Tour Eiffel!

I am proud to report that I MADE IT TO THE EIFFEL TOWER AND BACK ALIVE TODAY! ALONE! 

I was given intructions as to which stops on the metro I could take to switch trains and all that, so this morning I woke up, packed a lunch, and went out adventuring! 

I was so determined for today to go well that I didn’t think about being scared, just about getting there, and for the most part it worked. It didn’t even take that long to get there even though it looked very far away on my little metro map. My instructions were to change trains at a certain point, then get off and “follow the tourists” until I found the Eiffel Tower, and it was pretty easy! When I got there I walked for about an hour around the tower. It occured to me that I am pretty sure the only reason I found it an attractive peice of achitexture was because everyone always makes such a big deal out of it hahah. All around me were familes speaking different languages and people trying to sell selfie sticks and mini Eiffel Tower replicas to the tourists. 

After walking around for a while, I went to a patch of shaded grass by some flowers to eat the sandwhich and apple I had packed. Only then did it occur to me how amazing it would be to have anyone I knew there with me. Anyone. I just wanted to talk to somebody about how beautiful it was there, or laugh about something, or have somebody to smile at. I had brought a journal I have been writing in with me, and wrote a little and even tried to sketch the scene (hahaha it is terrible but whatever). I made myself feel better by telling myself that someday, I will show that place to the people I love, and it will be beautiful for them and even more beautiful for me, because I will have someone to share it with. 

The way home was kind of difficult for a couple minutes because I used one of my tickets to enter the metro, and then all of a sudden I didn’t know where I was. I went over to look at a map, and a man came up to me trying to speak to me in English. He looked very creepy so I ran out of the metro station. Outside the metro station, I got out my map and found where I needed to be and it turned out I had been in the right place all along! So I had to use another ticket to get back in and then get on my train. When I got back on the train, I sat across from an older lady who ACTUALLY SMILED WHEN WE MADE EYE CONTACT. It felt so nice to be smiled at, even if it was just a little one. :)

When I was almost home, I heard a young man ask another man in Spanish if he was on the right train to get to a certain place. I remembered from looking at my map that he was not on the right train, and since the other man didn’t really speak Spanish, I intructed him on where he should go and how he can make sure he is on the right train next time. Helping out other people always feels good! Especially in Spanish!! :)

 

 

A glimpse inside a metro train.

Me arriving at the Eiffel Tower!

The fountains where a lot of people were wading around in front of the Eiffel Tower. 

The view from where I ate my lunch. 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed hearing about today! I think the reason I am so happy that I went to the Eiffel Tower is that I proved to myself that I can go to places I have never been to in a big city alone and be okay. Soon I will have friends to travel with, but until then I will be okay finding new places and I will not be bored because I know how to get around well enough right now and I will get better at it every day. For this actually is only my first week here! 

My House and Little City

This afternoon, Magui came and picked me up at the house to take me to her house for lunch. He dauter, Jade, wanted to come with her to pick me up because she likes me! Eating lunch with Magui’s family was fun because I got to speak some Spanish for a few hours, and the meal we ate (just chicken and tomatoes) reminded me a lot of Chile. After lunch, Magui put Jade down for a nap and took me with her to go to a shopping center to pick out some things for Jade’s birthday. Magui thought it would be helpful if she showed me where I could buy things, and she was very right! She pointed out little busses I could take to get places and even where there is a swimming pool and a skating rink. She also showed me where there is a big park that I could run in, but she says I have to be careful there because it is kind of a sketchy park. I am discovering that just about everything in cities are sketchy, and you just have to be as careful as you can but not let it ruin your good mood. 

After showing me around, Magui dropped me off at home and I walked Eden and cooled down a bit. It is 90 degrees here today, but it feels very hot becuase the air here feels thicker and also, the weather is always changing! Just two days ago it was raining all day long! 

I decided it would be a good day to take the Metro for the first time alone, so I practiced going to the Metro stop that I will have to take when I pick up Prune from school. I decided to test my anxious ways, and instead of taking the Metro back to the house after I arrived, I walked around the city until I found my way home. I had to calm myself from worrying about little things, and keep reassuring myself that I was capable of what I was doing, and eventually I found my way back to the house! I took pictures of my city along the way, and when I got home I took some pictures of the house so that all of you could know what it looks like! 

View of the street from Magui’s apartment. 

Metro station near my house.

Wowwww. TREES. 

Casually lost in Asnieres!

 

My Bathroom

 

 

                                                                  

 

My Bedroom

Living Room                                                               

 

Family Room

Dinner Table

The House (from across the street) 

 

So now you have an idea of what my life here looks like.

I got to talk to Caleb on the phone last night, and it made me feel extremely happy. It felt nice to tell him all about my life here and how nice it will be to hug him again in a year. I told him that if he is here, people will think he is crazy because of how much he smiles hahah. :)

I am not having that much trouble being alone in the house. It isn’t scary because this house has a lot of security things and a dog. I would like to get used to living here as soon as I can, and make friends as soon as I get the chance. I am focusing on staying positive and learning as much as I can about French culture and, well, French too! 

Tomorrow is my big day where I go to Paris alone for the first time to have a picnic by the Eiffel tower! 

Wish me luck, everyone! :)

 

Parks With Prunette

This morning I woke up to the padding of little feet on the stairway. Prune was home for the first time with me at the house! When I got up, Fred’s mom, Mari, had stayed the night in the guest room and Fred and Cecile were at work. It was a little bit difficult for Mari and I to communicate, for she speaks little English and I speak little French, but I would say we got along quite well! She is a very sweet woman and Prune seems to absolutely adore her. 

At about noon, Prune’s friend Chaud came over with her mom, Magui. Magui is originally from Mexico, so we coule communicate in Spanish and it felt very nice to speak in Spanish for a little bit. We talked about how I don’t want to be alone this weekend, and she invited me over for lunch at her house tomorrow! Prune and Chaud played for awhile before it was time to go home. 

When Magui and Chaud had left, Mari, Prune, Eden (the dog) and I all took a walk to the park. At the park, I met a woman who had been a Rotary exchange student to Minnesota when she was younger! She was very happy to meet me and speak in English for a few minutes, and she gave me her phone number so that I could have her as another contact in France. People in the US often say that the French don’t like it when you can’t speak French, but I have not found that to be true. If you are nice, they like to practice English and help however they can, and I am grateful for that. 

When we got home from the park, Mari made lunch and we all ate together at the table. Prune began to get cranky during the end of lunch, so we took her to her bed to take a nap. Mari insisted that I also take a nap because I am still so tired from the time change. After about an hour, Cecile came home from work for a couple hours so that she could take me to the supermarket to buy food for the weekend that I would be alone in the house. We walked around the supermarket and she pointed out all of the things that were very typical French foods. 

When we got home, Cecile had to rush off to work and Mari had to take a train back to her house, so I was left alone with Prune who was still asleep. When Prune woke up, I took her to the park again with Eden in hopes of letting her release a bit of energy. She played tag with other children and I had a conversation with a mom who had been an au pair in Ireland. When we got home from the park, I took Prune upstairs to take a bath. I put bubbles in her bath and she played with all of her bathtub toys while I sang her songs in English as she tried to sing along. She was very splashy, but watching her be so entertained by such little things was very amusing! 

After the bath she pretended to be a cook who was making me meals in her tiny play kitchen. We played that game until Cecile got home and began to play with us! It was very cute and Prune is a very careful chef who wants to do everything right!

Cecile was in a hurry to pack her bags for their trip to the south of France, so I made Prune and I some dinner and then cleaned up while Cecile got everything ready. Prune was sad that I wasn’t coming with her, and Cecile was worried because she wanted to make sure I would feel safe at the house during the weekend. She left me in charge of feeding and walking the dog while they are gone, and I am grateful to have things to do even if they are small. 

After Cecile and Prune left for the train station, I called my mom on the phone as I walked Eden. Talking to my mom made me cry because she is such a good listener and probably understands what I am going through more than anyone, for she did it too and she knows me very well. She told me to focus on the good things that I have here, becuase I am strong and if I try very hard, I will be able to get through this while having a wonderful time. She is right, but it is easier said then done. Still, I will try my best.

Its so strange to me that I am homesick because I never was in Chile, and I think its because I have changed and learned to love home so much after a year abroad. Every day I am going to get more used to being in France, and every day I will speak a little more French and get closer to the family I live with. Every month I will meet more people and the days will pass by faster, maybe even faster then I will want them to. I know that this year I will grow and become trilingual, and that I am living my dream even though I have been rejecting that fact with my entire soul for the past week. I will be happy here and I will laugh and smile and make memories and friends that I will never forget. 

Before writing this blog entry, I was in the living room watching a movie when one awful thing happened, and then one great thing. The awful thing was that a gigantic spider was all of a sudden sitting in the middle of the living room. He is now under a bowl and will stay there for the rest of the weekend. The great thing was that Marine, one of my moms friends from her time as an au pair, invited me to spend the night at her house in Lille tomorrow night. I can’t go because I have to take care of the dog, but it felt very nice to have someone reach out to me so directly.

I am going to try to fall asleep now, with hope in my heart and a positive attitude. Goodnight California, and goodnight France!

Meeting Prunette

I am so exhausted! 

Today I got up at 9am to go to Paris with Cecile. We took the Metro to a train station so that Cecile could purchase my Metro pass that will allow me to travel around Paris whenever I want. I didn’t understand what Cecile was saying to the people we were trying to buy the pass from, but it all sounded like nothing was working out. French is very monotone and it is hard for me to tell when people are being nice and when they are angry! It turns out that the people at the train station were being extremely friendly, and that they gave Cecile a great deal on my pass because I had such a nice smile! Cecile says we were lucky because usually the people there are grumpy and you have to wait in line forever. 

After getting the pass, we took the Metro to the place I will go to language school each morning. Everything was going pretty well until we found out that we had signed up to late so I won’t be able to take classes until September 21st! Upon hearing this I was very worried because I was afraid of not being busy and being bored instead which I fear will make me miss home more. I told Cecile about my concerns, and she told me she would find stuff for me to do around the city during the next month because she doesn’t want me to be sad. It was nice to feel that support, but I still worry a little that I won’t have much to do until 4pm everyday when Prune gets home from school, and I won’t really have a way to make friends until school starts. 

However when I got home, I took the dog on a walk and then decided to go on a run in the rain! It felt very nice to get outside, and when I got home from my run I felt kind of happy! It reminded me of how my mom used to run in Switzerland, and if she got through her year running, then so can I. :)

When Cecile got home from work later, we went to a train station to pick up Prunette and her grandma because they just got back from England. When Prune saw us in the airport, she got the hugest smile on her face and ran up and hugged us both! She held my hand on the way back to the house and didn’t stop smiling at all. Cecile says Prune is always giggling and singing, and even though I don’t understand what Prune says, anyone in the world could tell she is a very happy little girl. 

When we got home, Fred had prepared dinner, and for the first time since I arrived, I felt hungry. We ate and it felt like I was part of a little family and the food tasted very good. After dinner I gave the family the little presents I brought for them, and they were happily surprised! 

I am very tired and anxious to get to sleep. It is hard for me to fall asleep before 4am still, and I toss and turn all night, but I always wake up feeling comfortable in this bed, which is good. 

Goodnight! :)

Well Well Well

Today just turned right around when Cecile got home from work.

I told her I was scared of taking the Metro alone because I come from a small town, and that I have things I need at the store that I must buy with my money that is not yet in euros, and that I needed somewhere to run so that I could clear my head. She was very understanding and we walked around the town and talked about Prunette and things I could do with her. She showed me a good street to run on and a good park to go to and where Prune’s school is. When we got home, she gave me a tour of the house and when she left again for work I went on a nice little run and practiced some French on Rosetta Stone. 

When Cecile got home from work, she took me on the Metro for the first time and we met up for dinner with Fred in Paris. The Metro seemed very complicated, but she assured me I would get used to it in no time, and I believe her! We went to a Japonese restaurant and to be honest I don’t know what I ate but it tasted good! I still haven’t felt hungry since I left the US, but I am trying to eat normally to stay healthy and stuff. The waiter at the restaurant was a good frined of Fred and Cecile, and he joked around a lot and made all of us laugh. He even tried to speak a little bit of English and Spanish for me! Fred and Cecile were surprised to discover that I speak almost fluent Spanish, and they think it will make learning French a little easier. After dinner, we went walking through the streets of Paris. It had just rained and they took me to a couple extra-beaufiul places.

 

 

 

(I don’t know why this image is sideways. Sorry!)

 

It was nice to get to know the people I live with a little better, and tomorrow night I will get to meet Prunette for the first time. I am still nervous about being all alone at the house this weekend, but I sent a message to Rotary Youth Exchange Facebook group and got a lot of enthusiastic replies from other former exchange students who are in Paris and want to make a friend. I might go to the Eiffel tower with a girl from Australia this weekend! 

 

It felt nice to laugh and smile this evening, but when I am alone I still get shaky and whenever someone asks about my family or if I have a boyfriend I tear up and try to change the subject. That was my first full day in Paris, though, and things can only get better! 

Goodnight everyone. :)

Far Far Away

It turns out I am a little homesick. I should say extremely homesick. I want to make the best out of my time here, but I have felt shaky and almost throw-upy since I left from SFO. 

 

I never felt homesick while I was in Chile, which makes me wonder what changed. I don’t feel right here…at all. I don’t know what to do about it. When I woke up this morning there was a sweet note from Cecile that said I should eat whatever I wanted for breakfast and that I could search the kitchen to find something I would like. It was a nice note to read, but when I went to get food (I haven’t been hungry since I left either but I felt I should force myself to eat) I couldn’t figure out how to open any of the cabinets and I didn’t even want to TRY with the expensive looking kitchen equipment. There was, however, some bread on the counter so I ate that with some water. Eating didn’t take away the nausea, so I am hoping time will. 

 

The note also said that Cecile would be back at 3:00 pm, so I am writing this as I wait for her to come back. It is about 1:40pm here right now, and I have made a plan for what I am going to do with my day. This morning when I woke up, I unpacked my suitcases into the big three-shelved dresser in my room. While I wait for Cecile I will use Rosseta Stone to practice French, and when she gets back I want to ask her where a good place for me to run would be and where I could run certian important errands (like buying shampoo and exchanging my money). 

 

 

I miss home, and I miss hugging people. I miss understanding what is going on and feeling like I am in the right place. I hope that my feelings change about France as I adjust because right now it feels like a beautiful place to visit but not where I should be living. These are my honest feelings, and I apologize if they are a bit depressing. The silliest part is that I haven’t even met Prunette yet. I think she returns from Great Britain tomorrow, so I think I will update you when I know how that part of my experience goes. 

Stay amazing my Californians. I love and miss you all. 

I'm off to France!

To be honest, this time it’s a little harder. This time I shed a few tears going through security and only stopped crying when a little boy in line smiled up at me in the most concerned way a person could possibly smile. But now that I am sitting at gate G102 with all of my random carry-on items, I know that I’m ready to fly off away from home again and have a thousand new adventures. 

 

I think leaving is harder this time because if there is one huge thing my travels have taught me, it’s that loving the people around you is the most wonderful feeling in the world. I fell in love with Chile, I fell back in love with California this year I have been back, and I know I am going to fall in love with France, but for some reason knowing this doesn’t take away that emptiness I feel in my stomach after having escaped my family’s warm goodbye hugs. I want to make it clear that despite all these mixed emotions, I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I am so excited for this experience of a life time. I can’t wait to speak French and make friends and take trains as many places as I possibly can. 

 

Soooo, yes. I am excited and nervous and scared and curious and confused, but I am okay. I am ready. This year will be amazing and difficult and crazy but I am going it to it with an open mind and good intentions and I am going to have a blast. I will boared by plane to Copenhagen in under an hour and, yes mom, I will remember to walk around as much as I can and stay hydrated! I am wearing my comfiest running clothes (you know, just in case I need to run through the Copenhagen airport AND because they fit like cozy pajamas so I can curl up on the plane in them). 

 

 

Wish me luck on my first Eurpoean adventure. I can assure all of you that this will not be the only one. :)