Jour 1

I am finally in Paris after much travel and nervous waiting in airport terminals. I have become adept at reading signs and following the masses of people to the baggage claim area. Surprisingly, the traveling itself has been relatively painless.

My homestay happens to be in the heart of Paris, so I will be seeing the sights and hearing the sounds of the famous parts of the City of Lights every day. When I met up with my host mother, the Arc de Triomphe was a mere few feet away - quite breathtaking in its stature. Then we drove down the Champs Elysee, past the Louvre to the apartment. I was unprepared for the tiny elevator that only fit one person. It barely fit me, my backpack, and one of my suitcases. I guess I should have considered that when everyone was telling me that the buildings are old!

After being here for a few hours, it is all I can do not to go right to sleep. I've probably already done enough by taking a sieste for about an hour. I want to be prepared for our first day of orientation tomorrow, which means trying to remember as much French as possible with this swimming head of mine. Jet Lag is not for the faint of heart, my friends. I don't really know what day it is right now, but the clock tells me it is dimanche soir.

Well, I am still pinching myself as you might imagine. Paris is right outside the door! My next problem is trying to remember all the tips I've heard about travel and to keep my wits about me on the metro in the morning.