The end of orientation

I have arrived and finished my orientation week here in Paris. Things have been super hectic with the days just flying by. I've had to be at my school by 9am, which means waking up 2 hours early to get ready and have commuting time, and lasted until 5ish, after which I've had to try to find things for the apartment or some groceries, and by the time night rolls around the jet lag and exhaustion kept me from going out. I ate at a few cafes with my program (one dinner and one lunch) but didn't get out to own sans CEA until tonight! I had my last day of orientation today (after previous days of safety, culture stuff, shopping tips, and all sorts of info) and we talked about academics.

I'm actually pretty excited for my classes to start. I'm really looking forward to the fact that we don't have lectures for every single class, sometimes we go and do on-site classes. I'm especially looking forward to those in my architecture class. I'm also taking haute coture, and hopefully it won't matter that I don't know anything about fashion. Haha. As for my language classes, I'm doing intermediate French conversation for an elective, and somehow managed to test into Advanced French! Not gonna lie, I'm kind of nervous for that. I was just shooting for Intermediate II. I just really hope these aren't too difficult or homework-heavy because I want to definitely make sure I can get good grades, but of course I don't want to spend my 4 months here studying all the time! I didn't pay 10 grand to sit at a library all day. I'm pretty sure it'll be alright.



This week has been a tough one though. The jet lag, culture shock, non-stop orientation and missing everyone and thing back home has made for some really hard moments where I felt like taking my suitcase right back to where I came from. But how disappointing would that be?? I figure once classes start I'll get into a swing of things, will have more free time to actually explore Paris, and make more friends and travel (hopefully with those friends!). It's just waiting it out that gets hard now and again. Not to make myself sound really lame, but at least at home I could distract myself with the tv if I couldn't find anything to do for the night. Well here, there's a yearly 140 euro tax for anyone who owns a tv, so obviously we don't have one. Which, I'll admit, is a good thing. I didn't pay this kind of money to sit at an apartment in France and watch tv when I could have done that at home. Tonight I went out with some girls from the program and we found a good cafe for dinner and I had some great ravioli. One girl wasn't feeling so good so she didn't eat much of her pasta, and at the end our waiter guy didn't bill her for it because she didn't eat hardly any! Who says the French aren't nice?

I mean, at least some of them are.

Me and one of my roommates are just back from that dinner (they eat ridiculously late here, we didn't get there until about 9:45pm), but decided not to stay out with the other girls because the metro stops running between 12:30 and 1:30 and we didn't want to miss it- especially because I don't know how the night bus (or bus system in general) works yet. I need to investigate the buses though so that I can take that to class if it's rainy or really cold. I've been really lucky so far because the weather has been really decent. I'm scared for the rainy days in a city where everyone seems to walk everywhere!

Well that's all for now, I've hardly had a free minute to plan out any trips or what I want to do next week even, but I'm sure that will happen soon enough. I'll keep you updated.

My last night in Minnesota

Somehow, it is now August 26th, and I'm going to the airport so I can fly to France tomorrow. I'm really not sure how it's already time for me to go, but it's finally becoming real. Having to say goodbye to everyone has gotten harder, but with the wonderful invention of the internet I feel like I'll be able to stay well connected with everyone. I have email, AIM, and Skype! So you have no excuses for not keeping in touch.

Now I'm just sitting online, waiting to take a shower and am constantly racking my brain for things I may be forgetting.


I'll update you guys with the report on my apartment and neighborhood and all sorts of fun stuff once I arrive.

And I will now leave you with this picture of my winona roommates that I'm leaving behind.

Kim, Steph, Vicki, and me.

The countdown begins

Now that I'm actualizing one of my goals - to study abroad in France, it's time to work on a new one. I'm going to try extra hard to keep an up-to-date blog about my adventures, not only so I'll remember it, but to share it with those who want to keep track of me while I'm out of the country!

So to start things out, here's a list of how I'm spending my last days in the States:

August
Fri,10th: Work 12 hrs
Sat, 11th: Work 10 hours, Ridgedale after?
Sun, 12th: Work 8 hrs, Olive Garden with the parents for dinner
Mon, 13th: Work 10 hrs
Tue, 14th: Dentist appt, night fishing with the boyfriend? (get my housing assignment!)
Wed, 15th: Work picnic (last day of work!!), drive to Winona
Thurs, 16th: Leave for Chicago with Vicki
Fri, 17th: Apply for visa, ride bus home
Sat, 18th: no plans!
Sun, 19th: Back to Winona
Mon, 20th: Going away party in Winona
Tues, 21st: in Winona (maybe come home?)
Wed, 22nd: either leaving Winona or already home
Thurs, 23rd: no plans!
Fri, 24th: State fair with my momma
Sat, 25th: Winona for the day- housewarming/bon voyage party!
Sun, 26th: freak out and pack and repack a few times
Mon, 27th: Go to the airport and fly to Amsterdam
Tues, 28th: Fly to France and start my program!!

I have never in my life had my life planned out that specifically in advance before. At least, not that I can remember... Here's hoping all goes as planned!