paris 19eme..
okay, so this is the studio that the school has suggested for us..
apparently it’s featured in some archi website.. erm, it does look a little modern as compared to the rest of the street i suppose. hahah.
like.. hello.. the rest of the street looks like this:
you know, i’m still kinda in a state of shock and disbelief.. because we were like all so prepared not to go.. then suddenly *poof* we’re accepted…
wowwowwow
anyway, thanks to googlemaps street view, i can see that i’m staying right next to Restaurant lez Arts, which is next to Brasserie du Parc (since there’s bread and a restaurant there, i doubt i will starve to death. and plus.. breadshop is good! this means we can have good breakfast (and maybe lunch? buy, then have picnic on grass patches in school?) and it’s cheaper than most eating places!
further down the street (54) is some bar.. well, this means good entertainment when i want it i guess!
okay, and there’s a bank & atm nearby (good for emergencies!)
further down the bank, there is la boutique (okay, good for clothing emergencies!), followed by boucherie (okie, means we can have meat for dinner easily!), oh wait.. but it’s halal! okay, i guess that means no pork. lol.
ohhh, and there’s la halle chaussures nearby (means i can buy shoes nearby!), and then another brasserie!
okok i found an alimentation generale!! (ehh basically like a foodstore.. this is where we can buy foodstuff to cook dinner! yaay!)
guess the price of my residence.
hoho, because it’s subjected to APL (some aid, as we’re under 26).. and because we can apply a long term visa..
it’s gonna be like 150euros per person.
i mean, it sounds ex maybe.. but then in halls right now it’s already like 100sgd per week right? and that excludes meals as well… so technically.. it’s not that ex for my accomodation in france la.
the downside? i have to take the metro though.
oooh, but if i take from Stalingrad, then i wouldn’t have to change line at all! i can take the pink line all the way to Jussieu, 15 stops. i can take by other ways… such as take from Stalingard (pink line), take 3 stops to Gare de l’Est (purple line), 6 stops to Chatelet les Halles (pink line) (where the horrendous incident of me alighting from the train, and the train door closed, leaving jo behind, occured), then 3 stops to Jussieu. ehh although i save 3 stops, i think i rather just take the former route. it seems less complicating. (and less trains to wait for, so it should save time.)
ahh. all thanks to googlemaps man. i really love that la seriously (but of course i love deardear more la!)
the street view is so interesting!! go and try it!!!
okay, list of stuff i need to do:
1. settle visa. get long term visa (and then get carte de sejour in paris)
2. buy insurance (check if i should get the paris one or the sgp one. paris price is 7euros per mth). this is on top of getting securite sociale (195euros)
3. get laptop..ehh, maintenanced. it’s not spoilt or anything, but i just want to erm.. service it before i go to france, since there’s warranty still. hahah. like maybe ask them to take me off domain, defragment stuff, make it faster, help me do some cleanup)
4. settle accomodation. give confirmation to upmc quickly. also apply for APL.
5. get my shoe soles fixed (eh, just give them extra friction because some of them are wearing out. need to find cobbler!)
6. buy air tickets (lufthansa $1606.92 inc taxes, check out qatar)
7. pack luggage (remember clothes for winter, spring & summer!)
8. check out eurail passes. also check out if we want to get the HI cards for better deals when backpacking. or maybe check out couchsurfing instead.
9. bring my europe on a budget book! so that i can tour ma.
10. check out what visa is needed to visit scandinavia, and also if i need any additional passes for switzerland, not sure about the Schengen thing.
11. get shopping lists from people
12. settle NASA exchange award, and also take SEP loan for spare cash (I don’t want to travel halfway then realise i don’t have money to survive)
13. check if upmc allows us to arrive later, such as after CNY!
14. check out when can dear book his leave (at a later date)
15. pack my damn messy room.
16. buy luggage. probably need a new, big one
17. check out baggage allowance, for students going for studies. should be 20+10kg if they allow. winter clothes and books are heavy la!!
18. read up on french!! borrow grammar books from library to do. and revise campus.
19. lookout for other modules that i want to take (eg sports, guitare)
20. wait for results to come out. OMG. i am seriously damn scared. oh please please let it be alright! just let me maintain my honours can already!! i don’t expect like all As la.. (duh).
21. apply for giro for hp
22. prepare spare hp
23. look for a part time job in jan
24. prepare supply of contacts & solution
25. work out list of expenses for mum, so that she would know how much to prepare.
looking at the list.. OMG. i have one thousand and one things to settle. bleahhhhh.
