Paris Paris Paris!

Well, here I am in Paris!!

I've been in Paris for a day and half now, and I am quickly adapting to this city. I absolutley LOVE the metro and public transporation -- it is so easy (except for when I was on it thsi morning at 8:30 with a thousand other people!).

I left San Francisco Wednesday morning...I left my house at 3:30 am! I had a long flight to Philadelphia, but it was made better because I was sitting next to these two older ladies who were a hoot to talk with! They had me explain my iPod to them, it was really funny. The flight frmo Philly to Paris wasn't as good. I swear, they must think that 6' tall people don't exist, because I sat down and my kness were already completely in the back of the person in front of me. And then he decided to put his seat back for the ENTIRE flight! So, I couldn't sleep very easily, and my knees hurt, and my little TV didn't work either. That didn't bother me as much, because I had just started a new book and ended up reading almost all of it on the flight.

I didn't end up doing much yesterday. I was picked up from the airport by the CEA people, and then taken to the CEA office for a little orientation, then was taken to my dorm. I am living at Cite Universitaire, Fondation des Etats-Unis at the International Cite Universitaire. It's a U.S. dorm that is surrounded by dorms from all other countries. The Argentinian dorm is right next door to mine. I live on the 4the floor, which I quickly found out is actually the 5th! floor because these use the "ground floor" instead of 1st floor here. Also, I found out that "si l'ancensuer ne marche pas" means I have a lot of walking to do to get to my room. I have my own room, and it's pretty spacious, and it opens up onto a balcony that overlooks Le Parc Montsouris...perfect for future study sessions :D I am right across the hall from Les Douches et le W.C. (showers and toilets to all of you non-French people). So, I spent the afternoon sort of exploring my neighborhood, and then I went back to my place and was going to read a little but ended up sleeping for three hours. It's alright, I definitely had no problem sleeping later that night either.

After taking my nap and trying to get over jetlag, I went to CEA office again (yay for metro!) for an "aparatif", or appetizers. I met some more people in my program, and we all went out to dinner together at a cute little bistro right across the street from Le Centre Pompidou, which is the coolest building. It is a sort of "modern art" which has all of its pipes and stuff outside the building, all different colors depending on what it means.

So, now today I am sitting in CEA, waiting to go to a "Parisian Lunch".

I have decided that I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE French food and food practices. I had a pain au chocolat this morning and it was AMAZING! And it only cost a Euro (aka, $1.60).

I have a few more days of orientation, and then I start classes at La Sorbonne next Thrusday. I am very excited for all of that to happen. My classes are only for a few hours a day, so my goal is to visit at least two "tourist" spots a week after my classes are done for the day.

Well, that's all there is for now. I will post with more info as soon as I can!!

---Lesley---
lltelford@gmail.com