La Première Semaine

Comme vous le savez probablement déjà, je suis arrivée à Paris dimanche après-midi. My flights through Newark and Dublin went without fanfare. I sat next to a nice man from Muskegon retired from teaching high school government at Mona Shores; he was on his way to meet his brother in Scotland for a golfing tour. I also met an Irishman named Owen, who was on his way home from a business trip in Costa Rica.

First weird thing about Paris: the rolling sidewalks in Charles de Gaulle airport go up and down hills, like a mini rolling sidewalk roller coaster. Un peu dangereux à mon avis...

My mom has friends and extended family who live in the city, one of whom was extremely generous enough to pick me up, get me lunch, help me exchange money, and try to find a SIM card. He dropped me off at the hotel where the students in the EDUCO program spent the first night. I was apparently one of the few who had a spacious single room, complete with a living room and a small kitchen. I wandered around the mall next door aimlessly looking for soap and lotion, and found quickly that the French don't play with the day of the Lord. Many stores were closed, and those that weren't were quick to close early.

Some family members were kind to bring me dinner and help me get some metro tickets. Though I took two naps (both short, one an accident), I was still tired going to bed that night. We had a preliminary meeting Sunday afternoon to kick off orientation, but didn't really start till Monday morning at the EDUCO office. The program consists of students from Duke, Tulane, Emory, Cornell and one brave soul from Johns Hopkins, each representing varying levels of French proficiency.

Lundi soir j'ai du m'installer chez ma famille d'accueil. After waiting a few hours for a ride, finally deciding to take an Uber, and accidentally getting into the wrong Uber, I was on my way to my host family. My Uber driver, Ryad, was from Algeria. He was friendly to talk to, and was very encouraging about my French-speaking. He stayed once we arrived to ensure that I was at the right place, and sure enough, my host mom, Marie, was quick to greet me.

Her apartment is a bit complicated to reach, which she joked about good-naturedly—through two doors, up a flight of stairs, another door, a small courtyard, another flight, and then her actual door. As I go in and out, I still have to say out loud "pousser" or "puller" to remember which door does which. She's been hosting students for 17 years, and obviously has many things down to a science. I am thankful for her; she is a kind a thoughtful woman, and very patient with me when I'm grasping for words or need direction.

Je suis reconaissante d'avoir visité à New York avant de venir à Paris, parce que la vie dans les grandes villes est vraiment stressée. My experiences in bigger cities like New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Singapore definitely made the fast-paced Parisian life easier; the general rushed atmosphere, for example, but especially the metro.

My friend Kurlya, who is in Cru with me at Cornell, lives a 10 minute walk from my apartment in the 15th arrondissement, so Tuesday night we ventured out together to the Eiffel Tower. There were people on blankets out on the mall, vendors selling light-up mini towers, and men selling wine from buckets. It looks just like you'd expect, and the surrounding area is under construction, just like you'd expect. J'ai trouvé que les endroits comme cela à Paris sentent souvent des cigarettes. Every other person smokes here, also like you'd expect.

I've also found that the French drink very little water, and consider eating out an everyday but important activity, as we would putting gas in the car. I have felt the acute sting of being condescended for my French, as well as much grace from those who speak it fluently. I've walked almost the entire city, seen some of the universities, and caught a glimpse of what it feels like to be a non-native English speaker in the United States. Soyez gentil: love on the people who are giving up a part of themselves to learn your culture and your language. You might just be better for it.

Tomorrow I go to Versailles, the EDUCO students will be at the Louvre pour tout le weekend, et le weekend prochain nous irons à Normandie.

Finalement, as I sit in my Cru shirt writing this, I'm very thankful for the email updates I receive of their faithful work for Jesus on Cornell's campus. May honor go to them, my friends and mentors, for their continued service to Him.

Life update: La meilleure partie de Paris maintenant? Du pain avec CHAQUE repas! Fresh bread all day? Sign me up, France.

Change is nature, Dad. The part we can influence. And it starts when we decide.

- Remy, Ratatouille

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