Arrived to class as per usual this morning – but the teacher didn’t require my services and nobody else did either, so by 8:05 I was back at home. It would be nice if some of the teachers let you know before hand! Return to the college for the next few classes – luckily they all went ahead.
Down to CLA and finally hear that my group will change tomorrow – YAY!! Have gone up to another B1 level group. The times are not too bad – still afternoons so don’t need to change many classes. Had my first day on Tuesday but have to leave early so I can get back to take the English Club. EEKKK!! The first hour was all just written verb conjugation. Not in sentences or anything – just in a grid. I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come! Unfortunately it isn’t the young girl I had teach us last week! The next day was more promising and the Madam Prof is quite good however she is fairly stern, I have her Mon-Wed then on Thurs and Fri I have a different prof- a man, he is great and very funny.
The rest of the week has passed without major incident however…..
France does so many things ‘right’, for instance- there are no plastic shopping bags, you recycle or you have to buy them, the public transportation systems are amazing, the price of the basic food staples are cheap, the French eat very well – their diet is well balanced and don’t really have a problem with fast food and obesity……..
BUT then you hit weird bureaucracy like I just have.
I went to the ATM to withdraw cash for Nev to take to Paris – the machine wouldn’t let me, stating insufficient funds….curious I checked my balance, heaps of money – (well not like I won Lotto but enough) so went into the bank to enquire why I could not get funds out. After a lot of frustration I discovered a man who speaks great English behind another desk and he explained that there is a limit of €500 cash per week and during the week we had used this and can now not get money until next Friday. What? Why?? There is money in the account, it is my money so why can’t I have it? The simple answer is “NO” not till next Friday! If I wanted to make purchases using the card this is Ok so long as it is no more than €1000 a month. So really restrictive….. not much use really to people who are travelling or want to maybe pay bills and get the groceries. Goodness knows what would happen if you need to buy some clothes, pay for a school trip, visit the Dr, get a household appliance…furniture….purchase some travel tickets or even buy a car!
If you add up in your head what you would put on your Eftpos/ VISA, (including cash out to pay bills- as we do here), over a month this comes nowhere near it!
Even worse…it is also a VISA card! I also got the man- who- can-speak- English to explain how this works as I can’t seem to choose a ‘credit’ option and pay later. He nearly laughed – he said it is a VISA but it doesn’t work like other countries, it is really just your normal account. So here I am wondering how it can be VISA too?
Bureaucratic crap!!! I can’t believe it – our money but we can’t have it! I must admit I am very tempted to withdraw it all and stuff it under the mattress. It is going to be of no use really, especially when we go away and have hotels, hire cars etc to pay for. However I have to give them at least 1 weeks notice of closing the account as I also found out today!
It is insane and I am really___________. (Fill in the blank! -This is an interactive site –it involves audience participation!)
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2 comments:
I ue BNP Paribas and have drawn out larger amounts than that in one hit. I wonder if it's your particular bank that has that rule? I might add that people warned me that there would be a limit to withdrawal amounts, but it hasn't been a problem thus far!! Actually, I will probably get a letter saying there has been a mistake and I must return all my money to the bank immediately! Lol.
Yes- It is BNP Paribas - but it is a french bank account - not a NZ account that I am withdrawing from. Maybe too it is a different type of account - as at the beginning they seemed interested that I was a student - I don't know because I couldn't ask these questions when I started and I certainly cannot read the Terms and Conditions. I just got what they gave me. Which has turned out to be a pain now. Another thing to keep us wondering!!
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