Before moving to a new place, it’s a good idea to research the place that you plan to live. Positives vs. negatives, etc. The downside of research is that it can insert fear (or at least mild trepidation) where there previously was none. For this reason (plus my dislike of information overload), I usually operate in “research-lite” mode. I try to find out just enough information not to get myself killed and then leave the rest up to chance. And speaking as a former child charmed by the Indiana Jones era (minus the blatantly racist parts), I’m pretty sure that’s what Indy would do as well.

One of the things I found out in my lite research was that you would have to negotiate for taxis, AND people take taxis everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Gah! Negotiation is not my strong suit; numbers in French are confusing, and tourists are targets. For me, it’s a terrible triangle.

When initially looking at housing, I asked to find a place to rent near my university. I figured I could walk to work and avoid cabs at least half the time. However, according to my colleague who was helping me find housing (before I landed at the Villa), there were no good places to live near the university. Dommage.

Although I’m adaptable, taking cabs is not something I have done a lot in my life. When I lived in DC, I was too broke to take a cab, and cabs are not really common in any of the other places I’ve lived. I own a car, but in reality, I’m more of a person who prefers to walk, bike, or use public transportation….

So, upon arrival, one of the significant things that I was stressed about was mastering cab life. Luckily, the first day I arrived, I learned about a service called Yango, which is much like Uber (which also operates here, although not very well). They pick you up at your door and drop you off wherever you want to go, and you can pay by credit card online. I have never loved technology so much!

There are many other modes of transportation here, like mini-buses where everyone hops in and/or stands on the back bumper for a death-defying ride. The bus moves when it is full and not until then. I have also seen a few larger city-type buses here, and I’ve been confused about where they go and when. It would be the perfect place for an organized transit system, so maybe these buses are the beginning.

During one of my Yango rides, I asked the driver about the buses I’ve seen here. I asked him how to take them. His answer was, “You just get on.” Um, yup. I know that. Then I responded, “But how do you know where they are going? Is there a map or a schedule or something?” He laughed and told me, “A map? No. When you get on, you will know where they are going.” He said no more words.

I have become one with Yango, and I am delighted. Also, research is no substitute for figuring it out in real time.