Another exciting day in Provence !
I still cannot text with my mobile phone despite the fact that supposedly my contract has unlimited texting. Today, Orange (the mobile phone company) convinced me to pay more money because supposedly I couldn't text because for this first partial month (Jan16-27) I do NOT actually have unlimited text like they told me and I had used up the miniscule amount of credit I had with my long phone conversation with my bank. But...alas...after paying more money, I still can't text. I will go back again tomorrow. (They really don't know what the problem is.)
We successfully navigated the bus system and got off at the proper stop and had a nice walk to IBS (Josie's school), where we met with Mr. Trevor Tricker, the IB Diploma Director. Josie will start school on Monday. IBS is a very busy little school with high energy, and yet a very relaxed sort of atmosphere. I know that sounds like a dichotomy, but it fits. Josie got her schedule for Monday and we got a tour of the school. Interesting...most of the classrooms are in modular pod-like buildings because they are still waiting for their building permit to start building the new classroom building...it was explained to us that this is typical for "the south". Anyone read Peter Mayle's books??
After visiting the school, we successfully made it to Carrefour the giant massive super-sized Walmart type store (wow!!). Did I mention that it was huge? Seriously...a store that puts Super-Walmart to shame.
and best of all...they have shopping cart escalators...
We went to Carrefour to purchase Josie's school supplies...a massive pile of notebooks, paper, etc.. You would have really been entertained watching us with the French school supply list trying to figure out what the heck the difference is between double and single paper (still don't quite get that one...but they require that she have some of both???) and the sizes (A1,2,3,4) and lg vs. sm squares. Pretty hilarious. I think it took us about two hours (okay...maybe not quite) of hanging out in the papiterie aisle of Carrefour and we still didn't get everything. Home again on the bus...what an adventure!
Next time maybe we will try one of the self-scanners that you carry with you and scan all your purchases yourself as you go!
