They tell me 3rd time's a charm. I believe it. Here in France, it seems persistence is a virtue when it comes to the system. J and I made the 3rd run to the Prefecture today and used photocopies of my visa application docs and were allowed a hearing with the nice ladies behind the first desk who refused us twice before. It actually went as smoothly as possible and unhitched me from having to open a french bank account. This is a praise!

I arrived in town to take my exam covering this last month of school. It was only 2 pages and wasn't as comprehensive as I suspected. I took a little extra time to expound upon my essay at the end for extra points just in case i totally blew a previous section and came away feeling pretty good overall. My hope is to move up from Moyen I to Moyen II and change to morning classes from these afternoon ones that I've been taking. In order to change they tell me I have to compose a letter to the director explaining the necessity of changing. I'll give it my best stab and then ask for a proof-read from a native.

The RER had some sort of issue today as I went to run the stairs or what I call my "Etoile workout" (consisting of 3 sets of stairs twice a day). They recommended taking the Metro which I did. You more or less get sucked or shoved into the Metro at this time of the day. We were crammed in like sardines and people actually were cracking jokes and complaining to complete strangers. One lady yelled at some people who were trying to squeeze in at the last moment before the buzzer sounded, "Come on people...!" At one stop several young tourist boys from Italy wanted to try to get in, but the French gentleman at the door shook his head and clicked his tongue at them and they turned away: there was absolutely no space. I contemplated the anxiety a claustrophobic person would experience should they have joined me on my ride home...

I noted the Italians because one prof told me that the sun arrives with the Italians at Easter Break. They're early and so is the sun... I'm not complaining though!