I had a wonderful "I have real friends" moment this evening when a French friend not only offered to watch DD so I could go to a meeting in the evening, but even fed ME dinner when I arrived to collect DD at 8pm. She literally met me at the door with a glass of wine in her hand poured just for me and told me I had to sit down and eat the piece of chicken she had saved me. How awesomely sweet and comforting and reassuring is that?
The downside is that the meeting I went to was to take a look at our kindergarten options should we stay on here and I'm totally overwhelmed by navigating the process in two different countries. I have spent this entire week on the phone with American and French bureaucrats and the one thing I can say is that there is no cultural difference in this respect. A bureaucrat is a bureaucrat and I have to talk to 5 different people to get a straight answer about a process that's maddening enough already.
That's great about the friend! I love when you realize you have a network you can rely on in a new place. It's so comforting to know there are people you can call if your car breaks down, or if you need someone to talk to.
BFP1: DD born April 2011 at 34w1d via unplanned c/s due to HELLP, DVT 1 week PP
BFP2: 3/18/12, blighted ovum, natural m/c @ 7w4d
BFP3: DD2 born Feb 2013 at 38w3d via unplanned RCS due to uterine dehiscence
Good friends are so important. I'm glad you've found someone that fits that for you. Good luck with the kindergarten thing, it sounds very complicated. Random, but I just read a book late last year called Bringing Up Bebe, written by an expat, detailing the differences between French children and primarily American children and how they are raised. Have you ever read it by chance? If you have I'd love to know what you thought of it, actually having lived there.