Acceptance

Hello all! So I think that this is the first time that I've sat down to write something without knowing what I wanted to say.  This past week has FLOWN.   I can't even pick apart the days, it's just sort of a clump of time.  I do have events to discuss, of course.

This week was orientation week at UTC.  Basically, it was a week of paperwork, therefore testing my proficiency in French.  We sat in on various presentations, had to choose medical insurance, pay for a lot of random things, and take our school picture! But, what would be an average week in France without some sort of fiasco?  I have still yet to use my bank account here, although I opened up the account a month ago.  Apparently the French don't find it necessary to give you a passcode with your bank card that would allow you to USE it. I spent about an hour and a half in the bank last week, and upon reviewing what happened during that span of time, I have decided that it was not me being a foreigner that made the situation difficult.  It truly was the French woman's fault.  My ego has taken a few hits here, so I'm not sparing myself, I'm being truthful. Haha.

Anyway, this week overall was all about accepting that I am here.  I think that I have developed the sense of semi-permanence that I have been searching for this past month.  I am now excited to acclimate and to be a student at the university.  One of my French roommates moved in for good, so that has helped me get even more of a routine.  Plus, she is super helpful and goes out of her way constantly to give me tips and cool stuff.  She rocks.

This past weekend, I met up with my friend from URI, Andrew, in Paris.  He is studying in Marseille, but he came up to Paris for the tail end of his winter break.  Let's just take a moment to recognize that he is well into his semester and I am starting mine in two days, haha. I had no orientation on Friday, so I took it upon myself to relax and plan out my train times carefully to avoid a disaster.  Of course, the more I plan, the more things go wrong, so I should have known right then and there that I was up to no good.  I got on the bus and went to the train station, no problem.  I then saw that no ticket counters were open, so I had to beg a French man to pay for my ticket on his debit card in exchange for cash.  That frustrated me, and then I reverted back to my bank fiasco just a few days prior.  I bet you're frustrated reading this.  If you aren't, have some sympathy, will ya? I then hopped on the WRONG train which was coincidentally going to Creil, the train station that I had my horrid 3 hour layover in on my very first day in France.  I don't know if you remember, but Creil and I are not friends.  I got off of the train in Creil, and karma came back around, because I was able to get on a train ten minutes later after the lady at the ticket counter told me that I spoke great French and wished me a happy semester.  KARMA! Thanks Creil, we're okay now.

In Paris, I was able to meet a few of Andrew's friends from school who had not yet been to Paris.  I tagged along on all of the tourist attractions, happily of course, because I am not yet sick of Paris.  Quite frankly, I'm not sure I ever will be.  We went to the Louvre...

Mona Lisa!

We also went to Monmartre, Sacré Coeur, la Tour Eiffel...

Still my favorite...

And, Notre Dame, the Latin Quarter, the Moulin Rouge, and more.  It was a great weekend! I got back to Compiègne today a little beat, but was able to relax and talk to my family and Kelsey.  Tomorrow I find out whether or not I got into all of the classes that I signed up for.  If so, I only have class Monday-Wednesday.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!  I'm going to get going! The next time I write, I will be an official student at UTC, weird!  Hope all is well.

Bisous,

Amanda