I was not expecting the jet lag to affect me so much, but here I am—alert and wide awake at 1:35am in Paris. My flights went smoothly, though I nearly missed my connection in Philadelphia (note to self: one-hour layovers can go both ways). As the plane lifted off once more from my snow-covered hometown, I felt this sense of emotional weightlessness. I realized that I was no longer standing on familiar territory and that the physical support of those at home would not be readily available anymore. I realized that I was completely in God’s hands and that my own adventure began right then—what a completely nerve-racking and thrilling thought!
(L) smiling at my daddy in DFW airport one last time (R) hehe I made him take one too :D
I was sandwiched between an elderly French gentleman who ordered lots of fancy cocktails and a young woman flying out with her husband for their honeymoon—hehe how cute. I couldn’t fall asleep, so I flipped through the movie channels. After watching The Social Network and Easy A while chewing on far too many dinosaur fruit snacks (teehee), I noticed how both movies dealt with the fear of social ostracism. Though maybe not to that extent, I kind of identified with the characters by wanting to feel accepted in this new country. It was a sobering reminder of how much we humans crave for attention and often search for it in the wrong places. Of course I’m going to do my best to learn the French language and culture, but I cannot let my fear of rejection keep me from bravely exploring life abroad. I am accepted by God through Christ, and He sets me free from this struggle, so I can enjoy Him here. Please hold me accountable to this.
Once the plane landed in Charles de Gaulle, I stood up from my seat with the rest of the passengers when a girl from behind grabbed my arm. My friend from last semester’s French translation class was sitting behind me the ENTIRE time—what are the chances of that happening? Two girls from Dallas, TX and Jacksonville, FL hop on the same connecting flight in Philadelphia to reunite in Paris. Wowie, Lord you surprise me. We ended up taking the same shuttle to our respective arrondissements. Panic and sweat were quickly replaced with excitement and laughter as we drove into the heart of France.
(L) inside the Didot residence :) (R) the cute staircase inside
Soon enough, I got dropped off at this artsy building situated in a street corner undergoing a lot of construction. My foyer houses college/working students ages 18-25, so there are a lot of French and international students. I would compare it to a nicely decorated freshman dorm in the U.S., except the rooms are all apartment style singles with really skinny bathrooms—very cozy and quaint. Let me also add that my bed sheets are my favorite color and the window looks out to a little city park. There’s a communal kitchen, a cafeteria downstairs, a gym (though rather smelly), a tv/wifi area, and a laundry room with DRYERS (pumps fist in the air)!
(L) my little room (R)...after unpacking and rearranging it :)
(L)the view from my window looks out to the 'quartier' (R) my cubby-hole bathroom. hehe.
Anyways, after unpacking I discovered that I needed a few things, but this strange fear of going outside by myself led me to take a nap instead…a long nap. I woke up and wandered into the city (naps give you courage!), typing in every turn into my phone so I won’t lose my way like little Hansel and Gretel leaving cookie crumbs. After passing several charcuteries roasting chicken behind glass panels and countless little boulangeries, I finally found the Monoprix (think French Kmart) thanks to a nice French passerby. I bought a pillowcase, slippers, hand soap, and some tape to hang up pictures in my room. Responding to the hungry cries of my empty stomach, I stopped by a boulangerie, panicked when asked what sandwich I wanted, and ended up buying one with some strange meat (I’m still having trouble figuring out what it is…she said something like “grillon” but I hope I heard wrong because I looked it up and that’s the word for “cricket” o_O).
(L) wandering through the streets in the light drizzle (R) first dinner at the cafe: rabbit!
When I returned, I finally met Steph, the other girl in my program. I decided to save my mystery meat for tomorrow and went downstairs with her to check out the dining hall. Mm I had some rabbit (it tasted like chicken) and potatoes drizzled in gravy, steamed carrots and green beans, as well as a side salad with fruit. Of course it wouldn’t be a complete meal without some baguette and cheese! We met and ate at a table with a student from Wyoming who had already been here for a semester, which was nice because we had a lot of questions to ask.
I spent some time reading and journaling on my bed after dinner with some new friends. Mm, what a pleasant start to my first day here in Paris… c’était une tres bonne journée. Thank you for your prayers, and praise the Lord who puts people in your life at the perfect time.
