Jessica

I helped Jessica move her suitcases today. She rang me last night to ask me if I'd mind helping her. She's storing them at a teacher's house. One of the teachers from her school said she could because she's going to Munich this weekend and can't really keep them at the hostel where she's staying. She has sort of found accommodation, she just needs to sign the paperwork and sort things out. It seems there's more paperwork for Americans because they are not part of the EU. They have to get visas and a carte de sejour and have a medical examination. I don' t have to do any of that, thank goodness! Anyway, I said I'd meet her at 12 at Le Vieux Port. That would give us until 13h when we were meeting Ohio Sarah and Andrew at Le Vieux Port. I went on the metro with her from Le Vieux Port to Saint Charles and, bless her, she paid for my metro ticket because I was helping her. We went to her hostel, where she's been staying, to get her bags. The hostel was quite nice, I'd happily stay in it. It was just across the road from the station. She had two suitcases. One weighing 20 kilos and one weighing 30kilos! Then there was her guitar too... She took the heavier of the two cases which had a broken handle making it hard to wheel, and I took the lighter one and the guitar. We went back to the metro station and had to go down the stairs because the escalator was out of order. A very kind man helped us carry the cases down the stairs. Then we got on the metro and went to Rond Point du Prado. We went up the escalator and out onto the street. We wanted number 24 avenue du Prado. Trouble was, there are 2 avenues de Prado! Both going in opposite directions! Looking at the address we could tell we needed the avenue de Prado heading towards Castellane because it was in the 6e arr rather than the 8e arr where we currently were. We had no idea how far down Avenue de Prado number 24 would be. We were standing outside number 287... it could be quite a way! I was ok because I had the lighter suitcase with the pulling handle. In a strange way it was fun and the sense of achievement when we arrived at number 24 was amazing! Besides, Jessica's nice, I like her. I met one of the English teachers from her school who was nice. I was a bit disapointed that she spoke to us in English but I guess being an English teacher it was to be expected! After we had left the suitcases and guitar with the teacher we were running late to meet Sarah and Andrew. It was about 14h30 when we got there... But we got there! We went for a drink and then thought we'd go to a museum but first we had to go to the post office - I needed to collect my post and Sarah wanted to buy pre-stamped envelopes. Andrew didn't come with us. He went, I think, to meet some other people, I'm not really sure. After the post office we decided it was maybe a bit late to go to the museum. We didn't know what time they'd be open until and by the time we got there... We decided to go shopping instead! There is a new H&M opened on la Rue de la Republique. Auriane (my colocataire) tells me that la Rue de la Republique is undergoing major change. You know, it's the road I've been going on about - the one with all the roadworks that gave me such a bad first impression of Marseille. I can kind of see it. There are big name shops opening up along there and the roadworks are progressing and appartently they are building an underground carpark there too. Also, it kind of makes sense that it could become a street with big name shops as it connects the centre - Le Vieux Port and La Canabiere with La Joliette which is supposed to be an up and coming area. So, watch this space! Marseille is moving on right in front of my eyes! Anyway, after a bit of shopping we went to get something to eat - paninis. Then we went out separate ways home. Now I am sat in my appartment writing this. Auriane has gone back to Monaco to take her driving test and I am considering going for a shower. That's all for today really. It's been a good day. I enjoyed moving the suitcases even if it was hard work!