Saturday, August 30, 2008

First Impressions

Good news! I have already met a fellow study-abroad student! Her name is Aarin, she's from Tacoma, WA, and she's doing the Smith College program. She was sitting next to me on our connecting flight from Copenhagen to Paris...small world! In any case, it made me feel heartened to meet another brave soul, venturing out into the wilds of Paris! Unfortunately my feeling of encouragement was swiftly followed by bashfulness at having dragged my maman along with me. I began to question myself: could I do it alone? How was I going to manage in this foreign city all by my lonesome?

Wherefore such (hopefully misguided) worry? Maybe it was due to the fact that it was 7am West Coast time and I had only had a few hours of uneasy, drug-induced sleep. Or perhaps the reality-aspect of my Parisian adventure was finally hitting me. This was not going to be all romantic autumn walks and delicious baguettes...this was starting a bank account, getting a cellphone, finding those ever-elusive French friends, and...taking classes?! Oh mon dieu! It didn't help that my French was a bit rusty after a summer of little practice.

On the other hand, the city is as beautiful as I remember, the parisians all seem to know that I'm American but speak to me in French anyway, and thus far I have encountered nothing but kindness. I've been drinking in the lovliness of Paris as eagerly as the cafe creme I had this morning (SO good omg!).

So, in conclusion, I'm anxious but excited. At least there are copious amounts of wine to ease my angoisse. Cheers!

Bisous,
Alice

4 comments:

David Laskin said...

OMG -- you're there and speaking French. Too too amazing. I'm sitting here with les chiens at my feet and my book ms running right behind this -- strange world. Details, please, more details: coffee - where? weather - good? Hotel room -- working out? Sights seen -- new? Paris -- crowded with Americans -- Germans -- French folks? Alors, you MUST write more -- presto! DOD

Leona Laskin said...

bienvenue a Paris. Ne derange toi tout sera fantastique.
Just keep on blogging. I print them all for Papa as he is a complete klutz when it comes to computers.
Here is LP it is magnifique comme tojours.
Nous t'embrasse
gugs and papa

tante suzie said...

Something is missing in Southern Cal...oh must be the ALICE vibe!!!
Surely Paris will get much livelier maintenant!

Avec amour tante Suzie

Unknown said...

Alice!!! You are gonna love France!!! I miss you!! ps. You took your MOM with you??? such and Amber move! I like it!