How I Got My New Appartment

I cant sleep. I have to go to school tomorrow to find out my results of the exam.. I hope they'll put me in the C1 class.. at least B2 lah... The classes are from A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 from the lowest to the highest..

Yesterday, I've finally decided to take the appartment at Place de Victor Hugo.. It's 30m squared with a double bed in the bedroom, a kitchen, bathroom with a bath tub, a dining/living room.. It's furnished and it's on the FORTH floor (no lifts) and it's actually in the attic.. Cool lah and I can imagine people staying over for a few nights.. It costs 389euros a month which includes the water and electricity bill.. (Usually the rent doesnt include the electricity bill.. but this one does.. So I don't really have to care about how much electriciy I'm using in a month..) Electricity usually cost around 25-35euros a month.. So okay lah..

So today, I went to the agency and signed up my contract.. It was a bit of a bargain lah cause the agent told me the original price was actually 489euros and the guy who rented out the place last year rented it for 469euros a month.. (He showed me the documents).. They lowered it down about a hundred euros cause it was already in September and most students have their own places sudah and there's not many students or people who are looking for a studio by now..

The frais d'agence (Fees for the agency) was originally 359euros.. But I've tried to ask for a discount because I'm a student.. He hesistated a bit and said "normally, I don't do discounts for students.. But, okay.. I'll lower it down by 100.. So he agreed on 259euros..

So I had to pay a month's deposit of 389euros and October's rent of 389euros AND the frais d'agence of 259euros which sums up to 1037euros.. And I was like.. "Let's settle it for 1000euros lah.." He replied "No.. it's not possible.. I've already give you a lot of discount.."

Then bepikir2 ku lagi.. "Come on.. it's only 37euros.. I might be staying here for 2 or 3 years.. Let's just say that's for my birthday present for next month (haha majal aku ah).." Inda ia mahu jua..

Then aku kalah kalahan lah.. cause I know he's desperate to rent the place kan.. So I was like "Then it's okay.. I don't think I'm going to take it if you're not going to settle it for 1000euros.. It's either you take it or you leave it..Cause, I'm not really desperate to get it anyway.. And I've already have a back up plan because I have an offer at Rue Battant which is near the school and it's on the first floor.." Bediri ku selajur.. (saja lah to make it more dramatic)

And he was like "attendez.." (wait).. "let me see.." and he took out his calculator.. and he was like, "Okay.. For you, I take the 1000euros.." In my mind, I was like, "pheeewww.. Glad he fell for it and took it cause I didnt really have a back up plan.."

Just before I left, we shook hands and the agent said,
"You Bruneians are smarter than I thought.."
And I really took that as a compliment! Who wouldn't? I left the place competely satisfied..

i thought to myself.. I've just saved over a thousand euros for this year..

So yeaaaaaahhh!!! I'll be moving out of the hostel by next month.. Actually, I wanted to leave the hostel at the end of this week BUT the problem is that, I've already signed an agreement with the hostel to stay there for a month.. If not, I still have to pay for a month..

I CANT WAIT TO MOVE OUT AND SETTLE DOWN!!!

The agent said that he'll give me the key a few days priory to moving in but I have to have an insurance first.. So I need to go to an insurance company lagi.. France is sooooo complicated.. And he warned me that I MIGHT have to pay for TAXES.. And I was like, "What? what is that?" (saja.. make dont know).. and so he explained about how the government cut your salary for the taxes and stuff.. and I said "I still don't follow.. Because, in my country, if you're salary is $3000, it is $3000.. and besides.. I'm not even French.. Why do I have to pay the taxes?" Then he said that I can AVOID paying taxes but he must ask the landlord if he would want to pay for it himself.. But the agent said he can't promise me anything.. So, Liat lah cana.. On verra..

Anyway, I've bought my tickets to go to Lille for the 10th to 12th of October and I've bought Abang Alim's tickets from London to Besancon for the 17th till 20th of October.. I need to buy two more tickets for a day trip to Lyon with Abang Alim on the 18th of October..

So I need to

1. go to school to see my results
2. go to school and fill out some forms for my student card
3. go to the prefecture (immigration) to make a rendez-vous to renew my visa for another year..
4. go to CAF (it's something to do with the accomodation thing)
5. go to an insurance company
6. buy tickets to Lyon
7. fill in forms at the hostel to give them a notice that I'll be leaving by the end of this month
8. go to the post office to send off some documents to the Embassy to be translated and mail my brother his tickets..
9. Make sure the bank has already transferred my account from Lille to Besancon.. I've already asked for it by they said I have to go back in a few days to get my new RIB or IBAN (international bank account).. Without my new RIB, the embassy can't give my allowence for next month.
10. pack my bags by the end of this month..

... and then, I can finally settle down..

So I still have LOADS to do.. This is really why I don't like living here.. I can never settle down here.. It's just too complicated.. and the language barrier is worse.. Last year was even worse.. I had to wait SIX MONTHS for my visa instead of the usual three months.. and I didnt have internet till it was March.. and entah banyak lagi lah.. But that was then.. Sigh..

Bah I'll try to sleep dulu.. Nights

p/s: Since I now have a new permanent address,

You can FedEx, DHL or snail mail my BIRTHDAY PRESENTS to:

Masitah Jaafar
3, Place de Victor Hugo
4e Etage
Besançon, 25000
France

Bonne nuit!