A french girls needs french school

I guess there is a first for everything......... In my quest to integrate and adapt to my Lyonnaise lifestyle, I have spoken to, ah no sorry, I have listened to several government workers tell me (through my dad of course), that I need to be able to communicate in french before I can find a job (even one speaking english). But this also means that in order to participate in the world renowned french health care system for free I also need a job. But I am french, doesn't that count for anything?

During a one hour appointment (aka rendez-vous → oh how the english make this word sound so enticing and sexy) at the pôle emploi (where I used to work in Canada → not so sexy), it was communicated that this was a first ... sending a french girl to french school! Which leaves me thinking, "Qu'est ce que j'ai fait?" Not that I am overly surprised by the news or even the difficulty in navigating, accessing, applying to, receiving, understanding .... the roundabouts of the governmental system, but all systems naturally rely on each other.

So I need a carte vitale (health insurance card) to find a job, and I need a job to get a carte vitale (so that I don't have to possibly pay the french government based on my 2009 Canadian income tax earnings)...... are you confused yet, because I sure am and on top of this it is all in FRENCH.... yes that's right leave it to me to abandon the comforts of my Canadian lifestyle for one of wine and cheese and a dwindling bank account.

Wish me luck as, j'ai un rendez-vous à la banque demain matin, and I am pretty sure that I need a job to open an account or to have lived here for at least 3 months first, and possibly a carte vitale too....


 And the saga continues .............