Do as the French do

Yesterday was the first day that we didn't have orientation, so we decided to get up early and meet under the Eiffel Tower. After talking to my host family, I decided to walk because they said it was supposed to be very nice out. I am so glad I did because the neighborhood I live in is quite charming. I live very close to the Trocadéro, which is a little area with a market and several shops and museums. I also got to see the most stunning view of the Eiffel Tower from the steps of the Palais de Chaillot as the sun was rising. I saw a girl waiting on the same steps, holding a rose. I wonder who she was meeting.


After meeting at the Eiffel Tower, we wanted to find a museum to go to, but none were open yet so we decided to go to the Aquarium at the Trocadéro. It was a little expensive but it was totally worth it and we had the best time! There was a giant koi pond with a "No Swimming" sign that I thought was hilarious, and we also found a room with a green screen where they were playing Beach Boys songs sung in French lyrics. We were having fun dancing and singing until we remembered that the people walking by could see us.


I had to meet with a professor named Madame Beauvy at Fénelon Sainte-Marie (a private school in the 8th arrondissement) at 1:00 for my internship. I was nervous at first, but then I found out that I will be responsible for preparing presentations in English and, let's be honest, I'm VERY good at talking in English. The neighborhood surrounding the school is very quiet and it almost seems like it doesn't belong in Paris. There is a beautiful church down the street from Fénelon called Saint Augustin. I am looking forward to having some time to explore this quaint area of town.
When my meeting was over, we took the metro to Père Lachaise, a famous cemetery where Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Gertrude Stein, and many other famous people are buried. We went around 3:00, and the light in the cemetery was beautiful because the sun had just begun to set. Even though I had gone there in high school, it was different seeing it by myself because I had more time to spend looking at the graves. I was excited to see the graves of Eloïse et Abélard. There's something about starcrossed lovers that has always intrigued me.


When I got back to my host family's house, I got to meet their daughter Alix who is home for the weekend. She invited me out to dinner tonight with some of her friends. I think it will be intimidating, but I am excited about going.
After eating dinner with them, I took the metro to La Bastille to meet up with the girls, where we sat on the steps of l’Opéra and drank wine. We were having a wonderful time until a group of guys came up to us and started asking our names and trying to give us their phone numbers. When it became clear that they weren't going to leave us alone, I asked what the French word for "STD" was. When even that didn't work, Meredith and I started singing "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas very loudly. It was a pretty funny experience.
This morning we took a boat ride on the Seine, which was actually pretty miserable because it was cold, damp, and windy. We did, however, get to eat lunch at a famous restaurant, Le Grand Colbert, and it was already paid for! I had mussel soup, a beef roast with puréed potatoes, and chocolate mousse. It was one of the best meals of my life.


It's exciting to me that I am starting to get an idea of how the Parisians live. One of the most thrilling things so far is being able to take the metro and actually getting to where I was trying to go! I have also been eating some wonderful food (apples, baguettes, toast with Camembert, pain au chocolat, and quiche)! I'm not sure that I'm experiencing any culture shock, except for with one thing: the shower. If you have never used a French shower before, you might be in for a shock as well. The shower head is actually attached to the faucet, and there is no place to hang it so that it will be above your head. I have had to get used to "showering" by crouching down under the faucet so that the water will actually spray on me. There is no shower curtain, so if I stand up and hold it above my head, it basically floods the bathroom. I have been trying to think of a creative way to adapt, but so far nothing has worked.