From sports to bank accounts

This week has been a little more realistic...

We have been putting together life here a bit more.  Yesterday we opened a joint back account so that I can get the basics here like a cell phone, library card or gym membership.  Even the simplest of things needs to be connected to a bank account of sorts.  I guess it makes sense within a country which rarely uses credit.  So that got done yesterday... our debit cards should be coming in the mail any day now.

Also...my name is officially on the mailbox and my name will now appear on water, gas and electric bills! WOW... all that happened yesterday.  It was quite exciting to feel like I'm making this place a part of my own as well. 

Other than that we have been enjoying each others company from playing tennis, to biking/running together... I'll give you one guess as to who is doing the biking and who is doing the running...and we also checkout a gym near by...easily accessible by bus or bike.  I still need to see how that fits into the budget...but it was good to check out.  It was probably the nicest in the area but no larger than the gym at UB (if not smaller).  And the equipment was simple and gets the job done.  No American gym frills like your own personal TV on your elliptical...DARN.

On a foodie note: I tried this new couscous salad recipe.  It was suppose to be curried couscous salad... it turned out really good but i think it could have used MUCH more curry than called for in the recipe... either way it was delicious and Selim liked it too...he finished off the entire batch yesterday for dinner.

Moving on... the next few days will be raining.  I'm hoping to get some work done at home...

Also our friend JB has a friend in from out of the country... i think we will be meeting up with them today. 

Always trying to stay productive and improve my french everyday...more to come soon.

PS. on the way back from my bike ride yesterday I saw a mother holding her young daughter in a sitter position by a bush so that the little girl could pee... that is something which I don't think ill every get used to; the accepted act of children urinating in public.

oh Europe youre full of suprises...