I broke my bureaucratic cyclic dependency yesterday, successfully enrolling at the university, and thus hopefull satisfying the requirements for my carte de sejour. I was fortunate to be accompanied by another doctorant who did all the talking for me, and it ended up being a relatively simple matter, albeit interrupted by the need for a very cold half-hour walk to the shopping centre to get money for registration.

Life at the residence continues to be unsatisfying. I found my meat and cheese in the fridge, and thus my dinner for last night, but it is as lonely as ever, and without the benefit of decent cooking or relaxation facilities.

I took a test this morning of my french, in an effort to guage my level before commencing lessons next week. I did not feel that I did well, but am not in the least bit worried, since it was only a guage. Perhaps I shall meet some people during these lessons, even if they are not French.

It seems that there will be strike action by researchers across France on Thursday, including doctorants. Being new, I am not inclined to participate, but will need to consult with co-workers to see how non-attendance might be interpreted.