Les Premiers Jours (The First Days)

Bonjour à tous! I am writing here from France! Finally!! It has been an overwhelming yet amazing first few days here. I suppose everyone wants to know the details of my life so far since I have been here. So here goes the long story of the past few days…

Thursday (the day of departure): As many know I am a last minute packer…this time was no different!! I was running around Thursday morning like a crazy person trying to make all my stuff fit into my big suitcase, my carry-on, and my backpack. This was quite the adventure. It turns out I have too much stuff (and now that I am here, I still have too much stuff)! I reduced as much as I thought I could. Put stuff into my big bag (only two pounds over), fit more stuff into my carry-on/backpack and continued to rearrange until Katie came to pick me up. I’m sure she thinks I’m crazy for not just checking a second bag, but who wants to drag 3 bags through a foreign airport/metro or pay an extra $100 for that second checked bag (NOT ME)!! After Katie picked me up we stopped for my last meal in the U.S.; Village Inn…I know, I know, I could have done better. But it was lunch time on a Friday afternoon, who knows how busy other places could have been. After a tearful goodbye, I got all checked in, got through security, and waited to get on the plane. The plane ride itself wasn’t the worst thing ever, however if I ever have the money I would much rather do international flights in first class, they had beds (I was jealous). Delta takes very good care of its customers on international flights. They brought around water every half hour/hour, a decent dinner (chicken and vegetables, a roll, crackers w/cheese, a brownie), a snack (a sandwich with cookies), and a breakfast (croissant, yogurt, cheese, and orange juice). Plus the in-flight entertainment included new release movies instead of older ones. I basically watched movies the whole flight (Pitch Perfect 2, Inside Out, a French movie Un Peu Beaucoup Aveulgément (Blind Date), Sleepless in Seattle, and Big Hero 6. I really only slept during Sleepless in Seattle, probably because I’ve seen it a million times (I love that movie)!

 Goodbye Salt Lake City!

 View of "economy class"

Somewhere over the United States

Friday (day of arrival): Well after about a 8 ½-9 hour flight (we had a good tailwind, so we got in early) I finally arrived in France. I want to get a good picture of Paris from the sky, however it was cloudy and CDG is kind of far from Paris (I didn’t realize that). Once we got to the gate I had to find my way through the airport to get through customs (and stop in normal bathroom – I’m so not a fan of plan bathrooms). At customs the line moved pretty quickly, I swear the lady who stamped my passport didn’t even look at it or me; much less strict than the U.S. After getting through customs I had to find my bag. By the time I figured out where my baggage was it was one of the last bags there…I wondered how many people checked bags, or were continuing on and didn’t need to pick their up yet…I’m glad it was still there. I grabbed it and rearranged a few things, so I didn’t have so much in my backpack. Then I started to follow the signs to the RER (the fast train into Paris). Let me tell you, dragging ~100lbs worth of luggage around is quite the workout; I’m still kind of sore! Once I found the train I went to buy a ticket. Just so everyone knows, if your card doesn’t have a pin-and-chip it doesn’t really work in automated ticket things. So I had to go find the people who sell tickets. Finally I got that and hopped onto the train. There were two different trains, one that made less stops and one that stopped at every stop possible…I of course hopped onto the one that makes all the stops…I hugged my bags close and prayed that no one would want all my clothes! About 45 minutes later I made it to my stop at Jardin de Luxembourg which is in the 5^th arrondisememnt. I lugged my stuff up the escalator and waited. My new roommate, Isabelle, was going to meet me there, I beat her! It took awhile, but I finally figure out how to call a number in another country, gave her a ring, and she told me she was almost there. While I waited I watched the people! It was very interesting. People were walking everywhere, eating while walking, sitting and eating, a nice lady asked if I was lost (I said not yet). When Isabelle arrived, we hopped on a bus to take us closer to the apartment, then walked a shorter way to the building. Now Isabelle lives on the 6^th floor (7^th in the U.S. in France the ground floor is not counted as a floor), thankfully there is a little elevator so I did not have to drag those suitcases up all of the stairs. After dropping of my things and freshening up a bit we went out, Isabelle showed  me around the neighborhood (I still cannot remember how to get anywhere though) and we got “lunch” at a little kebab place, it was really good! Then we came back to the apartment where I took a 4 hour nap (oops jet lag caught up to me). After my nap Isabelle whipped up some dinner (chicken and pasta with a cream sauce). She had some mushrooms in the sauce…I ate a couple just to say I had some (I told her I wasn’t a fan). After dinner I got ready for bed and went back to sleep.

 The little tiny "W.C." Really just a tiny closet with the toilet.

 Bathroom (shower/sink)

 My window

 My room. Don't worry, the couch rolls out into a full size bed!

 Hallway from my room (the front door is right by the light switch).

 Dining area (kitchen is to the left and Isabelle's room to the right)

The kitchen! A little small, but it works great! Yes that is a tiny fridge, and a washer/dryer in one! (Bathroom and W.C are to the left)

Saturday (first full day): I really slept in on Saturday. I think until about 10am. Then I took another long time to get up and moving. The shower here is very different. Instead of being on the wall it is one that you pick up and move around, however it just hangs over the handles…it was strange to me. Also the toilet is in a tiny little room off to the side, it is literally a water closet…there is room for you and the toilet…After I got ready and Isabelle arrived home we ventured out again; this time in search of a temporary SIM card for my phone. After 2 tabacs (bar/cigarette/lottery stores) we found one. Then we had to figure out how to open the SIM card are and get the card trimmed to fit. Then we stuck it in…well apparently my phone was not wanting to work with that. So we started to head back to the apartment so I could fuss with it. On the way back we stopped into a couple different stores to try and find a little table for my room. We found on at a little shop that Isabelle knew the owner; she haggled to get a lower price, I’ve never done that before! Once home I fussed with the phone card and still had issues so I gave up and went to the supermarché to buy a few groceries for dinner and for breakfast. I bought a little loaf of bread for a sandwich; Isabelle made fun of me. She shook her head and said “why would you buy that at the supermarket and not the bakery…” I told her “it was too far and I was tired.” The bread tasted better than any baguette that you can buy in the U.S. When I got home from the store Isabelle invited me to walk along the Seine with her and a friend. There is a outdoor market on the weekends, along the river near Notre Dame. I tried goat cheese for the first time…not my favorite. I also had my first crepe with nutella there as well. We walked along the river and back next to the Notre Dame; then did a little window shopping. We stopped in a little candy store and they had some delicious samples. Chocolate here is way better than in the U.S. After that I skpyed with my parents; they helped me realize that I never activated the SIM card. Plus I had to plug it into iTunes to fully update everything…Unfortunately when I was restoring my phone, I did not restore it from the iCloud (where I had backed my phone up to that morning)…so I lost a couple photos (don’t fret though I will take more). I’m just glad that I have a local number and that everything is working as it should now. I then went to bed. I was tired!!

Sunday: I woke up and Isabelle took me to church!! Hahaha. She rode on the bus with me and made sure I arrived safely (she is seriously so nice and helpful). Along the way we were trying to figure out where I was headed after church. I was headed to visit my contact from my Lycée for lunch, Nicole. Well we didn’t quite have time to figure that all out (the bus ride to the church was fairly short). Today was stake conference and they were having technical difficulties getting the broadcast started, while waiting Isabelle came in and gave me list of directions to Nicole’s (seriously, so nice). They finally got the broadcast up and running, I only got to listen to one talk, before I had to leave for Nicole’s…thus begins my first real experience in the Paris metro. I had several transfers on the way out to Puteaux. I don’t think I ever realized the maze that is involved in a metro. Thank goodness for signs. I went from Hôtel-de-Ville to Chatlet to Gare-de-Saint-Lazare where I had to transfer to a train (SNCF) to Puteaux. There were so many different trains that I had to go ask the information office which one to take. I finally figure it out and was on my way to Nicole’s. Once I arrived in Puteaux I caught my first glimpse of the Effile Tower. It was beautiful just rising up over the city. I had to snap a photo. I then had to walk (did I mention there is so much walking here?) down to Nicole’s. Nicole was very nice. She has been helping me figure out everything I needed this past month and a half, it was nice to finally meet her! They had prepared a very nice lunch! There was so much food. We started with an appetizer of a tomato, basil, mozzarella and some little meats and some bread. Then we had the main course; rooster (that is right rooster), vegetables, and more bread. Next we had some cheese and bread, more goat cheese (still not a fan) and some Swiss cheese I think. Lastly we had desert; chocolate cake with strawberries and vanilla cream, and a macaroon. I was so full by the end! Then we went on a walk to the Parc de Bagtelle in Neuilly-sur-Seine. It was very beautiful; lots of different gardens and a little chateau. While walking we talked about some of the things that I can teach to my students as well as my teaching methods. It was really fun. I then retraced my steps back through Paris and finally made it home!

 La Tour d'Eiffel

 Hotel de Ville - Paris

 Waiting for the bus! It was so weird taking a bus/metro/train on a Sunday!

Pond at Parc de Bagtelle

Monday: Today I woke up early and went with Isabelle to Lycee Pasteur. We took the metro, where I got my weekly pass (I will get a month one, once the new month starts. You have to pay for the month you get it in, it is not a month long pass). It was pretty quick to get there, only one transfer (compared to the 3 or 4 I did yesterday). At the lycee I met a bunch of the teachers and administration. The school is very nice and very large!! I went up to Nicole's class and met some of my future students!! She had me introduce myself and I hung out for the class period. Nicole had me read some things to the students and help them a little with pronunciation. The students here are very much the same as in the U.S...chatting during transitions or while they are supposed to be working etc. Nicole had me tell them how much it costs to go to University in the U.S. I think some of the kids about died! It is such a difference between the two countries! 

 Lycee Pasteur

A church along the way to the Lycee from the metro.

Now I am back home typing up this blog post! I should probably go finish unpacking and get my things organized to go open a bank account so I can get a good phone plan. I start teaching on 1 October! So I will also be exploring a bit of Paris the next week and a half!!

À beintôt!!