I got into Paris at around 630 this morning. It still hasn't really hit me that I'm here...not sure when it will. Sasha (my roommate) and I were even sitting in a cafe where she ordered in French and it still didn't really click. Probably by the time we start classes and get everything really going it'll finally happen.
Our room is small and the so-called "mezzanine" (or loft) is really just her bed lofted above mine. Still we've managed to fit everything and it's pretty cozy. Our hostess, Dany, is amazing. We went out to find coffee and came back to her having stowed our suitcases above the dresser things (still don't know what they're called) and she had completely remade my bed. She's also buying a new dresser thing because the one Sasha is using now is broken. Dany doesn't speak much English but having Sasha here, she's bilingual, is working out perfect. I, however, do want to learn as much of the language as I can. I'm sure between taking the class starting next week and being so emerged in the culture I'll pick up at least some of it quickly. I've really always wanted to be bilingual, especially in French.
I miss some things from home already; my most emotional goodbye was with my cat. I know, I know. But I miss some people too, you definitely know who you are. It's funny how things happen. But I mean really I'm only here for 5 months and 11 days (including Denmark) and I plan on making the very best of it...and then seeing how things stand when I get back. This place will be good for me. I was thinking about it while I unpacked and I think this is really 100% what I needed right now. I needed to get away and have some time to me and I mean where could I get that more then in a foreign country where I know VERY little of the language...perfect, right?
It was weird looking around because they have a lot of the same companies that we do...like Dominos, Hertz, and a couple otheres. Oh and of course McDonalds and KFC.
When I got off the plane I stood in line to get my passport checked for almost an hour I think and then went to get my luggage. I was really nervous that I would be missing one bag or another but thankfully they were both there. There were a couple other foreign students near me but not in the same program. After I went into the public area I had to wait for an hour or so before an ISA director found me. I figured I might as well stay in one place instead of searching for them while they looked for me. Two other students joined me and we waited a while for the shuttle. There were six of us to be dropped off so I think I was in the shuttle for an hour and a half or so...all I wanted was sleep. Either way it was nice to put some real faces to the names from facebook.
Once getting here Dany gave me coffee and bread and showed me the room. She works from home so she got to work while I unpacked and relaxed. It wasn't long before Sasha got here, it was nice to finally meet her and have someone to break the language barrier. I took a 2 hour nap to catch up on some sleep before we went on a walk. We found a small Cafe, Cafe Paris I think, where we had espresso and just got to know each other. Dany had dinner just about ready when we got back. It was salmon with veggies and rice with salad with her homemade dressing. I'll definitely be eating well here. Dessert was berries with whipped cream. There is another girl staying here, but she leaves in 2 weeks I think, she's from the northeast as well.
Sasha's cousin took us out to a street with bars and we each had a beer. Hello cute french boys :) it was a nice end to a very long day.
Bring on the orientations starting tomorrow...it's going to be a long week.
I set up skype for unlimited phone calls to the US so if you get a private call it's probably me :)
Au Revoir
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