Carousel at the Hotel de Ville
Just a quick post for anyone keeping track: My carte de sejour renewal went off without a hitch!
Have the happiness police put me on their good list?
*Only* an hour’s wait. Then the public servant took our dossier. Asked us no questions. SAID EVERYTHING WAS ‘BON’.
Really? That’s all? (Next to us, the public servant was telling some misfortunate soul that his ‘document had no value.’ Aucune, monsieur!)
Exit with recipise (receipt) in hand, the sun shining! (It had been raining when we entered).
I may be in some Paris parallel universe right now.
This picture seemed to encapsulate it, as I strolled by the Hotel de Ville. I felt like a kid on a carousel (with a great big chateau to boot!)
First time I will place anything relating to bureaucracy in my ‘Paris Paradise’ category, but here it goes!
Congratulations!!! I hope you celebrated! That must have been a fantastic feeling to be told everything was “bon” – were you gobsmacked? I would have been…
Stories like yours remind me of days in France which weren’t an uphill struggle and a smile creeps on my face as I recall them! Well done you! I hope you have a good day today too!
Thanks! Yes, I got ice cream right afterward – to continue with the little kid theme
I *was* surprised that it went so easily. She didn’t even look at our originals, just the photocopies. I think that helped. Plus, I’ve learned a trick: give them even MORE papers than they ask for! How could they refuse?
Yes, I love France when it’s not a struggle. Ever since my encounter with the ‘happiness police’, thing have been pretty good!
HIP HIP HOORAY!!!! I am SO pleased for you.
Thought about you yesterday and I had a good feeling. It is little moments like that that fling the door wide open to big blue sky – where all is forgiven and France sneaks in and steals your heart again. Enjoy!
Lydia
Very true, Lydia. And the sky *literally* opened to big blue sky. We had been running in rain to get there, late due to metro trackwork. I was panicked, as you can imagine. And then everything went smoothly and it was a beautiful day when we emerged! Definitely a France stealing my heart again day
That is all freakin’ awesome.
I am so glad that it turned out this way. Yay!
Thanks, Karin! I’m really glad, too!