Faire La Touriste

One of the great new things that happened since I last wrote was the realization that I am alright in French and will be able to get around. This came to me when I went to open a French bank account. This does not sound very difficult, but in fact, since I was the first one to inquire for a bank account, the banker did not know what to do with me. I was lucky enough to be able to communicate with her what I was and that there was an agreement with my program. I in turn was able to understand all that she told me about banking in France. They are so strange here. You pay to open the account and keep on paying monthly. There is no interest on savings and well, that is about all I can think of that is different, but still kind of funny.

At the end of the meeting I asked where I could buy hair ties and was so ecstatic to understand the directions that she gave me. Although, where she told me to go, there were no hair ties, but an excellent adventure ensued. I went first to a “magasin de beauté” and was looked at like a crazy person after asking for the “elastique,” the ladies just sort of stared at me and I know they were thinking, “zees gurl ees crazy, vat does she sink… hair ties and soap go togezer???” OK, well maybe not, but they did tell me to go down the street to Saphora and ask there. A few short steps later I find myself in the uber-chic Saphora, sweating and grungy, asking a man for the long seeked “elastique.” I guess I did not realize that I was in the perfume section, when I asked he said “stique, I have never heard of zis parfum, who ees eet by?” I explained to him what I was looking for and he sent me quickly upstairs to find bundles of hair ties that const 3euro for five, definitely out of my league of hair ties. Finally I walked into the heavenly Monoprix (I wish I could put the sound of angels singing as you read this, but I guess it is too soon) where I found everything I needed for the afternoon, shampoo, hair ties bread cheese, it was awesome.

So when the epic adventure was over I sat on a bench and ate my bread and cheese as people stared at me thinking, “What is she doing eating bread and cheese without a knife?” If had had the telekinetic powers, I would have told them that I have only just arrived, but I feel that even then there would be no sympathy.

That turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would, but oh well, reading is good for you. The last time I wrote I talked about going on a walking tour with a few girls. Well, this indeed happened. It was a Fat Tire Bike Tour Free Walking Tour and it was amazing. The tour guide was funny and pretty informational. I got to see all the big things to see in the center of Paris; Notre Dame, Le Pont Neuf, L’Institut Francaise (where 40 Frenchmen write the dictionary every year), and we ended at the Champs de Mars, which has an excellent view of La Tour Eiffel. It was so cool, the last times that I have been in Paris I did not really know that much about the history, but this time it seems like every little monument has meaning. This past year at University I took a class on the French Revolution and it is amazing how relevant all the places here are to historic events. The enlightening tour was about three and a half hours long and after having lugged my computer around with me for the last few days, suffice it to say that my back was a little sore.

I had gone on the tour with a few people from my hostel, so after as we walked back to the hostel we grabbed a bottle of rosé and drank it while sitting on the banks of the Seine. (How Danielle Steel-like).

When I finally got back to the hostel I decided it was time to go to the Cité Universitaire, where I will be staying for the next week or so. I packed up all my things and trust me; there are a lot of “things,” and trekked to the RER station. As I was walking I could see the people looking at me and imagining e falling over and being stuck like a turtle. Unfortunately for them this dream was never realized, although I was unsure of the situation as I approached the steps to the station. Luckily, as I was teetering at the top ready to just fall down the stairs hoping not to break anything a voice came to me. “Avez-vous besoin d’aide?” the mysterious voice demanded and before I knew it he was taking my bag down the stairs and I was thinking, “Oh my God, please don’t take my bag, please don’t take my bag!” and he didn’t; he simply waited for me at the bottom and I thanked him and he went on his way. I made it onto the train and could hear the fingers being pointed at me. Yes, I can hear these sorts of things; people in France wear a lot of leather. Just kidding, but I definitely heard one woman say she thought I would fall when the train started and after not falling, I looked over at her and said, “good thing I didn’t fall.” Oh boy, was I being witty!

I made it into the dorm and found out that my roommate is a girl from school that I know from the French Club, so all is good. I went back into town to have some dinner and finally crashed later that night.

Yesterday I went and got my first baguette, it was nice and baguette-like and very tasty. Sadly enough it broke in half in the transit from the boulangerie to my dorm, but it was still yummy. Elaine and I ate breakfast in the park and watched all the runners go by. Later that day, the group met with the MICEFA lady and the International Programs inbound coordinator for France. We saw where our classes will be held for the next few weeks and then went on a beautiful boat tour around Isle de la Cité. It was beautiful and the lighting was amazing for pictures. I would post some of them today, but I seem to have forgotten my camera cable. Note to Mom and Dad, could you look in my room for it and maybe send it to me? Pretty please? Anyhow, so this pretty much brings us up to date, and in only one and a half short pages. I hope everything is alright stateside; secretly I have always wanted to say that, stateside. I’ll talk to you soon.

-Kathy