Mel in France

I am going to share to you how I got my DFA authenticated "RED RIBBON" NSO Birth Certificate and Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR) while I'm here in France the tipid way.  If you are abroad, there is no  need to spend more on DFA  authentication express   service online and go through the hassle of preparing a Philippine Embassy authenticated SPA (Special Power of Attorney) for their authorized representative. T he fastest and cheapest way to obtain these documents is to have one of your immediate family members in the Philippines request or process it on your behalf. They can be your parents, siblings, partner, or children. In my case, my authorized representative is my sister. You just need to prepare two authorization letters, one for the Philippine Statistics Authority and one for the Department of Foreign Affairs. Below are the letter templates for your reference: Pls click the image to enlarge You must attach a photocopy of your va

I am writing based on my visa application experience with the hope that I might be able to help (mainly with regards to the document requirements) those who are going to apply for the same type of visa. Long-stay visa or visa de long séjour allows foreign nationals to enter and stay   in France for longer than three months and up to 1 year. I fall under the visitor (tourist) category because I will be staying in France for personal reasons.  I applied for this visa last June 2017 at the Embassy of France in Singapore as I was working there during that time.  Important: Kindly note that there are certain changes on the application process so please check the updated procedure at the Embassy of France in Singapore  website . DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS Here is the list of the documents I submitted: 1. Checklist of required documents ✎I have ticked each document  I attached. 2. Long stay visa form fully filled and signed. ✎I printed and manua

A year ago today, we welcomed our aquarium pets into our home, meet Loulou and All Black our goldfish. They have grown so much since last year and looking healthy and happy. AQUARIUM It's a 30-gallon natural planted tank without electrical pumps or filter.  Important: Never keep goldfish in a bowl. They  need a big tank and  enough room to swim around in order for them to grow properly. MAINTENANCE We vacuum the substrate and  change water ( aged water )  two to four times a month.  FOOD We feed them with pellets, flakes, veggies (boiled peas or spinach), or live food such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia. We give them different kinds of food to avoid digestion problems. We feed them once a day and they have a "diet day" (no feeding day) once a week.  We remove any uneaten food after feeding session to keep ammonia level under control. Uneaten food (as well as fish waste) produces ammonia  which is highly to

Aside from browsing the internet and watching online videos, I do create cute stuffs by hand. ARTS & CRAFTS or what we also call DIY (do-it-yourself) is my bestfriend nowadays. I find it relaxing and  it also keeps me occupied when I'm at home. I am on my happy place if I  am crafting and creating something nice and useful.  I make personalized cards, decorations, and more.  I do not spend money on my handicrafts because they are mostly from recyclable materials (like magazines, cartons, or empty jars) and I use things  that are readily available at home. SEWING is my newest hobby. I am still learning but  I am proud to be able to stitch a zip coin purse and transform some of my  old clothes into brand new creations . Well, thanks  to my  electric portable  sewing machine and  to  some inspiring video tutorials  online. I also discovered an outdoor hobby I didnt know I can do or I am good at when I moved here in France, that is gardening . It feel

Be ready for a big change! When  I made the decision to move to France in 2017, I was totally ready and happy to leave my life and work in Singapore. I was aware that I will be giving up the city life for the country life and that I will be transitioning from working to a stay-at-home partner. Although I know beforehand that I will be facing challenges when I move here, like for example the struggle with the French language, there are still things that I didn't know or exp ected when I finally settled here, but i t wasn’t necessarily bad .  So if you are moving to France antyime soon, here are the  important things you need to know or expect prior to moving: LEARN THE LANGUAGE SERIOUSLY . This is essential in your day-to-day life because not all French can speak English. People working in shops and restaurants are mostly French locals.  I used  Duolingo  when I started to learn French. There are actually a lot of other online resources out there for free, li

I have finally started my blog after years of putting it off! My name is Mel. I was born and raised in the Philippines but I have been living and working abroad for more than 10 years now. I am presently living in the south of France as I am now married to an amazing French man. My blogs will be about my life and experiences here in France and basically bits and pieces of interesting ideas, cute stories, food, arts & crafts, and more. I will also share my experiences (with tips!) on French paperworks and procedures mainly for Filipino spouses of French citizens living here in France. I am not an expert but I am willing to help especially those who are in a similar situation. That's it for now and I hope  you'll enjoy reading my future blogs. BONNE JOURNÉE!