I reached a big milestone in my goal of living in France when I went for a long stay visa application appointment on September 16 at the French Consulate in San Francisco. Everything went well, but it was nothing like I imagined it would be. I was nervous and over-prepared. I had been practicing possible conversations in french, worrying about my attire and whether my fingernails were clean. I imagined a grand french style interior of the consulate where I would be ushered into an elegant office to meet with a haughty scrutinizing french visa officer who would test my ability to speak french, and who would ask me many questions to determine if met France's high cultural standards for acceptance into their superior country. (Yes, I like Chopin and I know the date of Bastille Day). Instead I found an interior as uninspired as any DMV waiting room complete with rows of plastic moulded chairs. When my name was called I went up to a window as personal as any train station ticket window. The Asian woman did not speak to me in french, in fact she didn't even have a french accent, instead speaking English with a heavy Korean (I'm guessing) accent. She listed off the required papers and documents holding out her hand each time to take them from me through the slot in the window. She then ordered me to place my fingers on the electronic fingerprint machine, and next to stand in front of the camera for a photo. Then she told me I was done and that I would receive the visa in the mail in about 10 days.
Here is a photo of the consulate building. I noticed a for lease sign wondering if they decided they needed a different building with at least some french architecture like a very large entry door or decorative plaster. It is, however, well placed, located next door to a very culturally fitting building, L'Eglise Notre Dame des Victoires.
