A "normal" French day

I was so excited for today's classes - the first day after vacation, and my first week of "real" teaching. I ate lunch quickly and marched over here to school. I set up my map of Pennsylvania, got out my whiteboard markers, and got my articles on tourism ready to go.

And no one came.

I looked in the hallway for some students, I looked downstairs...and then I ran into their teacher. She is a very very nice young English teacher and this is basically how our conversation went:

Me: "Um, I think I'm supposed to have your BTS/Mi students right now...but no one came."
Her: "Oh, hmm, did you tell them the room number?"
Me: "Well, no...it's the same as last time."
Her: "Well, they probably forgot it. Or maybe they just didn't feel like coming. One day I only had 3 students in class."
Me: [confused]: "Oh, ok."

And voila! My "normal" week is not off to such a normal start. So how in the world am I supposed to know who is coming when?? I had a lesson all prepared, I did my homework - but if I don't have students, what point is there?? Ugh, and the bureaucracy I'd have to go through to make sure the right students come on the right days is overwhelming...so I'll just have to go and hope the kids come.

In slightly more cheery news - I started the process of getting my carte de sejour today. It's the ok-we-guess-you-can-stay-in-France-for-a-while-card. I read all of my instructions like 45 times and made multiple photocopies of every possible document I thought I might need. So I go and the very nice lady at the mayor's office goes through the list of documents. And...my passport wasn't stamped when I came into France. That would be because the handy little people at Customs weren't there! What was I supposed to do?? Anyway, I had to sign a declaration that I came into France on such-and-such a day. And it had to be "sur l'honneur."

Welcome to my life. Many of the papers I brought she didn't need, but the ones she wanted I was never given! And as for how much I make every month - I wanted to say "0 euros" because right now, that's the truth. I'm supposed to have direct deposit, but I can't check it today becuase banks are closed on Mondays in France.

Ok - whew - I love France, honestly I do...it's just the French love of all things bureaucratic that gets soooooooo old sometimes! Alrighty, off to class - let's hope my 2pm class comes!