Friday, July 25, 2008

Damn VAT, Yeah Egypt!!

So I loved my French school, and I am sooooo glad I took it. But it was pretty expensive. One of the ways I was able to talk myself into taking the class was that 150 euro of the price was a VAT tax which is like the national tax here. If you spend a certain about of money and are not a resident you can get the tax back. No problem right?

I go to the secretary at the French school and ask her for a receipt (all this is done in horrible French as they won't speak to you in English). She tells me they will mail me one. Of course it is not this easy, this is after I mime "should I call you next week" and "do I need to write a letter" and then I am able to translate the answer. Well class has ended, I get an envelope from them, and it's not a money receipt, it's a stupid letter saying I took a B1 level French class. UH!! I am so pissed! I want to yell SPEAK ENGLISH LADY!! But I know this is unreasonable, I should be speaking French. I know this, I am trying.

This really would not be such a big deal if I wasn't leaving next Wednesday to go back to the states for a family wedding shower and to pick up my dress for the wedding. I mean, I'm going to be in the airport, right there...and I probably won't be able to do it. 150 euro, that's like $500 American or something right now!! I could be making money on this deal! Well hell, maybe if I keep it a few months the dollar will raise even more and I can profit on this thing even more.

So yes, I will be in the US for a week starting next Wednesday. I plan to keep up my blog this time though. At least a few times a week. I'm having my last fitting for my dress and will pick that up. The wedding isn't until October and of course I am hoping that I will loose so much weight that I will have to find a seamstress here in Lille to take it in because my butt has shrunk to Jennifer Lopez size and firmness, but we will see. It could happen right? I think now I'm more Jennifer Hudson than Lopez, but Cyr seems to like it so I can't complain too much I guess. I love how he tells me "don't loose weight, I love your curves." As if this is really a concern eh? Seriously honey...no need to worry about that. Just show me a Leffe Brune, some L'Os a Moelle (not sure of the spelling) and Maroille and BAM! Curves are back babe...

My family has also planned a wedding shower for me which I think is kind of cool, but I don't live in the US so it might be weird. I'm excited to have the sherbet punch and to see the parts of my family that only come out of the woods for weddings and funerals, but it's not like I can get a toaster as a gift. I can't plug it in here guys, it won't work. So...I registered our honeymoon. Maybe this is tacky, but people keep asking me where I am registered and so now I have an answer. I researched a few places and decided on Travelersjoy.com I set up a site for Cyr and I and I think it's the most practical thing we can do. This way if people feel like they need to give us a gift they can, and it's something that we really want. We are going to Egypt and plan to stay two weeks. YEAH!! I can't wait!! Beach for the first week, desert for the second. Whoohoo!! I hope someone buys the upgrade to the Oberoi Resort....if anyone has any suggestions for Egypt feel free to email or post a comment. Thanks!

4 comments:

islandgirl4ever2 said...

Hi Susan,

I think you may be right about holding out so that your return will be more profitable ... You just never know ; ) !!! Good way to look at it, though! I think that you will have a GREAT time in the States and that the idea for a gift is perfect... You can't take that much stuff with you in suitcases... Alex and I asked for money so that we could use it on our honeymoon.. We went to Vegas for 4 days and all the money paid for everything and then some!! SO, it's actually a reall "practical" gift... Take care and I look forward to reading about your trip while you are there... Amuse-toi bien!!

MilkJam said...

Are you just here as a tourist? You haven't applied for a Carte de Sejour yet? Cause if you have you can't claim the VAT refund...
Have a nice trip home!!

Anonymous said...

Oh we had the same problem with the wedding! We had already got people to give us travel vouchers for the engagement party so we didn't want to ask them again but most people were pretty savvy about the fact we couldn't take a lot home so they gave us money mostly. A few people gave us huge framed pictures, which of course, are at my parents house...nice thought but what were they thinking?

Susan in Lille said...

Leesa - Thanks, good to hear that it worked out well for you! Hopefully we will be the same.

Milk Jan - yes, I'm here on a tourist visa right now so I'm still eligible for it. Not for long though! And I have never gotten VAT back before, I need to look it up. I think it's in the airport right?

Le Tigre - Travel vouchers, great idea! Ha, guess you can brink one picture back at a time eh?