Champs Elysees. Jet lag. The Eiffel Tower. L'Arc de Triomphe. Blonde Icelanders. Tunafiskasalmok. Trains. Dozens of trains. Empire State. Connecticut's ravenous insects. Broadway. Elk Grove. Cal Fit. The Fam. LA and the Valley. The big 2-5. It's been a long month. I'm exhausted and tickled just thinking about it. And it would seem that all of this would make for an exhausted American girl were it not for the fact that I've been prepping for this for SO LONG (middle and high school, college, books, amazon.fr, people, the french, cheap cheese) that it feels like it's always been leading to this. There is a smug sense of rightness and meant-to-be and accomplishment that is so permeating that although it's only been 3 days since I landed, it just feels like going off to college again. The culture shock hasn't set in and the language barrier although present doesn't appear to be insurmountable. Basically, I can't believe my good luck. Pour commencer...
Leaving JFK sucked. Again. And my phone died before I boarded the plane so if I said I would call you before takeoff and I didn't - that's what skype is for. Immediately the french blessings began and I sat next to Jean-Louis a 26 year old frenchman who answered my questions and also left me alone to sleep. I've heard horror stories of friends who took trans-atlantic flights only to be harassed by adjacent travelers who think the 11 hour flight is the equivalent of a date and try to take advantage of the dim lighting. Jean-Louis was no such traveler! And there wasn't even anyone in the middle seat so I kept to my window and he to his aisle. BON. Also I can't do math. Remember how I kept ranting about the 11 hour flight, the injustice, the dreariness! It was 5 hours to Iceland and 3 hours from there to Paris. Whoops?
Iceland is incredible. One of the most beautiful airports I've ever seen and even through sleep deprived eyes there's no mistaking the ridic geography. First of all the country has 300,000 people and half its population believes in elves. What's not to like, right? And after flying for 5 hours over only ocean you can suddenly see a speck of land that becomes bigger, until it grows into a coast and then an airport. The beauty of Reyjkevik airport is that while other airports on a coast take you inland several miles, over buildings, over beaches with people, over freeways, you fly maybe 1 mile over clear, lush, empty, green land and then hit the runway. It's literally right on the water. And the people! I've never seen so many natural blondes in my life! Good tuna fish sandwiches at 6:00 am/midnight/9pm. The connection is quick and I jump on the next plane within an hour.
I sleep off and on for the next 3 hours on the flight next to a dozing french couple and wake up, literally as we cross onto French land, the clouds part and I see the beaches of Normandy. WWII, PEOPLE! It's like history slapped me awake to give me a proper French welcome. Charles de Gaulle airport is high tech and faaancy and also terrifying. Jean-Louis is on my same plane again and we reunite in the baggage claim where he guides me through the labyrinth until his family finds him. The guy just finished a 6 month backpacking trip and one can only admire the dedication to stinkiness.
I grab a taxi with this awesome driver who navigates lanes like he's in Tijuana or at least snaking through NYC. He learned all his english from his passengers. He is awesome and also makes fun of me for saying I'm from California instead of saying America. (Parisians are a bit more worldly and so, don't give a shit really) We get along fine and it's here that I discover that I actually do speak a bit of French. I am awesome and he tells me so. We drive down Champs Elysees to my train station, him pointing out landmarks all the while. I lug my suitcases up 2 flights of stairs in the train station and treat myself to a decidedly french chocolate croissant. The train ride is quick and I get to listen to some North African women prattle on in French and whatever else it is they're speaking.
I jump off (read: slowly drag my suitcases full of dead body parts and bricks to the exit) and find my contact Frank waiting for me right on time! I love him immediately. He takes me to Brigitte's home along unbelievably quaint, old, rustic, beautiful streets and I'm witness to several adorable french girls who kiss each other goodbye on their walk home from school, on both cheeks. The family is incredibly hospitable and even allows me to sleep for 4 hours, leaving me to wake up and have dinner at 10:30pm. IT'S AMAZING. I won't bother describing all of it because it's just deliciously french and light. However I didn't expect that after all the courses (including crepes) my hope beyond hopes would be answered. After 45 minutes of eating by myself and talking to Brigitte (who had already eaten), she pulls out a plate from the fridge with TEN DIFFERENT CHEESES ON IT and tells me to help myself. They are literally piled on top of each other on this one plate, showing they do this ALL. THE. TIME. EVERY NIGHT EVEN! The bread that she brings with it is delicious and complementary and everything I've been imagining forever. The next night this same thing occurs but with a wine bottle from 1998, which apparently everyone has just lying around. If ever I had any doubts, they are silenced with camembert and a red Buzet.
I end up sleeping from 1am to 5am. I fall asleep just as the kids start to wake up for school around 7am and then don't rouse until 4:30 in the afternoon. I literally slept all of friday and woke up at 9am California time. Leading me to get a pitiful 3 hours of sleep friday night. Bleck. I woke up today at 9am after being up since 4am just to make sure I could sleep regularly tonight. Jet lag blows.
Finally, I just went to a catholic mass en francais wherein I understood the "Amens" and "Allelujahs".
Also also, the 2nd family I'm staying with now has an adorable cat called Minette, that reminds me of my childhood cat, Kitty, only Minette speaks French.
Alors, I'm really excited and cannot WAIT to move into my living quarters on the school campus and finally freaking unpack after 3 weeks on the road. Le siiiiigh! Hopefully only incredibly french and exciting things are to come <3
