Daily Life Made Easy Carolyn Pénot Brand Marketing Consultant Translator Nathalie Tirard Life Coach Trainer at Expat Communication Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 1 Daily Life Made Easy It’s all about «Knowing the Ways » 1. Getting Set-Up & Settled 2. Getting Around 3. Getting to Know-How 4. Knowing What to Do 5. Knowing Where to Go Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 2 Daily Life Made Easy 1. Getting Set-Up and Settled Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 3 Getting set up and settled La Mairie (City Hall) See in the « Survival Guide » Hours Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closes 4 p.m. Mon.) Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. •Sign up for the welcome day organized by your city hall. Takes place in the Fall (and sometimes also in the Spring) •Examples of things to sign up for: School, « Dérogation » to attend LI, Cantine (Lunch), Garderie, Études, Centre de Loisirs, •Attend the annual city hall meetings (by neighborhood) Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 4 Getting set up and settled La Mairie (Centre Administratif) See in the « Survival Guide » Hours Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closes 4 p.m. Mon.) Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Examples of requests that go through the admin center or your town hall: •Order trash cans for new homes or exchange existing ones •Request specific trash pick up (depending on town) (Bulk, Garden) •Urban planning (building permits, renovation) •Civil (French passports, birth certificates, etc.) •Request a « vignette verte » Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 5 Getting set up and settled Tips for dealing with the French • Always be polite, respectful & keep your cool • Explain your case & use persuasion power • No doesn’t always mean no… • Know how to follow the rules…and how to bend them • Turn on your charm • Kindness goes a long way • Don’t try to bypass the little guy « The customer is not King » Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 6 Getting set up and settled Housing: A few useful tips for your Arrival and Exit Inspection Visits Visit is done by a representative of the agency or an official notarial clerk. Your presence is recommended. Arrival visit •Be sure to note any defaults (ceiling, walls, floors, appliances, plumbing, etc.) •Note any humidity, stains, tears on wall paper, painting peeling, calcium deposits, etc. •Check the gas, electricity and water meter readings •Take care of keys, badges, remote controls •If furnished housing , check detailed list of items •Keep copy of report •« Periode de chauffe » = one month Exit visit •Make sure your children do not write on the walls and furniture. •Putty all holes in walls •Careful about hard water deposits •Take care of the garden •Leave it as you moved in Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 7 Getting set up and settled Setting up utilities • Electricity, gas, water, & telephone bills = Proof of address = « Justificatif de domicile » • Electricity – be sure account is set up to correspond to your billing preferences & usage for cost & energy savings. (HC vs. HP, KW) • Apply cost saving measures (turn off lights, close windows, lower temperatures, …) • Meter reading can be communicated by phone, mail or technician visit. Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 8 Getting set up and settled Internet , Telephone, TV connection made easy You can change at any time, usually with 2 months notice. Send certified « lettre de résiliation » with accusé de réception (AR). Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 9 Getting set up and settled Banking • RIB (Relevé d’Identité Bancaire) • Set up an account with an « attestation de travail », justificatif de domicile and indentity papers. • Internet banking exists • Checks are still used widely 1. Check amount in words 2. Check amount numerically 3. To whom 4. Where written 5. When 6. Signature Bills – automatic payment using a « T.I.P. » Send your « R.I.B. » to sign up Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 10 Getting set up and settled The post office « La Poste » •RAR « Lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception » • How to send a package • Bring proof of identity to pick up packages. • Need signature and their proof of identity to pick up a package for someone else. • Banking • Arrange « procuration » for your spouse and vice-versa to avoid extra trips to the post office. •Reduced hours, especially during vacation Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 11 Getting set up and settled Insurance Multi-risk home insurance coverage on rented accomodations is mandatory from the first day of the lease. Examples of risks covered by multi-risk home insurance (your policy may vary) - Burglary, broken window, water damage, natural disasters, fire, explosion, lightening, storm, hail, snow -Third party insurance « responsabilité civile », legal advice School Insurance is required to cover your child inside and outside school for damages they may cause. -May be included in your home policy – be sure to check Insurance options can include: -Theft of backpack, home schooling assistance in case of long illness, broken glasses, musical instruments, broken tooth - Supplemental civil liability for you child Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 12 Getting set up and settled A few useful tips…about garbage and recycling Heavy trash collecting Collecte des Encombrants Déchetterie = dump Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 13 Getting set up and settled Hard Water « Calcaire » = Lime deposits The water in France, especially in the Paris area, is very hard and the “calcaire” can damage your appliances and require special cleaning. Use products marked “anti-calcaire” ou “detartrage” for the following appliances: • Clothes washing machine • Dishwasher – need to add salt if not included in your d/w liquid/tablet • Teapot / Coffee machine – use powder packages offered with the coffee filters • Cleaning stainless in kitchen/bath (Shower power, etc.) • Iron (use diluted white wine vinegar) Stainless steel pots and pans – tend to get spotty. - Use white vinegar to rinse occasionally. Tip – Invest in a hard water softener machine & filter « adoucisseur d’eau » to soften all your household water (thermus with cartridges). Culligan water dispensiers can be obtained as well. Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 14 Daily Life Made Easy Getting Set-Up Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 15 Daily Life Made Easy 2. Getting Around Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 16 Getting Around Public transportation RATP http://ratp.fr Covers RER A line and Metro, Tramway lines in Paris Club RATP Boutiques (27 locations for immediate customer service) Billet Ile de France TicketJeunes Mobilis Navigo Decouverte Pass Navigo Imagine-R – discountedWelcome Pass Program Navigo – Ci2F 2014 for students for 6eme and17 older Getting Around Public transportation SNCF Transilien SNCF – Train network IDF Nocilien – Night bus services Velib – bike rentals Autolib – short term car rentals Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 18 Getting Around Public transportation How to get a Taxi – call to reserve Taxi G7 Taxi Bleu Private companies (good for local business) Cannot hail a Taxi – Can only get at a taxi stand Safety - Look both ways in a pedestrian crossing - Pickpockets on Metro / RER Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 19 Getting Around Driving Who needs a French Drivers license? In the E.E.C. - There is reciprocity with any European country – no need to exchange your license. Outside the E.E.C. - Your international license and your home country license are valid for the first year of your Carte de Sejour. - After that you are no longer covered by your insurance and if your national license is not exchangeable, you must obtain a French driver’s license. International Drivers License - Can be obtained through AAA in the US. Valid 1 year. Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 20 Getting Around Driving The French license « Permis de Conduire » - New license holders have a 3-year probationary period with only 6 points (2 years if did « conduite accompagnée). - Afterwards, have 12 points if no infractions. Auto Ecoles / Driving Schools - Required to go through a driving school to pass the french driving license. - Fehrenbach is a driving school in Suresnes that offers English language instruction for the written and road tests. - see the Survival Guide for more details. Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 21 Getting Around Driving - Things you must have at all times: On you: Car registration Insurance Certificate « Carte Grise » « Carte Internationale D’Assurance Automobile » ou « Carte Verte » In the car: Accident Form Yellow Safety vest & Triangle « Constat Amiable » « Gilet et Triangle » Disc Bleu – free parking but time limited On the car windshield: Inspection Sticker Insurance Sticker if car is over 4 years old « Vignette d’assurance » « Contrôle Technique » Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 22 Getting Around Driving - Conduite accompagnée « AAC = apprentissage anticipé de la conduite” Age 16 - can start to learn to drive with accompanied driving « conduite accompagnée » After brief training at the auto school, need to drive with a licensed driver (of at least 5 years without infractions) for 3,000 km of accompanied driving. Can pass license at 18 years old. If over 18 years old - only need 1,000 km of accompanied driving plus some driving school training. Must display sticker on back of car during the learning period. Once receive license, must display « A » on the back of your car for a few years Welcome Program – Ci2F 2014 23 Getting Around Driving - Basic Rules -« Priorité à droite » Driver on the right has priority unless otherwise indicated. - for example - the Peripherique - In a roundabout, whoever is already in the roundabout has priority - exceptions – Arc de Triomphe, Republique,