Today I began the process of getting a changement de résidence, which is official permission to stay in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The first stop was at the Hôtel de Ville, which is no more than a block away from the Château. At times, the process seemed cliché: forms were created; others were asked for. Forms had to be photocopied; everyone required at least one stamping, if only the word “copy.” Occasionally, the person helping me would have to take some of my paperwork to the back room. Sometimes she would not know how to translate a particular French word into English for me; some of them I could understand anyway; others, she had to try in German or Italian until I understood. Near the end of the process, she laughed and said “I do not know what language to speak now!” and started laughing. I left with the next set of forms.

I also had a physical because it is required, and I had to wire 50€ to the ministry of foreign affairs. The doctor’s office is also very close to the Château, maybe two blocks away. I made the appointment this morning, and there was an opening in the afternoon. Amazingly, I did not have to wait to see the doctor. Just as I was about to sit down in the waiting room, the doctor came out to fetch me. (tip for anyone looking for the doctors’ offices: the entrance looks like you’re going into an apartment building—and I think you are—but the second floor is businesses including the doctors).

There are many clusters of multicolored rowhouses in Differdange. I really like the colors chosen.

At the supermarket, I discovered that capsule coffee is very popular here. Most of the coffee on the shelves was one brand or another of capsules. One caught my eye:

Curiously, the company seems to be based in Florida. The main web site doesn’t seem to mention the espresso version of the capsules. This one page site in Belgium does list the espressos; in fact, that’s all it mentions.

I need to sign off now. Tomorrow is going to be a full day of meetings, including a trip to Luxembourg city, where most of the students will live.