So! As Alex said, we're managing to survive so far. We have done a lot of things that I thought would be really difficult like finding our accommodation and sorting out the paperwork, buying a bus pass, buying insurance - it's good to know that our French is actually good enough to do all those things! Also, everybody we've met has been really nice to us and very helpful. I had heard that the French can be quite snippy and slow when it comes to filling out paperwork and things but that's not been my experience here at all.

The downside, then, is that the accommodation is absolutely horrendous. I expected something pretty basic for such a cheap price (maybe similar to Whitworth Park where I lived in first year) but this is ridiculous! Here are some more photos to illustrate the ambiance:





Note the metal grille at the window - I just love the way the sunlight streams through it in the mornings. And what a delightful selection of brown furry blankets. In my building there's one 'kitchen' for every three floors of people, and it contains two hobs, a microwave and a sink. So that's no oven, no toaster, no kettle, no fridge, not even a bin or any chairs. Luckily we've been able to buy some things at Ikea to make the bedroom a bit more comfortable, and Alex has a fridge in her room so we can store things there but still, it's...minimalist. The other students all seem friendly though. Tonight we got invited to a pancake day party but I think they're a bit early no?

Tomorrow is our first day in the hospital so I'm off to get an early night. Wish us luck!

Marie xxx