I'm not sure I ever formally posted the good news, but at the very end of September I learned that I was accepted for a full twelve months of funding for additional doctoral research. The announcement fell, of course, the same week as my initial three-year PhD funding ran dry. No stress there.
My good news was sandwiches in the middle of the ritual groveling before the authorities required to extend my permit to live in France, that coveted titre de séjour. This year, things were a little less painful as I've started learning how to maximize the benefits of my alumni network. (Thank you, MIT, for giving me friends in high places!)
With the financial go-ahead for a fourth year of a PhD, I suddenly found myself chief diplomat/arm twister in the journey through the quagmire of my doctoral contract renewal. Casualties included my institute badge, confiscated for a month, and with it my ability to access my own work place/second home; my professional email, because who needs one of those when people are only trying to contact you to help you re-establish your professional status?; and my paychecks for the month of October and part of November, but PhD students don't really need any additional distractions like food or an apartment which requires a monthly rent payment, right? (Luckily, a two-month-long Airbnb marathon over the months of September and October allowed me to surf the pay gap.)
Anyway, all this to say that finally, at long last, today I received my final student titre de séjour and am now a 100% legal resident of France, at least for just shy of ten more months. Hoorah for little victories!
My good news was sandwiches in the middle of the ritual groveling before the authorities required to extend my permit to live in France, that coveted titre de séjour. This year, things were a little less painful as I've started learning how to maximize the benefits of my alumni network. (Thank you, MIT, for giving me friends in high places!)
With the financial go-ahead for a fourth year of a PhD, I suddenly found myself chief diplomat/arm twister in the journey through the quagmire of my doctoral contract renewal. Casualties included my institute badge, confiscated for a month, and with it my ability to access my own work place/second home; my professional email, because who needs one of those when people are only trying to contact you to help you re-establish your professional status?; and my paychecks for the month of October and part of November, but PhD students don't really need any additional distractions like food or an apartment which requires a monthly rent payment, right? (Luckily, a two-month-long Airbnb marathon over the months of September and October allowed me to surf the pay gap.)
Anyway, all this to say that finally, at long last, today I received my final student titre de séjour and am now a 100% legal resident of France, at least for just shy of ten more months. Hoorah for little victories!
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| Enfin! (Finally!) |
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