What a Day!!!

Nice face, eh? You're warned not to smile in the pictures!

Victory Bottle!

What a day indeed! Brian and I successfully obtained our Carte de Sejours. We are legal in France! It's a great feeling, especially considering what it took to get them...

After paying lots of money for our temporary visas and surviving a trip to the prefecture last month to obtain our recepisse (a 75 minute visit: a record I'm told), we now have our official Visas!

Brian's process went pretty smoothly, as smoothly as a visit to the Office Francais de l'Immigration et de l'integraion (OFII for those familiar) can be considered! Since he's the working man and was brought over here for a job, he was able to get his X-Ray, physical, and after a trip to the Tabac to buy ses timbres to pay for the carte (interesting process: you have to pay for the Carte with these stamp things, kind of like a cashier's check we're guessing. The best thing is that they are bought at your local bar. It was huge that we met some very nice fellow Americans that hooked us up with the information as to where to buy the stamps. We were stampless and had no idea we could conclude the carte process today. But a quick trip across the street and Brian had notre timbres!), he was holding his carte before I got my process started. One down, one to go!

My process much more adventures. After watching a film about immigrating to France and an hour and a half wait, I got called to see the social worker. Once with him, he asked me about my life in Etats-Unis: level of education, job, and whether I drove a car. Luckily, I aced all his questions and was deemed proficient in French. This was HUGE! I can now stay in France without having to take a government issued French Class. I'm feeling so bilingual and I have a certificate to prove it! However, I do have to attend a Civics' Class in February! It will be an all day class on a Saturday in February in which I think I learn all about France's history and how to immigrate properly. I know you are all jealous!

Finally, I signed a contract with the state of France saying I will be a good citizen, learn French, and attend my Civics' Class in February. I gathered up all my welcoming materials, including my French proficiency certificate, (did I mention I was fluent?), and headed over for my X-Ray and physical. Brian went out and bought me des timbres and after passing the physical, I held my beautiful Carte de Sejour!

Now we will drink our Champaign and Celebrate! We're legal! We have rights! Woo-Hoo!