barrier. The kitchen is non existent, an electric stove with two electric burners on the top. The shower head handheld, there's no way to mount it on the wall so you can stand under it and relax. All of these amenities are to be shared by five people. It's more expensive than my apartment in Chicago (which was unfurnished) by a considerable amount, although with the Housing Reimbursement for Students provided by the government it will be just a little more expensive. To top it all off there were a dozen mosquitoes in my room (now only one left, death by broom). I am covered in itchy, infuriating, inflamed red bites. UGG!!! After the landlord, Daniel, gave me the tour last Tuesday I was hesitant to sign the lease (you think?). I consulted the Aid to Foreign Students office; their response was a resounding TAKE IT. Less than a week before the rentrée, when schools across France begin their year, very few furnished apartments remain in Lyon. An even smaller fraction of those remaining are presided over by landlords willing to take foreign students. So I signed the lease, and here I am, me voila. So far I'm the only person moved in, although a very nice looking Italian girl came by this morning and signed the lease, and there's a French guy named Benoit who will be moving in later.
I've been in France a week now, today marks it. For the first two days life in Lyon was rosewater and baguettes, just sweet and easy. I made it from airport to the hostel via public transport, chapeau. I walked around the city, met other foreigners in the hostel also looking for apartments, even went to the bar and chatted up some french guys. On Saturday I went with some new friends and saw a soccer match- Nancy vs Lyon. Last I was in France I lived not far from Nancy- conflict of loyalty! Who do I love more! I was having a ball. Then on Sunday my paper money ran out. No worries, I'll just go to an ATM and make a withdrawal. My card was declined. No biggie, I'll go to the bank and withdraw some from my French checking account. All the banks are closed on Sundays. Come Monday I'm starting to worry a little. Most of the banks are closed so I walk across town (no money for metro) to one of the few open ones, and the woman tells me it's impossible to make a withdrawal. They have to contact my old bank in Longwy to get authorisation, which happens to be closed Monday. This sucks. Over the phone my Dad calls this "the no money diet". Thank goodness I'd taken extra baguettes and nutella from the free hostel breakfast. Things get sorted out by Tuesday, but the honeymoon is officially dead.
Lyon is a Little City. Like any European city there are lots of public spaces, parks and pedestrian zones. The public transportation is very good, there are bicycle lanes and bike rental points throughout the city. On weekends there are farmers markets in each arrondisment, or neighborhood. The quality of air is good, cleaner than Chicago to be sure. On the other hand it's small. I'm surprised to find so much space and not a lot of people! But I like it. We shall see.
I don't have Internet at home yet, which I don't like. I'm off!
