As Rebecca Black likes to point out from time to time, “It’s Friday, Friday!” And that means the first week is over. It’s been an interesting adventure thus far, but mostly enjoyable. Tuesday was an open day as Tori and Maggie finally arrived from their escapades all over Europe getting to Paris., and since our SciencesPo welcome program started the next day. (A massive thunderstorm kept them from landing on Monday night, so they got to visit Bruxelles and explore the buses of Europe.) Tuesday morning I took a two hour wander (it really couldn’t even be called a walk) to the Louvre mall from my apartment via la Tour Eiffel on Tuesday where I used the Apple Store’s computers to check my email (aka catch up on Facebook creeping), and to buy a French computer charger. That was after my hour long jaunt to locate and interrogate the men at “Orange” to get the deets on cell phones in Paris. After our Trinity meeting was done, Mary, Tori, and I went to the Eiffel Tour to play tourist for a bit and to grab a bite to eat. One thing we all commented on that evening was the fact that it stays light until after 9pm, and is really nice even around 9:30. I’m not sure how long it will be like that, but for now it’s a nice change.
Wednesday was day one at SciencesPo, and it about did me in! Starting at 9:30 and lasting until about 5, we learned about many aspects of the academic life and extracurricular life of the university. SciencesPo is especially picky with how papers and oral presentations are completed, so it was a lot of very dry lecturing. Like all good Frenchies, we had a 2 hour long lunch period at which we were supposed to meet people and network. Good idea - not easily executed. Take 500 kids from all over the world, make them all jet-lagged, make sure nobody has figured out or acquired a cell phone yet, put them in a foreign country, and then expect them to suddenly become best friends? Righhhhttttt. Anyways, I think we all met a few people and made the best of it. Dinner that night was at home (pork, French potatoes, salade verte, as well as brie and chevre with some fresh bread). Delicieux! Wednesday was another day of classes and info sessions followed by the world’s fastest shower - seriously, I’m think I outdid myself to try to be on time- and dinner with friends. After dinner we went to a couple of bars to meet more SciencesPo kids. Now that’s how to actually make friends! None of this Jardin-du-Luxembourg-awkwardly-making-friends-over-picnic-food… put a few drinks into us and then see how many friends we make then!
Every day this week, except Friday, was pretty warm (32 degrees C) so I’ve been trying to adjust to life sans shorts. While shorts do exist in France, they are not very popular and are mostly worn by American tourists and French people who want to be American. Given my goal not to stand out, it’s been mostly dark jeans, a polo, and black shoes for me. So far two people have openly confused me for French: the sushi delivery man looking for a road, and the elevator repair man. I’d say that’s a win!
A massive thunderstorm last night cooled things down today and it’s perfect now. Sort of drizzly, but fine with me. A good chance for me to pull out Parisian accouterment number 11: parapluie (umbrella). Today I only had methodology class from 11:15-1:15, so the majority of my day has been getting my French life in order, which is going like wildfire. Getting my student ID card from SciencesPo (still don’t have it), my OFII forms validated (still not done), my Trinity Transfer Application completed (about 50%), my rental/house/whatever insurance filled out (nope). At the rate I’m getting these official forms filled out, I don’t know why nobody has tried to throw me out yet. All in good time, I guess.
Evening plans include dinner (thank God my food fascination has not diminished since my arrival), and a bar soirée with SciencesPo kids. SciencesPo has arranged a part of our welcome program called “A Bar A Day” where kids meet every night to have a drink or four and get to know one another. Other plans include additional sightseeing, a visit to the market, as well as work on my first homework assignment (HOMEWORK!), which is a group project due on Thursday on “la situation dans l’Afrique du nord.” I think we’re supposed to be meeting on Sunday to work on that.
Until then, however, I’ll just live “la vie quotidienne.” À bientôt, W
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