Systems, Systems, Systems

A minor miracle happened today. The FINAL piece of our schedule for this year has FINALLY fallen into place. Yeah!

It has taken 3 weeks to coordinate the following things:

-Badmiton for Lena

-Violin Lessons for Lena

-A violin rented for Lena

-Piano lessons for Ryan

-Taëkwondo for Todd

(In truth, we still have to fill out some Federal Taëkwondo Association Registration form and get his uniform, but we're crossing our fingers that these last details will be taken care of on Wednesday.)

Does it surprise you that it's taken 3 weeks to coordinate these things?

I haven't had enough experience in America to know if this would be unusual, but I DO know that the system in which we have had to do these sign-ups IS different.

Here, I'll show you.

This is how we went about getting Todd into Taëkwondo and Lena into Badmiton.

Every year, they have a day called a 'forum' where you are welcomed to come sign up for activities.

The entire town comes to the same place, on the same for two days, to sign up for activities.

Here's what it normally looks like near the building where we went for the Forum.


Here's what it looked like when we arrived 15 minutes before the doors opened on the first day - the line went all the way down to the end of the corridor, and wrapped around the corner to the door of the building (the big square building on the right).


We were not the last in line either. Here's what the rest of the line looked like behind us after just 5 minutes or so. It got longer with time.


And, when we finally got into the building, guess what we found?!? More lines!


Some people were running. Makes you kinda nervous to see that!

But, we made a bee-line to our desired activities. (Thankfully they publish their locations in a newspaper in advance so that you really could just run to them if you had to!)


Thankfully, we do not need to sign our children up for the all-day activities that occupy the kids all day while we work full-time, because those were the longest lines.

Nope. We just wanted to put our kids in sports.

We gathered the information we needed while at the Forum, then went to get a doctor's appointment to get approval for each child to play their selected sport, then made numerous phone calls to learn how to begin, bought needed equipment and finally escorted said child to the location of each sport for their first visit where we then turned in all the necessary documents and made payments. Phew!

That was just for sports. (Thankfully, Ryan was able to sign up for basketball early, so we didn't have to worry about him at the same time.)

Next came music.

On the same night, everyone in our town who signed up for music lessons at the conservatory arrived at the same time to arrange the time of their lessons.

Here's the line when we arrived 15 minutes before the doors opened.


And, once again, we were not last in line. Here's what the line looked like behind us.


I've never seen a guy with such a full beard here before. It's kinda funny to see this!

Anyway, I didn't see anyone running in this line, but I swear I spotted some speed walking!

Thankfully, this visit was pretty short. We met Lena's violin teacher and arranged the time of her lessons for the year.

We then went back about 4 more times to finally get a violin rented - after proving we had insurance (which required a visit to our bank), providing a deposit and paying the rental fee. Ah, but mission accomplished!

Then, the next night (after arranging Lena's lesson time), we went back to the exact same place so that Ryan could try out for piano lessons.

(They require a year of theory before you can take lessons at this conservatory. Ryan was trying out to be taken for lessons a year early.)

Here's the line when we arrived. More waiting!


Ryan did a GREAT job! We had to return 2 days later to find out the results. We were thrilled! Ryan got accepted for lessons this year! Way to go, Ryan!

That then led to 3 more visits to the conservatory seeking information about how to sign up for piano lessons. (I decided to spare you any photos of that process.)

The miracle that happened today, was learning the time for Ryan's piano lessons. That was the last piece of our schedule for this year! Yeah!!!

But, lest you think those were the only lines we waited in in the last 3 weeks, let me show you what we got to 'enjoy' at the immigration office.

You guessed it.

Lines.

Here we go...




And, just when this painfully slow line outside is finally done, and you get inside the building, you discover there are yet more lines!


You finally finish on the main floor, only to go upstairs to wait some more! (At least you can sit down here, though.)


This gives you a small idea of why we did a big 'high five' and a hop and a skip out of that office when we finally got our residency cards for this year!!! It only took 5 visits to this office and about 18 hours of waiting to get the job done. (That doesn't include the time it took to get to the office each time.) Thankfully, we are done with this office for another 9 months. Yeah!!!

I am telling you, I am beginning to believe that French people find comfort in lines. Their systems require tons of paperwork, they won't tell you everything you need the first time, so that you get to return again and again and I believe they somehow seem to like lines. If they are not making you wait, then they are not doing their job, somehow.

The French people are known for striking often - almost like it's a sport. I often wonder why they put up with these lines? Why don't they strike against lines? But, then, I'm an American thinking like an American living in France.

In the midst of all of this, though, we have been able to have some fun.

Lena loves Badmiton.


Todd is absolutely crazy about Taëkwondo.


And, even though Todd's official birthday happened in August while we were in the USA, we were able to have a 'kid' party with Todd's friends here in France. It was so very fun!

Here's the invitation Todd delivered to his friends:


Here are the friends who came.


Todd wanted a snake cake.


This one is ALL Todd. He specified the colors, the design, the length of the tongue and everything. It was very fun to make with him!


Now your birthday is done, Todd. NO MORE! But, we're so glad you are six.

And, we're so glad we've made it through another year of registrations and residency renewals. Ahh...now we can breath a great, big sigh of relief.