Classes Today

This weekend, I was jogging around the Tour d'Eiffel....
And I literally, literally, ran into Emily, my old roommate from NYC. She was on a jog, too.
I mean, we knew we'd be in Paris the same time. That's why we were roommates. But it was still really weird to be on my normal run and see someone I actually KNOW!

Saturday we ate dinner at Paz's place in Gentilly (some little banlieu on the outskirts of Paris). Interesting town...
We went to some bars at the Bastille later on. This one Brazilian bar had some really great (but EXPENSIVE!) cocktails.
Brandon stayed over because we finished late.

Sunday some of the kids came over to finish our baguettes from the night before for a feast of a lunch. We ate a lot. Then we layed around my place and deliberated at how to rent a car for a weekend. Then we went out to see a movie, "Molière". Interesting, was in old French, didn't understand all of it. Grabbed pizza afterwards, and went to bed.

It's crazy...the kids I'm friends with here hang out with each other so often right now that we all feel like we've been living with each other for 3 years already or something. We're really close, but only have known each other for a few weeks. Great kids, though. I adore them.

Gotta go get ready for the first day of classes.

How Peculiar!

Yesterday was rather ridiculous.
I found myself in my apartment looking at my friend Peter (Scotland) in his underwear on my couch, eating dinner and drinking wine. Why so much class, you may ask? Peter called me to plan a night of me cooking chez moi for both of us. Then his fountain pen broke and ruined his jeans. So, we tried to wash them in the machine and let them dry on my radiator...but it took a lot longer than we thought it would.
And we got red wine all over my rug (stupid clumsy sober kids), which really sucks. But Peter had a system of getting it out, so let's hope it is successful.
After we scarfed down our Meringue puffs from my patisserie, Peter and I SOMEHOW managed to stumble upon something that may have been the most peculiar thing I've seen here yet. One of the public TV stations (N11?) was playing porn. Soft porn. On public television. It was probably THE WORST porn ever produced ever, too. Not only was it dubbed from some language like Spanish or Italian, but it was quite obviously fake! In every possible way. The moves were fake and they looked like they weren't even enjoying it. And then Peter and I realized we were watching and critiquing pornography, in which we immediately stopped.

Before Peter came over, I was at the Cité working on a project. Lorena (Peru) AND Nico (Italy) both ran into my on my way out. Lorena tried bullying me into going out with them all (a LOT of the exchange kids) to the Erasmus party. But because of Peter's pants, we were unable to attend. She's going to kill us.

Today was really busy and fun! It was the last day of our "stage d'integration" (AKA orientation), which means classes start on Monday but let's not think about that....so it was a sad day for my orientation group. Some (4-5) of us are being moved up to level 2, so we are being seperated. In celebration, our French coach brought us out of the classroom to go on a tour of St.Michel. We walked all around the older parts of the city with the super small passageways and miniscule squares with itty shops and whatnots. All around the 15th-17th century. We visited St.Germaine and St.Sulpice. And we also visited one of the original towers/walls of the medieval Parisian fortress! It was accompanied with interesting conversation, too. 2 hours of ancient buildings and french and really amazingly picturesque locations hidden in the core of Paris? Yes, please!

Afterwards some of us walked back to school about 30 minutes after our class normally ends. Normally I go out to lunch with Paz (NYU buddy), Rahul (Georgetown), and Peter (Scotland) after our classes let up at the same time, but I thought it was just a convenience-type occasion. I get back and notice (expectedly) that the guys aren't around the main hall, so I start talking with one of the Mexican girls in my class. Soon after, though, I get a text from Paz asking me where I was, and that they were waiting in the basemend for me to go eat lunch with them.

Now, the funny thing to me is that it means I'm part of the group. 3 guys, 1 girl. Which is ALWAYS (literally, no joke) the gender ratio with me and my close group of friend. In Massachusetts; in New York; and now, here. 3 guys, and me! ALWAYS! Granted, I love my boys. All of them. But my question is: Does god package boys in groups of 3 or something? Or is it just me?

So we went out to a cafe just a block away from school. It was a great ambience, slightly uber-flambouyant. I loved it. And the lunch was great! Sandwiches, as usual. Europe is all about sandwiches, I've realized. I eat more bread here than in America by far. Anyways, we popped a bottle of red wine and chit chatted. I noted the entire time how amazing I find it that I so quickly found my niche of 3.

After my other last class, where we gave a hilarious presentation (good job, us!), the guy in my class from Holland, Johannes (beautiful, yes. but taken), and I got to talking about joining the tour at the Louvre with some of the other exchange kids. I got roped into it.
So now I find myself in the Louvre with a group of exchange kids that I'm not familiar with, sans Johannes and Annalise (Australia). We have on headphones, and are listening to this woman in front of us speaking in complete (and FAST) French about the paintings and sculptures around us. We are walking around the museum in a huge cluster, trying SUPER HARD to grasp onto SOME, ANY French words that we can understand. Truly frustrating. And we didn't get very far in the tour, either.

The boys (yes, the 3) went to the Louvre independent of the group, and waited for me and Annalise & Johannes (and Ashley) to get dinner with. After much debating and pacing around, and deliberating, and grabbing a pint at Grolsch (for Johannes' Dutch roots), we finally chose to go to the Marais (Jewish-Gay Quarter) to this great little restaurant, Equinox. They put our large party in the cave (which is the basement, essentially....usually looks like a brick cave...lots of the old bars and restaurants here have places just like this). We bought 2 bottles of wine and spread it around the group. Entrées were delicious. My salmon was great. And the desserts were innovative. The dinner was a complete success. And we all enjoyed each other's company!
We plan on going to Annalise's sometime soon for vegemite toast. And we left each other with bises all around. And some good tipsy feelings.
I love bises (by which I mean kisses on the cheek). I think it really is a lot more affectionate and polite than waves or hugs or NOTHING at all. We must integrate this into normal everyday life always.

Pure Gluttony

The last few days have been a complete smorgasbord of food and slight agitation.

Saturday after my ridiculous run, I invited Lorena and Peter over to watch a few movies. Peter brought "Trainspotting" (appropriate, since it’s Scottish), and Lorena chose upon “The Prestige” (seen already by Peter and me). We had a good conversation afterwards, and they left for me to sleep.

Sunday was a gloomy day. Paris’ overall morale goes way down low on Sundays; everything is closed, everyone is recuperating from a rough Saturday night (sans moi), and it’s just an overall somber day. It didn’t help much that I’ve been craving certain people to hang out with right now who are in America. So, I was in a slightly downtrodden state.
I had to go to Cité to work on a project with my group. We met up at the Portugal House’s kitchen. I ended up making a French friend named Pierre as we talked about his luck in diplomatic jobs and how I only dream of such good fortune. We exchanged emails and mobiles and plan on getting together later to talk about it and perhaps throw a cooking fête. My group ended up accomplishing nothing.
I went for a walk around the Cité and realized how lovely and convenient it is. Everything and everyone is in good proximal distances. Social feeling. I am kind of sad that I am living all alone in the middle of the city with no human contact.
I ended up feeling so low that I concluded to go to the patisserie on my block and buy 2 desserts: Frasier & something like an almond custard pie. I ate them both. Alone. In my flat. Within an hour. Which ended up making me feel even worse about myself since it was completely contradictory to my attempts at weight loss.
Luckily my friend Nate went online (saved!) and we ended up having an intense and uplifting conversation. We sorted a lot of things up, and I think it’s put life, at least between us two, at a better place (for now at least). He’s such a wonderful person!

Monday was a long day at school. After classes, Peter and Rahul ended up joining me home for dinner. Lorena called and decided to tag along with us. We went to the store nearby and grabbed some items for a meal.
Before we started cooking, I insisted that I go on a jog while the boys watched “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and drank wine. The jog was to my normal Eiffel, but I was getting held up in traffic everywhere, so it was a bit over 35 minutes.
Rahul is a vegetarian due to Jainism, so I was responsible for the vegetarian dish (an eggplant, onion, and tomato sauce). Lorena helped out by working on the meat sauce for our pasta dish. She also made one of our two baguettes (the first was eaten by the boys) into garlic bread. And a bottle of red wine. DAMN, was that a lot of food!
But no, we weren’t done. I cut up some apples, brought out some crackers and the brie cheese we bought, and it was our dessert. We cleaned up shop completely. I cannot believe how much food I consumed!!!!!!
And the boys did the dishes, which was miraculously wonderful. And the dinner itself was great. I put on some jazz and we just chit chatted. A good night, overall. But so, so much food!!
Today, after discovering (much to my chagrin) that I’d have to repeat learning simple French grammar all over again, I asked my teacher about my French level, where he answered mostly that he was going to recommend me for the level higher than the one I’m in now. Thank god! Let’s hope that it comes through…I really really pray I will get in. I have to change around my schedule anyways (so I messed up…).
To compensate for the terrible foods I’ve eaten lately, I decided to keep my consumption on a very minimal level. I’m very hungry, but the idea is to shrink the old gizzard and I won’t have to gorge on food again.
I went with the class (but hung out with the kids) to the Cimetière Père Lachaise. Buried here are people like Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Proust, Oscar Wilde…..A LOT of dead people. The place is literally a City of the Dead! Tombs are overlapping, and towers scatter the plots with ample little chapels and mourning rooms. Massive burial site. It was fascinating to watch how people behave with graveyards. Normally, I am alright if pictures are taken in cemeteries, as long as they are out of respect for the dead and attempting artistictness. But for people to be eagerly taking pictures of tombstones of celebrities as if they were the real living beings…it was just bizarre. And people noticeably weren’t being respectful of the other burial chambers. I was almost tempted to ask tourists if they wanted me to take a picture of them smiling next to some dead person’s tomb, just so they could show their friends they were REALLY THERE! Really now, people. This is why I absolutely refuse to be buried and have a tombstone. Cremation.

Run Around

A quick note:
I was going to run TOWARDS the Cité (where a lot of foreign students live...kinda like dorming), thinking it was 2km away from me today.
I got very lost.
I ended up running for an hour.
BUT I found it!
I got home an hour later, very tired....
to find out that the place is really 4km away....
So! therefore, I ran around 8 km today....5 miles....
Normally I only run 4.5km or so...
I don't know whether to be proud of the run or pissed about getting lost.

Comment?

Let's see....it's been a super busy week! I haven't been home for more than a few hours, really...

Monday, orientation started. They put me in the beginner's French, which is completely ridiculous because I can hold a conversation in French! I was completely outraged, and I went to talk to the leader of the program who was talking to me, in French no less, and saying, "You're not in the medium level? You can hold a conversation with me an understand? This makes no sense....well, no matter, stay where you're put." I then find out that almost most of the class is in the same boat as me; where we are conversational in French, but being held back unexplicably. Luckily, we are the group with no homework to do, unlike Paz and all of my other friends who have presentations to do. A few days later things get slightly better, and we're told that we might be moved up a few levels. I sure hope so!
I am sick with a sinus infection. Be surprised.

Tuesday was fun. Classes slightly improved. The group of exchange kids went to the Restaurant Universitaire Mabillon, where I sat with my friends. The food looked pretty gross, but it was so cheap (2.75 E), how can one complain?! Lorena cut up Paz's chicken for him like a baby because he didn't like the look of it, and I laughed out loud hard enough that I had to stop myself for fear my nose'd fall off.
I came back for a run later at night to help me rid of my sickness. I ran to the Eiffel Tower (yeah, because I can do that here) and dodged traffic a bit. It's pretty amazing to just, on a whim, decide to run 10 minutes or so to international monument like that. Like it's no big thing.
I was going to say indoors at night because I felt really crumby, but Lorena persuaded me to end up with the other kids at Frog & Princess for student discounts. It is this little pub that holds maybe 50, but we managed about 80 kids in there at least. You literally had NO space. Arms down, didn't matter. No space. I stayed for an hour or two and left early to cough and sulk in bed.

Wednesday I met up with Brandon and we watched Auberge l'Espagnole. It was a pretty good movie, had more languages than the UN, and warned us of what is to come of our exchange experience. Apparently I'll run away from any normal job after my trip here in France...
We met up with Alex, Paz & Rahul after the movie. We concluded to go out for a falafel (after trudging about the Latin Quarter for something cheap, fast, and easy) and see the French movie "La Môme" about singer Edith Piaf's life (which was quite remarkable!). The accents were really hard to understand, so a lot of it didn't make sense at all. It took all 5 of us afterwards to put together the scenes and understand it more completely. But it was a very fun night with them all. Great kids, I love the people I'm studying with right now.
I helped Rahul clean his apartment afterwards (color me OCD).

Thursday, yesterday, after classes, we all went to Musée d'Orsay. It's this odd museum that was one a train station. The art ranges wildly, and the guys were complaining about the artwork the entire time. After a long (and slightly painful) trample through the museum, the guys and I went out for some pizza (imagine me eating pizza....it's rare).
Lorena called us up and told us to meet her at this club, The Mix. On Thursdays they have free entry for international students. We were in the beginning of the line, and the line by about 30 minutes into entering the place, it was mad chaos. Brazilian night, you know how it is. After forcing the guys on the dance floor for a good round of songs, we cruised out early because of morning classes. And just in time, too; the line was ridiculous.

Note: Yes, I have been eating out a lot. I have made a good group of friends here, namely men of course, who always want to go out and eat for lunch/dinner. Baguettes for lunch, something cheap for dinner. So much bread!

TODAY! After a long day of feeling like crap, and after somehow managing to offend the hot Dutch guy in my class, I bounced out around 5pm to meet up Dad's friend, Etienne, in the 3ème arrondissement.
Etienne owns his own perfume company/store. It has some pretty ridiculously named, and incredibly interesting-smelling, perfumes (14 total?). And he is one of the kindest men I have ever met in my life. He essentially told me that not only am I to hang out with his employee who's at Sciences Po fulltime, Juan, and his friends, but that I'm essentially a part of his family here. Need a dentist? Doctor? Need absolutely anything?!?! CALL HIM! And I will be eating with his family in a few weeks, perhaps getting drinks with them sometime. Stopping by whenever. He gave me free perfume. Amazing man. Adorable baby, too!
His assistant, Jerry (a girl), sampled the perfumes with me. Though I was mostly talking in French with them, she asked me to help her with her English. We both got drinks afterwards and talked in Franglish. We will be getting together later on to help her English. Wonderful girl, from Madagascar.
I then got stopped on the Métro by the RATP cops for having the "wrong papers". I got fined 35 Euros, and I'm still ripped about that.
I met up with the kids to go to a jazz club in some dive bar that MUST be from during the French Revolution, and I'm serious. Good music, good pina coladas, and good company. A good night overall.

And now, I sleep.

Catch Up So Far

Peter from Scotland (who gave me one of the most ridiculous drunk/wasted dials last night; where all he could really say was my name over and over again)

Raul from Mexico (happy-go-lucky fellow)

Lorena from Peru (amazing girl; i can't wait to go out with her)

I'm going to meet more today.

I've made a bank account here, now.

I've gotten completely lost around St.Germain de Près. And I have successfully found my school all of once.

Dublin, Ireland

It was a pretty crazy weekend. Ok, here it goes...

Wednesday
I got into Dublin and suddenly remembering that they "parlez anglais" in this country. It was wonderfully refreshing!

My old roommate Lauren met me at the bus stop from the airport, and greeted me at Trinity College. After browsing Dame Street quickly, we deliberated whether or not we should cough up 7 Euros to see the Book of Kells. We did. Those books are amazingly beautiful. They're some of the oldest Bible prints available, and they are wonderfully crafted. And then we snuck into a few of the college buildings before walking around the rest of the area.
We then toured around Grafton Street (shopping central) and found refuge from the cold in the indoor mall. This is where we stumbled upon, what but my favorite British treat, WAGAMAMA'S!!! We definitely ate there for dinner. Wasabi chocolate fudge cake all the way!

Lauren is a film student in a film program there. And their theme is music videos. So for one of her assignments, she asked me to be her character in the film. So, for about 3 hours in the middle of the evening I stood out in the freezing rain making a complete jackass of myself while dancing relentlessly and shamefully on the streets (and at some clubs) of Dublin. Lots of people stopped and stared. And it was quite apparent that I was on something. The song was Tower of Power's "What is Hip?". I was dressed up in one of the most ridiculous outfits we could conjure up. It was great. And now I have a 1-minute music video of my toolishness. It's pretty priceless, actually.

Lauren and I stayed up all night talking about life and boys, life, and our spiritual paths. We have a lot to do...

Thursday
The first two days were kinda dreary. Rainy, FREEZING!!!!!! It was not a great time to tour around the city, which is small anyways.
So I bumbled to and fro Dublin by myself while she was in classes.
I walked around Dame Street some more and took pictures of interesting buildings and old churches. I think I have some strange fascination with medieval history, because most of the places I was most interested in visiting were from pre-14th century. The newer it was, the less interested I was.
I viewed Christ Church and its 10th century ruins; I meandered over to some not-so-nice looking churches that I quickly turned away from. I hid out from the cold at Dublin Castle where I took a very intriguing tour. It so happens that the original medieval castle is underground and mostly in ruins, and I got to see a small portion of it. I then hid in a nearby French cafe and took some tea.
Lauren and I met up for lunch at Gruel and have a most exquisite meal.
We ate more food than I thought was humanly possible during my stay. Which made me feel like I should dedicate the rest of my life saving starving children in Ethiopia, since we were being SO gluttonous.
I love Lauren, she's a great girl, but when we get together? It's food, food, and food. Food. Everywhere. Can't believe myself right now.
SO MUCH CHOCOLATE!

Anyways, I tried to be courageous and take a gander at Liffey River quickly before hopping about Temple Bar (kind of like a Chelsea in NYC area). Lauren joined up with me later and we took a long brisk walk (to compensate for our indulgences) on the northern side of the city and cruised up O'Connell Street (the Broadway of Dublin) and back home in her super toasty apartment.

Friday
It became beautifully sunny and WARM! I was able to actually walk around without feeling miserable! So, I started the day with a much needed workout at Iveagh Fitness Club. Lovely place, super fancy.
I then went over to Stephen's Green and walked around Grafton Street once again. I went to the Museum of Irish History, where I saw many mummified Irishmen and Viking swords. It was a nice romantic adventure.
I walked across the city to go to the Guinness Storehouse just so I could say I have been there. The area wasn't that great, and the outside of Guinness was massive and inudstrial and a bit sad looking. I don't think I was supposed to walk around without paying, but I somehow managed to snoop all of the floors without paying. The inside was very nice, kind of a warehouse feel. I got to the top floor, Gravity Bar, where I saw a stunning panoramic view of Dublin, with mountains/hills in the distance. The walls were all glass... I then went down a few flights to another bar and grabbed a half pint of Guinness so you all would leave me alone about not trying things out and being all cliché.

A quick note: I went to Ireland to get away from the french, right? Well, I think god or someone was trying really hard to kick me in the face. I only MET french people there!!!!!!! At the Guiness factory, I went into one of the bars to be bombarded by a hoard (yes, a hoard) of French drunkards slaying the french national anthem.

Anywho...Lauren and I decided to go out on my last. We weren't feeling like doing much, but after gorging ourselves on both donners and oversized crèpes, we ended up going out to a club anyways.
Some guy gave us free tickets to a club across town, d two, so we went to see what it was all about.
We just wanted to dance. We drank our tap water (she was a bit sick, so drinking was a no no) and danced our heads off on the dance floor. We just wanted to dance.
And we did dance a bit. I went to get some more tap water, and a few drunk Scotsmen hit on me, and I laughingly shook my head and went on my merry way.

BUT THEN, oh Holy Moses...I get back to Lauren, and this duo of FRENCH GUYS FROM TOULOUSSE (I swear they were at least 30...) got all up in my grille. And I mean it. The shorter, more obnoxious of the two decided to take a liking towards me. I was making it quite clear, I thought, that I wasn't interested. And they didn't really speak English, by the way, so I had to attempt broken French to communicate with them. This guy had the worst dancing skills ever. And some even worse pickup lines. Over and over again, "You French is very good. Is excellent!" and "You are beautiful woman. I mean." Sure, ok.
Lauren didn't even try to help me out. I tried to imply that we were lesbians, but that didn't seem to translate very well.
Basically, I begged Lauren to leave. While we're leaving, Frenchy grabs my face and plunges right in. I am quite literally unable to pry him off. I'm not one to be terribly mean about things like this, but no, that was NOT OK. And it wasn't good, either. In fact, it was kind of really disgusting. Oh god, I needed a toothbrush after that.
Lauren thought it was hilarious. And it was, but BLAH!!!!!

After running away, we literally ran into a group of 3 more french guys! They were Parisian med students who were there with some rugby team. And after talking with them for about an hour or so, walking around with them, we exchanged numbers and emails and parted. As soon as Lauren and I get out of their hostel, though, we ran into 3 MORE french guys!!!!!

Lauren and I were laughing our heads off by the end of the night because of our sheer luck. And to seal the night off soundly, as we were trying to get into her flat, we heard (as if right next to us outside) the loud and slightly raunchy screams and groans of a couple having massive intercourse. I don't think I've laughed that hard in a while.

French Service

Today was one of the worst jogs of my life! Lots of pedestrians, lots of cars, and my jetlag just wiped me out. I ended up running up the rue de Vaugirard in complete silence and made it to the Jardin de Luxembourg (pic). I went for a jog in the park, where EVERY OTHER Parisian was running, too. It was pretty weird, to me. But it's pretty awesome to be able to run around landmarks so quickly. I was a bit excited about that.

I understand "French Service", now. I'm at the grocer's and they throw the plastic bags at you, and you bag it. It's just that they don't have time to do it for you. And they don't wanna do it, either.
Some guy was trying to be pleasant with me while in the grocer's while he tended to his children. I think he was commenting on me buying a tub of hummus. I just had to look at him stupidly, smile, and say "c'est hummus!" And I walked away upset and unable to warble in a petty 2 second conversation.

I walked home from the grocer's and looked behind me because someone was staring....and the Eiffel Tower was sparkling. Yup, I see that in my neighborhood. It was something that made me stop for a second in the mid of my frustration and be happy of where I was.

Dan called me up and invited me to meet up with his friend Sasha to go see a movie, "Paris je T'aime". It was a GREAT compilation of short stories with a power cast. And it was in FRANGLISH! Awesome! I highly recommend it! And Sasha was extremely nice, too.

Ahhhh Jetlag

Dan kept me awake until midnight, bless his soul.
We went out to get sushi near my place. I know, I know...eating Japanese with a Russian in France, while speaking english. Globalization. It's a bitch, huh?
He also made me get a pint at some pub nearby. Yay beer.

Then I feel asleep forever. 11.5 hours of sleep. I think I'm well rested.
But! I'm still tired. Jetlag, ain't it a bitch?

Today I fought with DSL for hours, got a french phone, and then went to the store again.

I met up with one of the mexican kids who's going to Sciences Po with me, Raul. We walked around Paris for a few hours, while I completely bastardized the french language and he patiently waded through it all with me. His apartment is adorable and in an interesting area (think Champs-Elysées).

Aside from concluding that my french really does truly suck, I talked with him for hours, and it got a bit easier. Now I'm waiting for a call from Ido so I can talk in broken english with someone and then crash.

Bienvenue À Paris!

So, it’s the first day in Paris.

The flight was 3 hours late, so Logan’s Terminal E and I became VERY well acquainted with each other. The flight was overall fine, except of course for the lack of elbowroom. The space next to me was empty, plus point. Minus point, the only movie available was Mission Impossible. The German guy sitting in my block was very pleasant and kept to himself, and I liked him right up to the very end when he started rolling himself a cigarette for the landing celebration.
Note: Having only 3 hours of sleep on a redeye really does make you have red eyes.
Getting off of the plane, I was exhausted, stressed out, and dehydrated. All I wanted to do was get into my shuttle van and get to my apartment. That sounds easy, right?
Nay, dear soldier. You must wait 30-45 minutes outside for the van that you never think will arrive. After having given into my thirst finally, the guy finally came. Good, I thought, I’m almost home.
And then we picked up 4 more passengers.
Not to mention the driver, this short Sri Lankan named Arshad, is trying to hold a completely French conversation with me. I’m laughing all the while because I cannot think in my own native tongue, let alone mingle in the French world coherently. We slowly drop off the other passengers from one Anglo hotel to the next. The last person I talked to was the only French person in the van. I’m the last person in the car.
Did I mention the driver doesn’t know how to navigate through Paris?
So he starts up the French conversation again with me. At first I am just chuckling because I’m not wholly sure what he’s saying and I’m not wholly sure what I’m trying to say but failing at miserably. Then I start chuckling because I realize that, though I’m completely jetlagged and not francophone in the SLIGHTEST bit, this driver is hitting on me. Am I just making this up in my head? Was it just the European kindness being taken too Americanly? Nope. He was asking me out to dinner on my first night in Paris. I said I couldn’t tonight. So he enthusiastically proposed another time soon, then. On the Champs-Elysées, peut-etre?
Thank goodness we reach my flat FINALLY. No matter, he encourages me to write down his mobile and told me to call him in the next day or so.
And that, my dear friends, is the first time Kim’s ever been asked out on a date by some strange man in the most awkward and yet amusing scenarios.

The apartment is adorable and great. So super convenient on the inside, and everything I need outside is only a block away: the metro, a grocery store, a boulangerie (where I get my bread), an infirmary, a police station….shall I continue? I’m very enthusiastic about this place.
My landlady took me in and showed me around before I showered and unpacked. Afterwards, I went out to the grocery store to begin stocking my kitchen with staple foods like Nutella, tea, eggs, bread, wine, and blah blah blah. Unfortunately, it’s going to take a while to get used to the stores here, and I couldn’t find everything I needed, and stumbled upon some disturbing substitutes.
I apparently emit an American aura or something because EVERYTONE has started speaking to me in English, slowing their speech, or just pointing to things that I may or may not need. And I’m really glad they’re doing all of it because I have no idea what on earth I’m doing. At all.
The grocery store is funny so far because they seemingly don’t encourage disposable bags, and it was my first experience buying a bottle of wine and a bottle of honey and slipping them into my purse after handing over my money. Now you know why the big bag is “à la mode” over here.
To stay awake, I strolled up Rue Vaugirard to get a sense of where I was and what was around for me to use. It’s a long road, and I didn’t have time or energy to scale the entire street, but it is just brimming with stores and cafés and other assorted joys. AND! this is the final week in Paris of huge store sales (up to 75%), so I’m going to fully exploit that once I have the ability to breathe and think straight.
While walking, I noticed that I felt severely watched. It came to my attention that the French apparently look at everyone they pass by. Kind of size them up, but briefly and ambivalently. This is very, very odd to me, if you consider New York is the EXACT OPPOSITE. I will have to get used to it, or get down to the meaning of it all.

Dan is coming over tonight to help me stay awake. I’m going to go eat some of the baguette I just bought (and it’s a multigrain one, too!). Ciao!

21 Hours...

Until I get back on a plane and shimmy over to Paris for the next 6 months!!!

On a scale of 1 - 20, I'm a 16.7.