The journey after arriving in Strasbourg wasn't all that smooth as I'd imagined. I got through the border pretty quickly while realising in horror that I'd forgotten how to speak even basic French, then waited a bit for the luggages. The luggages proved to be a huge problem cause they were so difficult to handle and so freaking heavy.
To get from the airport to the city centre we had to take a train then change to tram. It was €4.20 for a ticket that lasts for 1.5h, so I went to the airport café to change for coins as the machine didn't accept notes. Walked to the train station and freaking tripped at the end of the escalator cause my huge suitcase wouldn't budge and the guy behind me tried to help me and ended up dropping his suitcase also T_T I felt so bad omg. I thought we were taking a train but apparently it was a bus called the TER and I don't know if normally there's supposed to be a train or what. Then the bus came and everyone rushed to put their luggage into the holding compartment while I was just standing there like an imbecile cause there was not enough space and my luggages were too big. But then this kind lady tapped the window and pointed at the other side for me to go there. So I went there and then my luggage got STUCK. There was this weird wooden board thing and my suitcase kind of went in between the board and the wall but it got stuck. With the edge of the board digging into my suitcase. I didn't want to spoil it but by then I had absolutely no energy to pull it out ... So I asked this man nearby for help (I later found out he's called Naciri). He helped me to load both suitcases in (super grateful) then we only just managed to board the bus and took up the last 2 seats ...
The bus from the airport to city centre was quite fast. I managed to unload the suitcases myself then I didn't know what to do. Naciri asked me where I was going so I told him I was going to Paul Appell. Turns out that he'd studied in University of Strasbourg before so he knew where was the place. We went to take the tram to Etoile Bourse (?) then he said his wife was driving and that they would send me to my residence hall since they live nearby. Omg I was so super grateful cause I was honestly really tired by then T_T And I know there's the whole don't talk to strangers or take their car thing but he honestly seemed like a nice person!! So anyway his wife drove over and they helped me to load my luggage into their car because I was too freaking tired and useless to lift anything T_T and their daughter came as well!! I think she's called Camille and she's 6. They also offered me pizza but by then the only thing I needed was water cause so freaking thirsty haven't drank anything since like 3pm and dying of thirst from all the running and all. And by the way digress Strasbourg is really really humid kind of like Singapore hahaha even though it's supposed to be 20 deg but it feels like 27?? Haha Idk.
Anyway, Naciri's family drove me all the way to Paul Appell and then he helped me to bring my luggage to the reception and up to my room T_T Felt so bad for inconveniencing them but also super super grateful!! Very thankful to have met so many kind people here T_T The first thing I did after checking in was to DRINK WATER HAHAHA I vaguely remember tap water in Europe should be drinkable but desperate times call for desperate measures. Then I realised I didn't have the wifi password for the residence. So I went out and took a walk to find the macs nearby. Asked for directions from this couple walking a dog and they were very helpful too. But alas the macs was closed so no wifi and I was craving for a drink so I went into this other fast food store nearby. They were closing I think but the staff still let me in so I asked for a can of Pepsi. Then I asked what's this Oasis drink and the guy replied something about orange so I said I'll take that too, plus water. The girl was looking at me funnily but I couldn't understand so nvm I guess they must've found it weird for someone to come out at midnight and buy so many drinks HAHAHA. But I was really freaking thirsty and I think my bottle of mineral water costed €2 sigh forgot about how bottled water in France costs a lot. Anyway after I got back I heard noise outside my door so I came out to say hi to my neighbour opposite and also to ask for wifi LOL. Lesson from experience: ask and it shall be given HAHA.
I've showered and unpacked my biggest suitcase! Had a total of 50kg this time which includes one 20kg luggage (all food + rice cooker + toiletries + bedding + and NO CLOTHES AT ALL) + one 15kg luggage (clothes + STATIONERY FREAKING HEAVY + more toiletries) + one 10kg handcarry (electronics + more clothes + small random things + 1kg MILO FREAKING HEAVY) + one 5kg backpack (laptop and documents etc). So that was 50kg in total. I didn't actually have that many clothes?!?! I think the food took up the most weight but nvm I'm gonna finish those anyway. I don't even have a mug T_T will retrieve it when I go back London next. Anyway so after I unpacked I realised I'd stupidly left my correct size bedsheets in London and only brought the super single ones over :( So now my bedsheets don't match my duvet and I don't even remember where I left my bedsheets argh ... Also I'd forgotten to bring stuff like plastic bags because people use paper bags over here shucks ... And also I have like no tissue or toilet paper HAHAHA I am such a joke for forgetting to bring the essentials. Okay have to go to the marché really soon to stock up on stuff ...
The showers and toilets are pretty okay, quite similar to I Hall so it's not too bad and I'm quite used to it. I just couldn't seem to find where they put the toilet paper so I'm guessing people bring in their own toilet paper??? Idk need to figure that out HAHA. My room is really nice it's bigger than I'd expected!! Definitely way bigger than my Argyle room last year omg. It's about the size of my I Hall room I would say, maybe a bit shorter by the length of a cupboard but the width is the same. And I have my own sink!! Which is more than sufficient already because at least I won't have to go out just to brush my teeth and all. Oh and I have a mini fridge. A MINI FRIDGE!!! Not that I have any food to store in it yet but so cool. I am liking this place very much HAHA.
Mental note for groceries shopping:
1) RICE
2) Toilet paper
3) Sheets to line the cupboard ...?
And I have a bunch of stuff I wanna retrieve in London T_T
But this whole moving abroad thing has made me realise the importance of minimalism and decluttering omg. Moving abroad twice in 2 years is no joke hahaha seriously how do you ever compress your whole life into 2 suitcases and just go?? But I realised I can live without a lot of things and most days I don't even use most of my stuff so time to start clearing out stuff ... Donated some clothes and shoes to the charity shop near WT's place today so I'm thinking I'll probably donate more if I can't sell them. And I have an obsession with toiletries and shitz so I guess I should try to quickly finish using everything and stop buying HAHAHA.
Okay it's getting really late now so I'm going to sleep soon but I'll try to post frequently cause it'd be quite nice to keep track of my year abroad! Maybe one day I'll type a whole post in French HAHAHA MAYBE WHEN MY FRENCH IS A LOT BETTER. XXX.
To get from the airport to the city centre we had to take a train then change to tram. It was €4.20 for a ticket that lasts for 1.5h, so I went to the airport café to change for coins as the machine didn't accept notes. Walked to the train station and freaking tripped at the end of the escalator cause my huge suitcase wouldn't budge and the guy behind me tried to help me and ended up dropping his suitcase also T_T I felt so bad omg. I thought we were taking a train but apparently it was a bus called the TER and I don't know if normally there's supposed to be a train or what. Then the bus came and everyone rushed to put their luggage into the holding compartment while I was just standing there like an imbecile cause there was not enough space and my luggages were too big. But then this kind lady tapped the window and pointed at the other side for me to go there. So I went there and then my luggage got STUCK. There was this weird wooden board thing and my suitcase kind of went in between the board and the wall but it got stuck. With the edge of the board digging into my suitcase. I didn't want to spoil it but by then I had absolutely no energy to pull it out ... So I asked this man nearby for help (I later found out he's called Naciri). He helped me to load both suitcases in (super grateful) then we only just managed to board the bus and took up the last 2 seats ...
The bus from the airport to city centre was quite fast. I managed to unload the suitcases myself then I didn't know what to do. Naciri asked me where I was going so I told him I was going to Paul Appell. Turns out that he'd studied in University of Strasbourg before so he knew where was the place. We went to take the tram to Etoile Bourse (?) then he said his wife was driving and that they would send me to my residence hall since they live nearby. Omg I was so super grateful cause I was honestly really tired by then T_T And I know there's the whole don't talk to strangers or take their car thing but he honestly seemed like a nice person!! So anyway his wife drove over and they helped me to load my luggage into their car because I was too freaking tired and useless to lift anything T_T and their daughter came as well!! I think she's called Camille and she's 6. They also offered me pizza but by then the only thing I needed was water cause so freaking thirsty haven't drank anything since like 3pm and dying of thirst from all the running and all. And by the way digress Strasbourg is really really humid kind of like Singapore hahaha even though it's supposed to be 20 deg but it feels like 27?? Haha Idk.
Anyway, Naciri's family drove me all the way to Paul Appell and then he helped me to bring my luggage to the reception and up to my room T_T Felt so bad for inconveniencing them but also super super grateful!! Very thankful to have met so many kind people here T_T The first thing I did after checking in was to DRINK WATER HAHAHA I vaguely remember tap water in Europe should be drinkable but desperate times call for desperate measures. Then I realised I didn't have the wifi password for the residence. So I went out and took a walk to find the macs nearby. Asked for directions from this couple walking a dog and they were very helpful too. But alas the macs was closed so no wifi and I was craving for a drink so I went into this other fast food store nearby. They were closing I think but the staff still let me in so I asked for a can of Pepsi. Then I asked what's this Oasis drink and the guy replied something about orange so I said I'll take that too, plus water. The girl was looking at me funnily but I couldn't understand so nvm I guess they must've found it weird for someone to come out at midnight and buy so many drinks HAHAHA. But I was really freaking thirsty and I think my bottle of mineral water costed €2 sigh forgot about how bottled water in France costs a lot. Anyway after I got back I heard noise outside my door so I came out to say hi to my neighbour opposite and also to ask for wifi LOL. Lesson from experience: ask and it shall be given HAHA.
I've showered and unpacked my biggest suitcase! Had a total of 50kg this time which includes one 20kg luggage (all food + rice cooker + toiletries + bedding + and NO CLOTHES AT ALL) + one 15kg luggage (clothes + STATIONERY FREAKING HEAVY + more toiletries) + one 10kg handcarry (electronics + more clothes + small random things + 1kg MILO FREAKING HEAVY) + one 5kg backpack (laptop and documents etc). So that was 50kg in total. I didn't actually have that many clothes?!?! I think the food took up the most weight but nvm I'm gonna finish those anyway. I don't even have a mug T_T will retrieve it when I go back London next. Anyway so after I unpacked I realised I'd stupidly left my correct size bedsheets in London and only brought the super single ones over :( So now my bedsheets don't match my duvet and I don't even remember where I left my bedsheets argh ... Also I'd forgotten to bring stuff like plastic bags because people use paper bags over here shucks ... And also I have like no tissue or toilet paper HAHAHA I am such a joke for forgetting to bring the essentials. Okay have to go to the marché really soon to stock up on stuff ...
The showers and toilets are pretty okay, quite similar to I Hall so it's not too bad and I'm quite used to it. I just couldn't seem to find where they put the toilet paper so I'm guessing people bring in their own toilet paper??? Idk need to figure that out HAHA. My room is really nice it's bigger than I'd expected!! Definitely way bigger than my Argyle room last year omg. It's about the size of my I Hall room I would say, maybe a bit shorter by the length of a cupboard but the width is the same. And I have my own sink!! Which is more than sufficient already because at least I won't have to go out just to brush my teeth and all. Oh and I have a mini fridge. A MINI FRIDGE!!! Not that I have any food to store in it yet but so cool. I am liking this place very much HAHA.
Mental note for groceries shopping:
1) RICE
2) Toilet paper
3) Sheets to line the cupboard ...?
And I have a bunch of stuff I wanna retrieve in London T_T
But this whole moving abroad thing has made me realise the importance of minimalism and decluttering omg. Moving abroad twice in 2 years is no joke hahaha seriously how do you ever compress your whole life into 2 suitcases and just go?? But I realised I can live without a lot of things and most days I don't even use most of my stuff so time to start clearing out stuff ... Donated some clothes and shoes to the charity shop near WT's place today so I'm thinking I'll probably donate more if I can't sell them. And I have an obsession with toiletries and shitz so I guess I should try to quickly finish using everything and stop buying HAHAHA.
Okay it's getting really late now so I'm going to sleep soon but I'll try to post frequently cause it'd be quite nice to keep track of my year abroad! Maybe one day I'll type a whole post in French HAHAHA MAYBE WHEN MY FRENCH IS A LOT BETTER. XXX.
No comments:
Post a Comment