Getting my ADSL box

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And now I badly wanted Internet, TV and Landline at home. We have been watching TV on my smart phone… J

The ADSL connection I wanted is also special, as it has some Indian TV channels, allows free fixed lines (landline) call to India and most countries in the world.

Yes my Relocation agency is still missing ! But I don’t need her any more. My confidence is high ! And I have Internet connection at Office also by now.

I logged to the ADSL web site, but the process was very foreign to me. The way telecom works in France, has no similarity to India, US or USSR. And by the way it’s the most advanced…

Ok, here every home has a landline number, active or inactive. While applying for the ADSL connection, if you know the last landline number the ADSL connection comes faster, say 10 days, else it can take a lot of time say even a month.

So the first thing is to know the last landline number. Now how do I get that ? I asked the owner of the apartment but she had a landline number more than 3 yrs back and that probably was not the last number. I had met the last renter and I remember he had a landline phone.  So mostly that was the last number.  So there was another way out. You can query the address of an apartment in a web site and get the last landline number. I did that and got it !

Now it was applying for the ADSL. My colleague in office helped me fill the form. There was one part which I had no clue. It is the digital code of the apartment main gate. In Paris most apartments have a standard system of security.

• Apartment dwellers have a near field communication device which opens the door. So they don’t need to remember the complex codes.
• Also there is a numeric pad where you enter the digital code and the main gate opens. This is generally passed to courier for delivery of packages.

I have three doors and I did not even know the codes. So we skipped that part assuming the ADSL delivery person will call me. Well this was an incorrect assumption as it proved later…

The ADSL website has a systematic step-by-step track my order and I could see it progressing faster than expected. Wow ! I was super excited and was waiting like a kid for his toy to be delivered…

• And then in 6 days I got a message (naturally in French). On translation it was mentioned that my ADSL box will be delivered in 2 days. Now I was hooked to my smart phone tracking the delivery of the ADSL box.
• And next day on checking the status had a problem. On translation it was mentioned “The courier came for delivery. But it went back as the digital code is not mentioned”. What ! Why did they not call me ? Damn it !
• I quickly got on phone with my owner, and got the digital codes. Then took help of a colleague who called (conversation in French) the courier agency, and made them note the digital codes and again emphasized on my cell number. I knew that this time they might call me. So I quickly learnt a sentence for conversation when he calls me. (Like I am coming in 2 mins !)
• And kept checking the web site for tracking the shipment. Also I reached home at 5 pm, waiting for the delivery again. Well no news, no call for next 2 hours. I knew that they work till 7 pm only…
• At 7:15 pm, when I knew that it’s too late for today, I checked the web site again. And there was a new message. “The courier came for delivery. But it went back as the digital code is not mentioned”. What ? This was irritating now.  3 arguments flashed in a fraction of second…
• I had given my digicodes. What happened to it ?
• And if he did not have digicodes why did he come for delivery ?
• And why the hell they are not calling me ?

Later I came to know that in France one "not so good thing" is the postal delivery system. US or even India beats France in this…

I was furious and knew that I have to call and blast them. Next day I left for office early and wanted to take my colleagues help in blasting the courier company. It's important to mention that the ADSL and the Courier organizations are two different ones. This might explain the lethargy of the latter … as the Accountability link has a gap.

In office, I was thinking of the plot of conversation when I got a call from my wife. The courier guys came home and delivered the ADSL box. How ? Why they did not call me ? Well it does not matter anymore !

Dramatic delivery I should say…
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Getting my first cell connection

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When it’s the question of one’s survival we can do anything. Any hurdle is not big.

I knew that I have many questions before I get a cell phone connection.

- Which package, contract of 1 year or 2 years or no contract at all ?

- Contract terms etc,

- What if I have the break the contract ?

- And certainly I don’t want to be a defaulter, and don’t want to screw-up my credit history because of a silly misunderstanding.

My need was big, so I just walked in to SFR telecom outlet, and asked for an English speaking representative. I was luck today. I got a guy who spoke very good English, and he had answered all the above questions I had, to many expats like me.

I signed a two years contract, at a very competitive price and I know the terms of breaking the contract very well. The salesman Rudy, explained me so well. “You can break the contract legally if any of the three below conditions meet”

1. I die (not funny)
2. I am laid off (not funnier either)
3. I am transferred back to India and my HR gives a letter certifying that. Well I know this will be my case. So I can legally break my contract without labeled a defaulter.

NB : I now realize that France is a welfare state (more Socialist but still unlike former USSR) and not a Capitalist state like US, where I have to keep proving that I am credit worthy !

And you might not read the fine-print carefully while signing a contract. And voila you are trapped, as it’s designed to make money from you, and your welfare is none of the business of the Capitalist organization…

Well I signed the contract. And got a high speed internet connection on my big screen smart phone and in 10 mins, I had my phone up with the heart beat, the Internet. All the starved applications, on my phone, started syncing with Internet and this was the Second good thing after the apartment…

The images below are not advertisement. Its my thanks to SFR ! :-)
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Living without Internet for a week !

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Let me admit that I am a gadget freak and a geek. Internet is the heart beat of my geek body.

I use Internet for many things like using a dictionary, GPS maps, shopping notes, and all the information I need is in cloud, accessible from anywhere. But how to live when there is not Internet connection, no Smart phone, no PC !

Since I am hooked to Internet, for more for more than decade now, this was the first 1 week of my life without Internet. I even had no Internet connection in office as my Office account was not transferred from Bangalore to Paris.

My son watches his videos in youtube and he could not understand that the PC is up but there is no youtube. :-)

My Relocation agency was supposed to help me on this. But after the apartment deal she just disappeared. Not reachable on phone or email. I have still not understood why ? :-) I will get the answer one day !

I was actually feeling sorry for the state of affairs. And this I had not imagined. I knew that I had to take an ADSL connection which is bundled very high speed Internet, TV, landline connection. And this takes quite a while to come, after you apply. And how can I apply when I have no Internet ! Paradox of life :-) There are no counters in malls for the ADSL connection I was looking for. It can only be applied via Internet !

So I realized the first step, is that I take a cell phone connection with 3G which I can use further to apply for the ADSL connection...
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Where to throw garbage

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I got some sandwiches from outside and we had lunch and much needed hot coffee. We did the cleaning and sorting of things. 

Later I went out to buy basic grocery for dinner. Soon we had some trash piled up. And it was time to clear them. Now I had not asked the owner where to throw them.

In USSR we had a room in each floor for garbage with segregated bins. In another city in USSR and in US we had the common system. It was like few “holes in the wall”. You throw segregated trash in it and it falls down in wide pipes, which collects in big trash containers in the ground floor. And the way to find them is you take a trip around the floor and the sign “Garbage or Trash” in English or “Mycop”(read Moosar) means Garbage in Russian. But what is it called in French. I had no internet connection. So I cannot find it out !

I wrote a SMS to the owner who said you can throw in basement -2. So I went there. It was the parking lot and I read every sign board. One board said, “Sans issue”.  Now that did not seem like Garbage to me on the first day. And yes now I know it means “This is not an Exit !”

I saw a dirty area in basement. This was not a parking area. I thought for a moment that this might me the spot for garbage. You just keep it there and someone collects from there. And I justified that it’s because of the timing that my trash bag is the only one there.  :-) Good, I kept the trash bag there and came up.

I had a very good sleep on the first night. Next morning I met a neighbor in the lift. One good thing I noticed people say Bonjour ! (Good morning or Good day ) to even strangers. After the Bonjour ! the gentleman told few sentences in French which I did not understand. I asked him. “Parlez vous anglais ?” meaning “Do you speak English ?”

He answered yes and started morning conversation. My first question was, “Where do you throw trash ?”. He offered help and walked me to the -2 basement, the same room with the sign “Sans Issue”. And voila, there you had segregated bins, one for Plastic and Cartons, second for Glass, and third for Kitchen waste.

I thanked him and went to the spot where I had dumped my Trash bag. To my surprise it was still there untouched. Thankfully not decomposed and stinking, as it was 2 degree centigrade there.

I corrected my mistake. But first I had to segregate the day old trash and then throw in the right bin. A lesson learnt... 
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Apartment ? Or Hotel ?

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One thought constantly nagging me was, Am I going to check-in in a hotel already booked in Paris ? Or can I move to the apartment which I have only verbally booked one week back ?

And naturally I wanted to move in the apartment !

1. My Relocation agency was dealing with the apartment owner, and she was diplomatically not giving me the right information till the last day.
2. She could not confirm the apartment to me, because as per the French system I had not paid the 2 months rent as Security deposit and the first month Rent.
3. I wanted to pay the Security deposit and the Rent, but I could not, as I can only do that via a French bank account check. And you cannot have a French bank account until you are employed in France.
4. I could not talk to the apartment owner as they don’t speak English and I don’t speak French yet.
5. The French law is very Renter friendly. So if I move to the apartment and don’t pay the rent, the owner cannot just push me out !
6. For the owner it was a very good deal as I accepted to pay the rent 2 days prior to my landing in Paris. And I accepted to pay a higher rent without any negotiation.
7. My Relocation agency had a fear, that I might not accept this apartment if the move is delayed. This is because the rent was higher than market. I could have got a bigger and less costly apartment if I insisted on hunting further.
8. I liked this apartment, as it is walking distance to my office and my son’s school and a grocery store, and it’s a furnished one, satisfying all the criteria I had.
9. And the last point, from my Relocation agency’s perspective my deal was one of the most easy deals, as I accepted the apartment in 10 mins visit, and did not negotiate on rent.

So there were three parties, with their risks and interests(less labour, more returns), and each not knowing the other well.

Dealing in foreign  language for me and them, new rules for me, clear differences in culture for all… Distrust is the easiest option….

Picture above : My son at the airport...


After my arrival at Paris airport, I called the Relocation agency (for the last time) if I am coming to the apartment or going to the hotel (read it as the deal is lost)…

Due to the past, “not so good experience” with my Relocation agency I wanted to really confirm if she will be there at the apartment with the keys. As it’s not possible to wait outside a digitally secured apartment, with 200 kg luggage, and a family with a kid when its 2 degrees centigrade outside.

And yes I was clearly not interested in checking-in the hotel, unpacking the stuff, then packing and again moving to the apartment after few hours or few days.

The Relocation agency got a hint of my mindset, and the required urgency in deciding.

On the positive note she could also sense the sincerity in my voice…

She told she will get back in 30 secs. After a quick conversation with the owner, she confirmed.  she will be there at the apartment with the owner.

I reached and got my wife and kid inside the warm apartment. And with the help of the taxi driver and owner of the apartment, we got the 200 kgs luggage in the apartment.

And then it was time to sign the lease. I just signed it. I could not read even if I wanted as the lease was in French. It was definitely trust developing between strangers, after meeting and talking to each other….

Then, I rushed to the back to get my check book. (My French bank account process had started a week back and luckily my checkbook had arrived in the bank). There was no Euros in the account yet. I withdrew close to a Eur 1000 via a Forex card, and gave two checks with a promise that it will not bounce if they deposit in 3 days…

So I was in the apartment after 2-3 hours of running around, newly built trust, some cash Euros, and two checks with no Euros in the account yet…

This was a big milestone for me… and the first one achieved… It was interesting that I had bent the rules to get to my apartment… The only factor which was overriding all was the trust on each other…
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First 2 weeks in Paris

Settling down.
This is an account of the initial 15 days in Paris…

After settling down in two cities in USSR, 4 cities in USA and multiple in India, I was confident that settling down in Paris will not be difficult. Yes the only big difference was for the first time, I was moving with a family (my wife and 3 yr old son for whom this was the first international experience).

I have arranged some events in chronological order below. Enjoy reading...

1. Comfortable flight !
2. Apartment ? Or Hotel ?
3. Where to throw garbage
4. Living without Internet for a week !
5. Getting my first cell connection
6. Getting my ADSL box

I think there is no better day than the first day of the new year 2012 to jot this down...

Its been a very memorable and satisfying 1st day of the new year...

This is my first morning after the two weeks story above…

I come out of my apartment in morning, feeling fresh and with an air of satisfaction..

It’s very beautiful this morning, not very cold, with a clear morning sky…

As as I take a deep breath of fresh air, I look up and see below what I see in the sky…

The dawn sky painted with criss-cross flying of jets from the Charles de Gaulle airport…

And now its time to see and experience and learn and be a Parisian...

Au Revoir !

Mahtab Syed 
01 Jan 2012 
Paris

Comfortable flight !

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We started travel from home in Bangalore to airport on 13th Dec 2011. We had around 200 kgs of luggage. (See my son helping us pack…) This was packed carefully with multiple checklists, and notes, and we had almost all the things to survive in any country without shopping for a week. This included the cookies which my son likes, France compatible adapters, scissors, enough warm clothes to survive even in Siberia (just to make my wife comfortable as she thought we are going to a very cold place :-) etc, etc...


Till Bangalore I was in known territory, and till the flight took off it was all very comfortable and uneventful. Luckily, we were flying via Air France on Business class tickets. And my son was the only kid in the Business Class area. He was enjoying all the attention by the crew members who arranged for a kids meal which even had “French fries”, which my son was looking for !


Generally I do not get good sleep in flights. And especially this time, I was awake and alert all night, planning and pondering each step I had to take next day in Paris.

And I am happy to see my son in deep sleep…

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