Growing pains

Living in France is a great opportunity for cultural, intellectual and social growth. But this growth comes along with more than a few aches and pains that are largely attributable to the country's notoriously complex bureaucracy. Any American who has lived in France for an extended period of time can tell you stories about the long lines and grouchy fonctionnaires that awaited them when they went to get their carte de séjour, the document that most long-term visitors are required to obtain upon their arrival. (Not to worry, I'll have mine once I present an original copy of my birth certificate along with about 100 other documents - and even then, who really knows.)

The other constant thorn is my side is the apartment search. Paris is no dream town for those of us trying to live on a budget, particularly when it comes to the housing market. It's a constant push and pull between the size of the apartment and its location. So what's better: a (relatively) spacious two-bedroom place surrounded by Chinese food restaurants on the outskirts of town, or a cramped one-bedroom with no oven and a mini-fridge that is just steps away from cafés, bars and charming cobblestone streets? You tell me. Either way, it's going to be hard to leave my little haven in the Latin Quarter (see photos above).