Frog report

So, I arrive in France to see a country that I honestly have trouble understanding how it works. While it's a great country, the bureaucracy here is almost like a bad joke. Perhaps I understand better now why the French have their own style that characterizes them, why people make fun of them so much; people need to find their own ways to survive and the truth is, this is the only way to do it. So what does an outsider like me do? I can sit here and compare the system to that in Canada which is much more simplified but that doesn't get me anywhere, I need to be like them and slalom between their procedures which seem more like obstacles to discourage people to do anything here. Hence, in the end most people give up from the start and choose to sit in their chairs and do nothing. It's unbelievable how long it took me to get internet. On October 3rd, they came to activate my line (it normally takes 3 weeks here), however they did it wrong and my internet still did not work. So brace yourselves my fellow readers, because you will now hear about the amazing relationship I have with Orange - France Telecom, the providers of the ever so famous Livebox and nationally renowned as the best customer service in France (hehehe).

I call to tell them my internet does not work, that the person came to my house and didn't activate my line. My line was apparently activated in their system but they told me to wait 10 days and if it still doesn't work to call them then. I said to myself - confused as to what could possibly take so long after my line was already activated - okay, they have their own system here, no point in trying to change it just accept it because you are an outsider in their country. Finally, 10 days pass and still nothing. I start to get aggravated, I call them more often and I find myself talking to Orange customer service more than I speak to anyone else (At least I make friends fast). Finally, a technician comes to fix it, he says it was just kid's play, a simple mistake with the wiring in the basement.

All I have to say is, Vive la France! ...Because I have no idea how you haven't died yet.