Saturday, September 6, 2008

1st email, for those of you I missed.....sorry!

Good greif, I am here!!! It hasn't really sunk in, and as is obvious by my lack of communication things didn't go as planned. Missed the guy at the airport, not sure how that happened, but I did meet up with the other student. She is great, and we worked everything out together. Grabbed a random cab (she had 4 checked bags!!!) and my 2 plus my 2 carry on things, then got lost on the way to the school, at which point I tried to call but the phone is turned off until Sept 1 and I didn't have the calling card info with me at the point I was near a phone. I am SO SORRY for not being in touch sooner!!! I had to pick up the welcome packet that had the key to even access the internet before I could send this, and the wired connection isn't working (gotta get with Chad on that). But things are going very well and here's what I've learned so far:
-Chicago's airport has some very tacky decorations on the way from terminal B to C.
-Duty Free means you pick up your purchase from the gate BEFORE the flight takes off, not after it lands. And they don't like it if you make them call your last name 4 times and keep the plane waiting because you are clueless. :D hehe Oops.
-And then you survive the glares and the world is right.
-Never trade seats on the plane after you've secured the perfect window seat so that a family of 4 can sit together. The Asian lady in front of you will lean her seat back as far as she can the first chance she gets and won't put it up until she has to.
-And then you survive the flight and the world is right.
-It's very easy to follow the crowd through immigration to the baggage claim, esp since the entire airport is under construction and there's only One possibly direction to go.
-It's difficult to recognize other's suitcases that have been loaned to you, thank goodness for the bright orange 'heavy' tags!!!
-If you wander around looking clueless because the cab driver isn't there, the other student will recognize you.
-After an hour of waiting you realize it's ok to give up on the cab driver and get your own.
-The cab driver gets you to the school and you survive the ride.
-The school charges you 50 Euros for insurance, and then gives you your room keys.
-My room is on the 5th floor, the elevator only goes up to 4. I am going to be FIT when this is over!!! ;o)
-The room is a decent size, but I need a microwave if I'm going to survive. (see attached pics)
-It costs 3 Euros to take the train from my building to campus and back.
-I now have my school id and computer log-in so I can send this message!!
-We met Joelle Harris, and she gave us a brief run-down of campus, including where our first class will be on Monday and the requirement of dressing formally for the first day of class.
-There's a shopping center right when you get off the train at campus--and you bag your own groceries everywhere you go!!
-People hit on you in the super market in France. For Real!!! I have my first date lined up. hehe not really, but could have. And the ratio of men to women in the program is 3 to 1. Sorry mom, I might bring a frog home after all. ;o) Or all the sisters might move here. haha!!!
-Most importantly, I am going to survive this experience, and love nearly every minute of it.
It's quiet because not a lot of students are here yet, so it was nice to have a day to myself to acclimate without the craziness of having to deal with 300 students.
And I'm having dinner--red wine, morbier and a baguette. Won't be the usual by any means, but it's my first night in France, and I'm doing it right!!!!
I love you all very much. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement.

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