Living in France - on the cheap!
We received this from Dani who completed a year in France as an exchange student.
A couple of tips for students going to France...
1. Claim housing benefit asap. I lived in a studio, in a foyer and my rent only came to €60 a month after benefits were taken into account. From personal experience, I think that those who work full time are entitled to more housing benefit than those who study, i.e. Eramus students. Ignore anyone who says you're not entitled - you are. Make sure you claim your money from the CAF asap as it takes time for claims to be processed and they may demand extra paperwork off you if you're unlucky.
2. Avoid going to hospital in an ambulance, especially on a Sunday. An E111 card or whatever it's called these days, entitles you to the same medical care as a French citizen. The French don't have an NHS; they pay for everything through the nose. So will you. That's what you're entitled to. An ambulance on a Sunday costs double. (think about getting health insurance if you’re a sickly person – or if possible don’t get sick!)
3. Glare down drivers to cross the road. It's about confidence. Also, always stay alert. A friend of mine got hit by a French driver in the middle of a zebra crossing. She then received a bill from the hospital that treated her, even though it wasn't her blooming fault she got hit by a car.
4. If you're not an Erasmus student for a whole academic year, you will still have to pay tuition fees back home. Don't expect any support for the privilege: you're on your own for the year abroad. Really. Your tutors will abandon you, so start that year abroad essay asap so you have time to fix the problems yourself.
5. Pick up a supermarket loyalty card from your local supermarket and hypermarche. Shop at the hypermarche where possible. Take home those reusable bags made from kite material - you can't buy them in the UK. The French 'bags for life' are infinitely better than the British kind. You'll thank yourself later.
6. If you're a girl, wear a wedding ring and carry a photograph in your wallet of a violent looking thug who you can claim is your husband and who will beat up anyone who stares at you. Memorise this lie and repeat it when asked if you have a boyfriend. Never play along. French men either don't give a toss about you, or fall madly in love with you. Avoid pining French men like the plague. They will stalk you. It gets really annoying. And is slightly dangerous.
7. Get a young person's railcard! Well, a carte 12-25, if that's what it's still called. And get it straight away. You can save up to 50% off already super cheap train fares. For trips in advance, buy a Prem. It's a non refundable ticket, but it's bloody cheap. Appreciate French trains when you're in France. You'll miss them when you come back to Britain.
9. When you are opening a bank account, make clear you want a CB (carte bleu/bancaire) rather than a cash card, or that's what you'll get. A carte bleu is a debit card. A cash card is useless. I banked with Credit Mutuel and Credit Agricole and I would recommend them. However, from talking to friends, your banking experience will not depend so much on the bank you go with, but the location. It really does vary from town to town.
10. Investigate phone deals. I went with the Spot tariff on Bouges and at the time, I received free phone calls for listening to a 30 second advert before connecting. Given how expensive mobiles in France are, that was a really good deal. Shop around.
Hope this is of help! France is great fun and a wonderful country and there are a lot of TEFL opportunities from Paris to Bordeaux but if like me you’re only a poor student you do need to be a little creative!
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