day two in paris

3/9/07 12:44 am paris time

I’m sitting at home (!!!) in probably the comfiest bed I’ve ever been in. I always thought I preferred firm beds, but this one is fluffy and I sink into it and I love it. My French mom has this comforter that just wraps around me and it is the best feeling in the world right now.

Oh, so I moved into my homestay…dur. I got here around 545 and because I thought I couldn’t fit into the elevator (3x3ft with 2 bags and a 2-foot backpack on? No way). So I lugged everything up 5 flights of stairs (or maybe 6) and knocked on what I thought was Mme. Jeanson’s door. Turns out not. It was these two old ladies who spoke French to me. I tried to explain that I was looking for Mme. Jeanson, but all I could say was “Madame Jeanson?” over and over. I’m sure i looked like a retard…but that’s not really any different than regular nicki, here or in the states.

Anyway, isabelle is really sweet. I have my own shower and I share the bathroom (ugh, that’s gonna be awk when I hafta poop). We have wi-fi (which she pronounced “wee-fee”). My building is absolutely gorgeous, as is my whole street. It’s filled with maybe 8-story buildings that have these cute curly black fences for balconies and…well I can’t really describe it. I’ll upload a picture to this post to show you.

We finally got out of fucking FIAP today. I understand now why the people at orientation at ucsb said it was the worst weekend of their life. But we already went into that yesterday.

We UC kids had a meeting today and the president/dean/some important guy from the school spoke. He was an absolute riot. He was talking about how we have to take it on ourselves to find out about the culture because the French aren’t interested in showing us around. He goes, “The French were happy before you came. They will be happy after you leave. They were crabby before you came. They will be crabby after you leave.” It freaked me out and made me really like the French at the same time.

I was freaked out because I haven’t done nearly enough research on this place (research=looking at travel books/websites/whatever crap aup and ucsb gave me). I’m gonna miss out if I don’t get on it soon, and I’m gonna have a list miles long of things that I wanted to do but never got around to.

This week I figure I’ll run around with my UC friends. I love them. I’ve met a bunch of great people already and we just clicked. Chris and I obviously did, then we met Maddie and Mallory on the plane, and they’re hilarious and the four of us get along really well. Then there’s Julia and Amalia and Kristen and and Ashley Jamie (who I owe euros for the cab!!) and lauren and a thousand other people who I cant’ remember because it’s 1 am and I’m tired as heck.

I ordered my first legal drink tonight! Some kinda beer at this English pub. It was really fun…soccer match on tv, loud guys around drinking beer, us hanging out and talking at a table. I just…I can drink here! It’s freakin me out still.

OHHHHH I SAW THE EIFFEL TOWER FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER TODAY! I thought I would get butterflies or feel something but it was just like…oh, there it is. Granted, I did only see it from the taxi. Tomorrow we’re gonna go have lunch on the lawn in front of the Eiffel tower and do some more tours and such.

Today was a thousand times better than yesterday…but I’m still not totally settled.