Waking up in Paris!

Hello everyone!

Well, today is my first day waking up in Paris. I plan to take it relatively easy today since I start work early tomorrow morning...and apparently most stores are closed on Sundays (and Mondays).

Yesterday was a great start to my journey. I managed to get my duffel bag, two suitcases larger than myself, and a tote bag to a taxi. Luckily my taxi driver was nice and helped me find my apartment (not an easy task since it's down an alley between buildings), and he even called my roommate when the code to the apartment wouldn't work. Even more fortunate, my roommate, Ben, answered his phone at 7 a.m. and helped me lug my bags to the 5th floor.

After a 4-hour nap (love that jet lag!), Ben took me to brunch and on a tour of the neighborhood. I ate a lot of bread and brie - soooo goood!! We are incredibly centrally located. There is a clothing store literally next door to the apartment. A supermarket, pharmacie, metro, even a Sephora, are all within a 1-2 block walk. Apparently, our street, Rue St. Denis, is also one of the streets most known in Paris for prostitution. It's very safe, just very colorful! Ben helped me buy a hair dryer and a cell phone, then I took myself grocery shopping. Of course I bought more bread and cheese.

My french is starting to come back to me a little...I can read it well, and I can put together sentences. But understanding it is pas facile (not easy)! They speak so fast! I definitely have a lot to learn.

Last night, we went to la cinema and watched a British movie with french subtitles. I declined a party since the jet lag was taking over...but I have to say it was a pretty busy and successful first day!

AND, so far the french people have been pretty nice.

Highlight of the day: When two American girls stopped me on the street to ask me, "Ou est la cafe?" I told them I was American as well, and had just arrived, but I had a wonderful brunch at a cafe down the street. Either I am blending in or their subconsciouses recognized an American!