Unknown to my children or indeed anyone around here, there has been a fair bit of stress over the last few months dealing with new brexit related rules which meant that if I wanted to stay in France legally I would have to provide proof of residency with two specific documents. It was understood initially that I had to prove my presence in France five years ago. However, since my initial arrival here six years ago I have stayed mostly off the radar as far as official documents are concerned and simply didn't have what was being asked of me. Sabrina and I are not married and we don't have any documents to prove our togetherness. I don't have a bank account or mobile phone contract and my name is not on any bills. And having two children with french passports and my surname apparently doesn't make any difference.
I was able in the end to provide a medical insurance document set up in my name when we first arrived here. This however, was not enough for them and my application was denied around a month ago. For a while I felt a little concerned about this reality, especially as I had now identified myself to the french government as being here illegally, putting me suddenly in a position where I had to fix this or face immediate deportation!
I considered the option of just being illegal and running off to the woods, but there would always be a chance that one day I might be asked to produce my french residency card for some unexpected reason and failing to do so, there would not be too many questions asked before my deportation. Having seen something along these lines happen to @movingman in Norway I was keen to fix the problem and figure out how to become legal.
Upon further investigation it turned out that for the most basic and short term residency card I only had to prove my residency in France at the beginning of 2020. This was much easier to do because we live underneath the office of our village mayor who has seen me here most days for the last few years. He was willing to write a letter to this effect, proving also my togetherness with Sabrina. Mayors are like the top dogs around here, so even though this was not listed as one of the types of document needed to prove my residency or relationship with a french national, by some wonderful twist of fate we happen to live in the only house in the village for this to be possible.
And finally it was done!
The approval came through this morning and I must now give them my fingerprints and photographs, planting myself firmly on their database for the first time.
While I don't feel great about that I can at least relax now in the knowledge that the chances of my sudden deportation have dramatically declined.
In a month I will have my "carte de séjour" and I will be legal for a few years before having to go through the same process again. At which point I will likely have to sweet talk a mayor again!
Love & Light everyone 🌱
Great news. Congratulations… I love France. My wife and I lived in St Bertrand De Comminges (Lugdunum) for a few summers. On an Archaeological dig. We were searching for the lost treasures of King Herod. We found some.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges
Wow! Look at that wonderful construction! Bet there is some hidden history there. It is likely older than history would have us believe. And based on that architecture I would say it had the capability to generate free energy at one time. Much like all cathedrals.
Yes, France is quite special really. And not what most people imagine! Especially here in the south where the mountains have many secrets.
This star fort and fortified village is just down the road from us. Fort Liberia they call it. And not for one moment do I trust the given purpose & history behind it!
But I love that it is there and have enjoyed walking around it a few times ;)
Happy to read this, mon ami and what an amazing pictures of these beautiful kids of yours ❤️
Good news hey! Am happy about it too. Though still feel a bit weird about handing over my fingerprints on the 9th Nov. At least they are not also asking for my DNA! I mean really, the things we have to do just to have permission to exist! One cannot help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it really ;)
So true. Let's try our best to keep laughing at the world indeed. Laughter is the best kind of therapy ;^)
félicitations mon ami . Tu peux bien rester sans s'inquiéter..with the number on my national ID, at tines it makes me feel like live stock. Like a pig marked with a tag on my ear. Some of these documents seem so redundant. I'm all for decentralized ID's and removing borders. It would be the first step towards eliminating xenophobia.
Yes my friend. No more worrying! Though I suppose it was more like a re-shaping of my vision for the future. But there was something which felt uncomfortable about the vision... and now that feeling is gone ;)
Your words remind me of the story of the tower of Babel and how God stopped man from trying to reach beyond his limits by making everyone suddenly speak different languages. When they were united as one they could achieve things even God did not expect, but once they became separated by language and ultimately by boarders they were not so effective. Bible stories, no matter how much they may have been augmented over the years, quite often offer something useful at their core. So here's to those decentralised IDs and removing boarders!
Congratulations on becoming legalized! I hope it's everything you desire and need. Sorry to hear that you've been put under a lot of stress over it. Take care of yourself buddy.
!LUV
It bugs me I must do this and worse still that yes, it was particularly testing emotionally. But worth it in the end I suppose. Also, I don't want to get too excited yet... I still have to give my fingerprints. And this will not be the first time I've been forced to do this so am hoping some big red light won't start flashing on their screen! Don't let this guy in! haha. I should be alright;)
Many thanks for the LUV!
<><
@samstonehill, you've been given LUV from @drutter.
Check the LUV in your H-E wallet. (2/3)
Hey Sam, I have been thinking of you of late, wondering what you were up too and noticed you were a little quiet on here, now I know why.
I am glad that you can let that stress go and just focus on what you do best, living life to the full xxxxxxxxx
Hey there! Ahhh, bless you for thinking about me. I cannot entirely blame this situation for my lack of interaction here. The truth in fact is that I have become deeply obsessed with trading and spend an unhealthy amount of time doing that now! Along with all the usual tasks of autumn, children, garden, life ;)
Basically I have been in training, preparing for this final stage of the bull market. How's life with you? Sending hugs x
I am doing okay, got lots going on, selling my truck, having to move, not sure yet where that will be, someone still in the area though. So busy fixing up the truck and preparing to leave it and begin a new chapter with my girls xxxxx
Wow! Thank you for the quick breakdown. Really does sound like a new chapter. Am thinking of you and sending all the good stuff for your journey ahead x
Congrats @samstonehill to "handle Babylon" the way you need it.😉
Beautiful shots of the kids.😍
Love the last one from Luna...
It was certainly a test but we got there in the end!
Now to improve my ability to speak french... Esteban has been teaching me ;)
Tres bien! I had 5 years in school...loooong time ago.
J'oublie tout...😅
Many congratulations - sorry it was a bit stressful. Nice fotos of the kids.
I had a similar thing years ago - so now I am have 2 nationalities.
Well congratulations to you too! In fact I already have two nationalities and no desire to hold a french passport alongside the others. Any old document will do, as long as the french gov are happy ;) I am basically a tourist now, with a two year visa. Which is great!
Ohhh god that must have been so stressful for you and Sabrina. How much ever we do not like to be a part of these systems but for certain things it will be unavoidable and we will have to adapt them, that's the sad part of life today.
It was a little bit stressful, but I should probably just be grateful it is now done! Well... almost done ;)
Once I am off the beaten track I won't think about such things any more. But for now I am still mixing with society a little. So yes, it just had to be done.
Woohoo 👍
You know it! Though I cannot say for sure how long I will remain in this country. Am still open to further movement in the future...
Woah!! Man I'm so happy for you really 😁 not that your now a number in the machine again but yeh, your safe of being deported (and that's a winner big time!!)
I am grateful to you for sharing your experience with this in the way you did. I took note in that moment and started making the enquiries which have ultimately led to this moment! So yes, thank you brother.
By the way I did have a look at your website and I was impressed by a few things. You've really done some travelling for one thing! And had experience with a great variety of communities. I think the knowledge you hold has a real value and you are going to do amazing things over there. If only Mexico wasn't on the other side of the big pond from us!
Congratulations. Good mayor over there.
Yes, he was a perfect mayor for me in that moment! Most other people here seem to think he is useless ;) And if I'm going to be honest, he did actually get his assistant to do it!
So glad you found a novel way around the bureaucracy
Thanks bro! Due to our proximity with the mayor's HQ we have always been super friendly with him. He is our landlord too, so we always make sure to pay the rent on time! Anyway, seems like it paid off and I can continue my stay here without being illegal :) Happy days!
I'm glad that got sorted out and in such a nice way. While it was cool to be under the radar, the consequences would have been severe...
Yes! All is well that ends well they say ;)
Hope you are enjoying Autumn and everything is going to plan!
Plan?!? That's a joke! But things are going, by hook or by crook.... :))
So happy that your problem has been sorted out Sam. So stressful that we live under these conditions.
Much appreciated Eden. And yes, less stressful now this has been sorted out :)
Wouldn't it be nice if we could just go back in time a bit?
Sure. That would be great! I would buy a whole bunch of shiba inu before everyone was talking about it ;)
Sending hugs!
Hugs right back to you and the family. Not familiar with that coin. I stick with Bitcoin, Eos and some Eth. Guess if we went back in time I'd buy as much Bitcoin as I could afford
Neo re-enters the Matrix.... 😎
(But this time, he knows he's The One ;)
The funniest thing. I got my card yesterday and they gave me a ten year one instead of a two year one! Not exactly sure why, but I'm not complaining. Good to go for ten years now. Partyyyyyy.... :)
Hey cuddlekitten. All good in the hood?