Now I am sitting in my new home in Paris (left). Finally. It was a long trip to get here but it was definitely worth it. Just look at the view (below)! I met some fellow America travelers at baggage claim who were pretty cool and we exchanged information. Always good to have people to party with! Three trains, a bus, 8 blocks of walking, and 8.5 euros later, I am home and can relax a bit before dinner.
Before I go any further, I want to bust the myth that French people are rude. I know I haven't been here very long, but everyone I asked for help was happy to give it to me. My french at this point isn't very good. I haven't practiced all summer and it shows. The good news is that the more I speak it the more it comes back to me, so maybe in a few weeks I will be decent enough to hold a good conversation. The family I will be staying with have an amazing house. It's three stories with a great backyard and a pool. A 14 year old kid greeted me at the door, gave me a tour of the house, and took me to get a 1 month bus/metro pass. It's been 2 hours and I already feel like his brother.
The metro system is very good here too! And now that I have a pass I should be able to move around the city with ease! I haven't actually seen any of the city yet except for my neighborhood and the train stations so I have nothing to report. BUT, my neighborhood is very homey and there are beautiful women everywhere. Now if I only knew how to flirt in french...
I just had dinner. It was pure home-cooked deliciousness. We ate skewered meat and vegetables with potatoes cooked in some special sauce, with a giant bread stick in the middle of the table for everyone to share. Just when I thought it was over, my Parisian mom brought out a bowl of crème caramel that almost made me cry. It's 8:30 and my stomach is in heaven. Hopefully I won't need it back by tomorrow. Just enough time left in the day to go grab a beer and check out the neighborhood some more! :)
Nice! Your Parisian family seems very welcoming. I remember the bread being amazing fresh, especially the croissants. Looking forward to hearing about your studies as well.
ReplyDeleteDrea
Thirty-something years ago, I was in Paris studying and living with a Parisian family who had a 14 year-old son. He's the one that taught me how to cuss in French!
ReplyDelete--DMN Metro Reader