First Impressions

I've been in Toulouse for 48 hours, although it seems like longer, which warrants a blog update! Sit back and discover Toulouse through my eyes dear readers....
 My hotel, the Nouvel Horizon, is quaint, clean and quiet although the location isn't the best (twenty unlit minutes of walking from the metro next to a hwy). It is located in Purpan, a hospital area of Toulouse. As I'm learning quickly, big cities seem to have different areas with special names. Confusing at first, the names actually help you keep the city straight if you can remember what's located in which area.

The first night here- might I pause to mention that instead of arriving at 7 am I arrived at 6 pm due to airport delays! (the upside was visiting the Munich airport) - I checked into the hotel and decided to begin my apartment search. Through internet sites and word of mouth I'd heard that finding student housing in Toulouse was impossible after September 1st, so I wanted to start looking immediately. Thanks to help of some random french woman, I found a bus that would take me about ten blocks from the first apartment building. Unfortunately the first place I visited, the Estudines, was closed. I'd forgotten France. Plain and simple. I had and I have forgotten certain things about France that you only discover till you live here. Everything seems to close before 8 pm throughout the week, with the exception of bars and restaurants of course. After walking around the streets a bit my jet lag kicked in and I came trudging back to the hotel tired and unsuccessful in my apartment quest.

Day 2 here in Toulouse dawned bright and early after a fitful night of half sleep. I needed to present myself at the University of Toulouse by 9 am. My university is named after the area of town in which it's located: Le Miral (meer eye yuh). I haven't seen much of it yet, but what I've seen so far is cold concrete. It's the exact opposite of my dear Sewanee - gravel paths, blooming flowers, and warm colors, institution and nature combined into one happy existence. Toulouse has been tamed into ugly city rigidity it seems. My  9 am meeting crashed and burned... Is it too much to ask for an English speaking individual to explain how I'm to register for school here? I suppose so. I am in France after all. The woman I met with handed me some papers, told me to come back on the 8th, and was unbelievably unhelpful when I announced that I didn't have housing yet. At least I left the office with my registration papers - now if I could figure out what they say.... I was not paying attention on the bus after Le Mirail and got off at Bellefontaine (another part of town). In an attempt to get directions from the local meat packer I was directed into a strange building just off the square. To my utter amazement he had directed me to the Free Information Center where kind ladies were just waiting to help anyone who walked through the door. I met an English speaking woman named Evelyn. She not only found me directions to the apartments I wanted to visit Friday afternoon, she also printed off two maps and listed the buses and metros I would need and advised me to get a carte pastel (the bus/metro pass for a month). Thank the Lord for unexpected blessings like her! The rest of Friday was spent visiting Apart'City and Estudines. At Apart'City I saw a studio (bed+bath+kitchenette) smaller than a Sewanee single for a little over 600 euros a month. I met a friendly girl from England, named Claire, and her family who advised me to hurry to Estudines and grab the first apartment I could. "We've been here a week and that seems to be the best place, price, and location." At Estudines I was forced, by the semi-english speaking desk guy, to make an appointment for Tuesday the 7th. Apparently they won't allow you to lease the apartment till you've visited one. I protested naturally since the word on the street is that there are no apartments left in Toulouse. I wanted his guarantee that if I visited on Tuesday they would have an apartment left for me. Using his English and my French I traded my fears for his guarantee that they would have a place. After a busy day, back to the hotel I went for a long nap.

Today I just wanted to find an ATM - BNP Paribas ATM's are the best! And one is located about 4 blocks from my hotel! Now that I have money for actual sit down meals I feel much better. I spent my morning and afternoon visiting the Captiol, losing myself among the streets, visiting a park on the river Garonne, and eating at a small burger place. The Capitol reminded me of Spain. The park was full of families and it had benches under these huge willow trees about ten feet from the river! Such a beautiful park next to the river! I will definitely be going back. The burger was interesting, they included some special sauce which tasted suspiciously like tartar sauce. It was yummy though! Finally I came back to the hotel because my body still isn't used to France time. I need yet another nap.

There you are dear readers. My first couple of days in France! Admittedly, I'm quite lonely but Skype and Facebook chat help. I know that moving into an apartment will lend itself to friend making and soon school will start and I'll be busy busy busy. Toulouse is big, but the people here have all been kind so far and helpful!
-Tam in Toulouse