Tag: Life Abroad

Moving to the UK!

On By notyouravggiraffeIn UKLeave a comment

I’ve been pretty quiet on the blog the past few weeks, and while a lot of that is due to the fact that I haven’t been up to much, it’s also because I’ve been preparing for an(other) international move! This time, I’m headed to London. I’m absolutely thrilled to be heading back to the UK, and to be doing so for a job, since that feels way more adult and legit (and in a different way than my experience with TAPIF, not to disparage that at all, but this has more of a long lasting feeling). Much as it feels weird to write, this move has the makings of being a more permanent one, so the process has been overwhelming to say the least! With that in mind, I figured I’d write up a little bit about the process, since it’s not all been super smooth and easy.

Pre-departure preparation

As with any kind of move, there was a lot of packing to be done. Luckily, I had been planning on moving to the UK in September anyway (the initial plan had been grad school but sometimes life hands us different plans, and that’s okay!), so it wasn’t like I was completely unprepared when it came to figuring out what I would bring. Once again, I was thrown back into the mindset of weeding through my closet to decide what clothes I wanted to bring, what shoes were coming along (and trust me, it was a lot), and anything else that I wanted to have immediately. It’s always a weird feeling to try and pack up your life, and you’d think after the several times I’ve done it that it would be a piece of cake, but alas, it only gets marginally easier each time. All I can say is thank goodness for space bags.

Pandemic Travels

Much like when I went over to France, pandemic restrictions are still in place. Unlike last time though, more is open so more people are traveling, and you can definitely feel it in the airports (and even in checking my seat assignments before leaving). The UK currently requires a negative Covid test taken within three days of departure, based on the date of departure of the flight that will actually take you to the UK (I had to take two flights given that no non-stops were running from PDX). It’s a bit confusing compared to France’s 72 hour requirement, but it’s three calendar days – I left Wednesday September 8, and was tested Sunday, September 5 to ensure I had the results back in time (my provider where I was tested was estimating 48-72 hour turnaround time, but it ended up being just over 24 hours so it was fine anyway). The US is currently an amber list country, but vaccinated Americans are given the same treatment as travelers coming from green list countries – no need for isolation, and a requirement to take another Covid test within two days of arrival. Unvaccinated Americans are classed with any other amber list traveler, and must isolate for 10 days, taking tests on days two and eight (with an option to book an additional day five test for test and release). Any tests must be booked before arrival, and you have to fill out the information on the Passenger Locator Form (which will include a unique code given to you when you book your Covid test), which also indicates where you will be staying and your purpose of travel, within 48 hours of your arrival into the UK. Here are all the documents I needed:

LIST OF REQUIRED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

  • Passport
  • Boarding pass
  • Negative Covid test, taken within three days of boarding flight to the UK
  • Passenger Locator Form (with unique reference code for prebooked day two test)
  • CDC vaccination card

Although the journey was long, it was fairly painless (other than the backs of my ears, which by hour ten of the journey were less than happy from the mask – I’d love to hear earsaver techniques, I am ALL EARS, pun intended). Due to it being an international flight, I was unable to check in online with Delta, and had to wait to do so at the airport, so that meant allowing slightly more time in the morning before my flight. In Portland, they verified my Covid test, vaccination card, and passport before issuing me my boarding pass. I had to first fly to Atlanta, and although the flight was pretty full, it wasn’t as full as my app had indicated it might be (no complaints from me)! As they’ve been for several months now, masks were required on both legs of my journey, and just like when I flew to France, I had no issues with it (other than the ear thing, but that’s because I went in a KN95 this time instead of a cloth mask so the straps were less forgiving). The three hour layover in ATL went pretty quickly, given that around 45 minutes before boarding started, everyone was called to the gate so they could verify our documents. There they checked covid tests, vaccination cards, passenger locator forms, and passports, before writing all that information down and putting a red sticker on my boarding pass to indicate I’d cleared document check. They were making people fill out the locator form if they hadn’t done so before they’d be considered fully checked in, so that’s a much needed document (in addition to everything else). The flight to London was pretty good, all things considered. There was dinner and lunch service, plus some good snacks so can’t complain about that! I was able to watch the new David Copperfield film, and apart from the uncomfortable headphones, and the fact that the flight tracker map didn’t work (I might be the only one, but it’s absolutely one of my favorite parts about flying), I enjoyed my flight, and was able to sleep for a lot of it. Delta isn’t currently running flights to the UK from the US, so I flew with Virgin Atlantic (a codeshare). I’ve never flown them before, but I enjoyed their service and the experience was comparable to the flights I’ve taken with Delta. Other than some pre-departure drama involving a cancelled flight with no notification, the whole process of flying during this next phase of the pandemic wasn’t horrible.

Customs at Heathrow oddly didn’t feel that much different than in non-pandemic times. Since I used an EU passport (although this applies to UK citizens, US passport holders, and a handful of other country passports), I used the E-gates. Nobody checked any of my documents once I arrived in London, but if you can’t use the E-gates, they absolutely will, and if there are any problems with the E-gates, customs can check those documents, too. Getting my bags took a while, and because I have so much stuff (moving will do that to you), I took a cab to where I was staying instead of trying to navigate the tube (which I would’ve done given any other circumstance). The traffic was absolutely horrific, and for that alone, if you can take the tube, do it.

Some ambiance lighting (and orange juice) to set the mood for the long flight to London

After Arrival: the Practical Things

After I was able to unload all my things, the first task I had to conquer was getting my day two Covid test taken. You can do this anytime between arrival (day 0) and day two, so I booked mine for the same day I arrived just so I could get it done. There’s a long list of providers you can use, and you can opt to have it swabbed by a professional, or to have a kit mailed to you. Considering I was staying at an AirBnb, and didn’t know the mail situation, I opted for finding a place in person. I used a testing center in Canary Wharf, and was able to get in before my appointment time so that was nice. It was five minutes to get the swab done (which was less painful than France, but more-so than the US – I have thoughts on the somewhat metaphorical analogy this makes), and I was pleased with the process, although I’ll grumble a bit about the price of it (£65 for those of you curious). The test results came via email in 54 hours, which was longer than the 48 hours I was promised. I will say it’s a little odd that they ask you to take a test within two days of arrival, but you have no requirement to isolate while you wait for the results. It seems a little risky, given a lot can happen in two-three days, but here we are.

The next thing I had to do was get a SIM for my phone (if only because for as well as I know London, I’m still not an expert at getting from place to place without a little maps assistance). Since I was out at Canary Wharf for my test, I hopped on the DLR to get to Westfield Stratford so I could visit a Three store. There are loads of mobile providers in the UK – and I’ve used three and EE in the past – but I used Three when I studied abroad so I had an urge to use them again. It wasn’t nearly as smooth as I wanted it to be, but the good news is that since I’m on a Pay As You Go plan, I can switch providers at any point if I want to do that. Either way, my phone is now fully functional in the UK.

The element I still haven’t sorted though is opening a bank account. For as much as I thought France was horrifically bureaucratic and difficult, the UK is proving to be worse (who would’ve thought that was possible??). In order to open an account, you need a proof of address. Since I’ve already sorted my living situation, this should be easy, right? WRONG. To prove that I’ll be earning in the UK, I have a letter from my employer confirming my employment with them, as well as my UK address (where I’ll be moving next month). This, however, isn’t enough for any banks. They want post that was delivered to you or a lease agreement (but this can only be from an Estate agent or through a council agreement, which mine isn’t, so my lease agreement doesn’t count). A lot of the things you can use as proof of address aren’t available to me as a non UK citizen (registration on the voter roll, current driver’s license – I could apply for a provisional license but that involves sending off your passport and has a massive wait time, etc…). I’ve changed by address with HMRC so they can send me an updated letter with my National Insurance Number (thank goodness I already had one of these since the backlog is running ~ 16 weeks to get one right now), but that’s going to take 10-16 business days, so that’s essentially my time frame for when I’ll be able to open a bank account. I couldn’t update my address until I was actually in the UK, so really this whole process is a whole catch-22 of epic proportions. I tried opening online accounts like Monzo and Monese, since that’s recommended to try and get something with your address on it, but Monzo denied me (with no reason given, much to the consternation of the bank tellers with whom I spoke about it), and Monese required paying for the debit card (which didn’t seem worth it just to generate a statement I could use for opening an account somewhere else). It’s definitely still a work in progress, and an infuriating one at that. Fingers crossed I’m able to resolve that at some point in the near future, if only so I can be paid (just a small thing, really).

Random moving to the UK tip: Since there’s a possibility this move will be for a while, one thing that could become important for me down the line is having UK credit history. Unfortunately, my US credit history doesn’t transfer outside the country, so I’m essentially starting from scratch. That means I’ll be back in the endless cycle of being unable to get credit cards because of a lack of credit history, but being unable to generate any credit history because I can’t get a credit card. Something that was suggested to me was to get an American Express credit card in the US. After three months of use, I can exchange it for a UK one, no questions asked. This way (in at least three months’ time), I’ll be able to start generating some credit history in the UK! I have no idea if it’ll be successful or seamless, but I’ll report back on that one. I was, however, impressed with the speed with which I received my card in the US!

Despite the minor bank account hiccup, my arrival into London has been lovely, and I’m over the moon to be back. I’ve been able to wander around a bit (blog post incoming on that one), and it really does feel like coming home in a weird way. I’m still definitely stressed about the pandemic, and its effects on the UK (and my job), but I can tell I’m going to have to channel my worries differently over here. Contrary to what I’m used to in Washington (I can’t say the US because not every state has handled the pandemic the same), mask wearing is not really a thing outside, nor is it truly required/enforced inside. I’ve been a little disappointed by how many places have signage recommending the use of a face mask, but not requiring it – seems silly to think most people would automatically comply with recommended than required. It’s more lax than France for sure, but I’ll have to adjust since this is where I’m going to be living for the foreseeable.

It’s hard to believe that I set foot in London for the first time (almost exactly) five years ago, and here I am moving here. If only my 20 year old studying abroad self could see me now. I had no idea at the time how much my life would change from studying abroad (which is cliché, I know, but I do have some proof of that fact), and I’m truly so grateful that the stars have seemingly aligned to make my coming back possible. Here’s to a new adventure!

Recreating one of the first ever photos I took in London in September 2016 (bottom photo), in September 2021 (top photo)

Visiting the Doctor in France

On By notyouravggiraffeIn France1 Comment

Seeing as I’ve been able to acquaint myself with dental visits this time around in France, I thought it would be fitting to experience medical care from a doctoral perspective (I say this, but I did have reason to visit a doctor, it wasn’t a “cultural experience” for the sake of it). Since it works slightly differently than it does in the US, I figured I’d write about my visit in case it proves useful for anyone else, or in case you’re curious about the French doctor visit experience.

Unlike in the US, you aren’t required to visit one particular doctor in France. If you reside in France longterm, you’ll have a “médecin traitant,” who is essentially your GP. You have to declare this doctor as your GP (of course nothing in France comes without paperwork), but if you’re only in France for a short while, or don’t foresee many doctor visits, this isn’t an essential step to receive treatment. You can still get care without having declared a GP, and in fact, you have to have an initial visit with a doctor anyway before you can declare them as your médecin traitant. Anecdotally, I know that part can be a struggle as not every doctor will be open for new patients so if you’re needing to do that, best start ASAP in case you have to shop around! However, you can see a doctor without having them be your GP (it can facilitate the reimbursement process to see your médecin traitant, but again, is not compulsory). This is what I did.

Making an Appointment (or RDV)

For the French medical system, there’s a website called Doctolib, where you can schedule appointments with any doctor online easily. I believe you still need a referral to visit a specialist, but if you’re interested in seeing a GP, this is the best site to visit. Once you’re there, you can select the kind of doctor you want to visit (médecin généraliste is the French for GP), and input your address to find doctors near you with openings. You can even filter by language if you don’t feel comfortable having a doctor’s visit entirely in French! You can also look specifically for doctor’s doing virtual consultations, although I don’t know how common that is outside of Covid times. From there, you can select the RDV time that fits your schedule and location best. After you select a date and time, you’ll be prompted to make an account if it’s your first visit (or just log in if you’re familiar with the system), and then you’ll fill in your personal details for the RDV. You’ll get a confirmation email and text after the RDV is made, which will include any specific information about finding your doctor’s office. For example, mine gave me an address with specifications that I could find the doctor’s office on the third floor of the East wing.

France Tip: When making a RDV to visit a doctor, be sure to check how the doctor is conventionné before doing so! The way that sécu works is that there are different cost thresholds for different “levels” of doctors, which will dictate not only the cost of the visit, but also how much you get reimbursed. Sometimes you won’t have a choice (depending on your reason for making a RDV), but conventionné 1 is the cheapest option with the highest percentage of reimbursement, for reference.

Actually visiting the doctor

I was able to get an appointment the day after I visited Doctolib (I checked on a Sunday so got an appointment for Monday), and the process was very painless. I was able to find a doctor within a half hour walk so I headed there with ample time to spare (thank you to my anxious inability to be anything other than 15 minutes early somewhere). I found the office easily, but given that French doctor’s offices aren’t necessarily in “obvious” medical facilities, it’s never a bad idea to leave extra time! I got to the third floor in the East wing, and found the door with the doctor I was meant to visit’s name on the door (along with the other two doctors who shared that office space). The waiting room was small by American standards, and there was no check in facility like what you would see in the US. I crossed my fingers I was in the right place, but the doctor called my name and then I was ushered back into the doctor’s office, which was one of three offices immediately beyond the waiting room.

The office was complete with a computer and full on desk with consulting chairs, as well as the proper doctor chair thing you sit in for examinations (sorry, I don’t know the technical term). We started at the desk where the doctor took my Carte Vitale, my information to register me as having them as a médecin traitant, and then proceeded to ask me about why I was visiting. I had gone in for some ear pain so I wasn’t there for a while since it didn’t take long to check out my ears and determine my next steps. After that was decided, I paid for the visit in the doctor’s office using my card. Since my doctor was conventionné 1, the visit was 25€, and 16,50€ of that will be reimbursed automatically as I have a Carte Vitale (otherwise I would have to send in a fiche de soins to the CPAM office in Paris as this is the office where I am attachée). I received the reimbursement four days after my appointment. Once my visit was done, I was given a paper prescription, which I then could use at any pharmacy. Unlike the US, there isn’t necessarily a pharmacy attached to the doctor’s office, so it’s an additional step. There’s a pharmacy near where I live, so that’s where I took the prescription, and got it filled within minutes of seeing the pharmacist. Since I don’t have a mutuelle, I had to pay for my prescription (some ear drops), which came out to a whopping 2,16€. This will not be reimbursed, but I think I can live with that.

That was my adventure visiting the doctor in France! If you’re participating in the language assistant program, and someone who will be making frequent visits to a doctor, it’s best to declare a médecin traitant as soon as you can (you must be enrolled in the sécu system first). Whether you’re registered or not, the cost to visit a doctor will remain the same. The only difference is that without having a sécu number, you are not eligible for reimbursements until you do. You can get a mutuelle without being under sécu, which will cover the remaining 30% of any costs incurred, though. All in all, it was not nearly as stressful a situation as I had thought it might be, and while the visit felt a bit more speedy than it might have felt in the US (mostly due to the fact that no nurse took my vitals or anything like that before I saw the doctor), it’s easy to see how socialized health care works so well, and why it is so valuable.

Visiting the Orthodontist in France

On By notyouravggiraffeIn France2 Comments

I certainly didn’t plan on having to visit any dental facilities in France, but as (bad) luck would have it, I managed to break the retainer I’ve had for eight years on January 1 (an excellent start to the new year). This led to me having to deal with the dental facilities in France, so I figured I’d write about that experience, in case someone else ever finds themselves in that situation!

The first step for me was calling around to all the orthodontists in Dijon that came up under a google search of “orthodontist Dijon.” The first few I got either wouldn’t take adults for orthodonture, or wouldn’t see non-patients for emergency appointments, meaning I had to take a new patient appointment. These were usually somewhere in February or March, which was a bit far out for my liking, unfortunately. I ultimately lucked out by mentioning my conundrum to one of my teachers who has a dentist friend, and she was able to get me an appointment that way.

It’s important to note that even if you have sécu, orthodonture is not covered for anyone over the age of 16. This means you pay full price for everything with no possibility of a reimbursement. If you want a partial reimbursement, you can invest in a mutuelle that covers adult orthodonture, but this didn’t make sense for me as this would (hopefully) be a one time visit/expense for me. Normal dental procedures are covered with the carte vitale.

Dental, much like doctor, offices are located in normal, apartment buildings in France. If they’re a “cabinet,” this will undoubtedly be the case so the dentist I visited’s office was located on the second floor of a building where people live. They have a special buzzer outside the door so you can be buzzed in and then up the stairs you go. I’ll admit it does feel a little odd to walk up stairs to the dental office, passing by doors where people live, but the dental office was pretty much what I expected upon entering. It wasn’t as big as offices would be in the US, but when the dentist saw me, it was exactly what you’d expect in a dental office. Before I was seen, I was registered as a new patient which included giving them my address, phone number, birthdate, and social security number (since I don’t have my carte vitale, yet).

Dental offices have doors like this in the US, right?

In line with how the French are, the visit was much more straight-forward, and quick than it would’ve been in the US. The dentist I saw was very nice, and very helpful, but didn’t talk me through things nearly as much as I’m used to when I typically see the dentist. As I mentioned, I broke my retainer so needed a new one. He told me he could repair it, but to do that, he took a mold of my mouth – with no warning! I saw it before it happened, but there wasn’t an explanation of what would be happening (or at least, not one I understood given my lack of French dental vocabulary). Luckily, I’m accustomed to molds, but it was certainly a surprise! Pleasantly, it was bubble gum flavored without my having to ask, so can’t complain about that. After taking my molds, he quoted the price to me, and then I was on my way with a return appointment to pick up the retainer.

Picking up my retainer was easy peasy (well, barring one snafu). I had my initial appointment on a Wednesday afternoon, and was told I could pick it up Friday – two days later – evening. I had to run from the middle school where I work on Fridays to catch the tram to the dental office, only to find out that my retainer was, in fact, not ready. Heaven forbid I get a phone call (which I find ironic considering everything is done by phone in this country)! Regardless, I was told I could come back Monday afternoon, and that’s exactly what I did. Within five minutes of the dentist seeing me, I had my new retainer, paid for it, and was on my way. As I mentioned, adult orthodonture isn’t covered by sécu, however, the price for my fixed retainer was still a little cheaper than what I would’ve paid without insurance in the US. I was given a receipt to show my insurer back home (not that it applies to me), and then it was done. All in all, it was a fairly painless experience (barring the stress at the start of it all). I am currently planning to make a dental appointment at some point before my contract ends in France, and I’ll be sure to write how that goes if I do!