Checklist

Orientation: done.

Wine and cheese tasting: check.

Night at the Nox Club?

This is where I live.

Today, I hiked up to the top of the Bastille in the mountains of Grenoble. The views from the top were amazing, especially with the snow-capped Alps in the not-so-far distance. You could see the entire city down below divided by the river winding around it and Cours Jean Jaurès running through the center. Truly a spectacular place to be living.

Centre Ville Grenoble

I was really nervous about meeting my host family today, especially because speaking French in Paris had been a struggle for the last three days. But once I unpacked my bags and downed a few glasses of wine, I was ready to start learning some real French. Sabine and Joel are fantastic. They have a really charming house decorated with all of their sculptures, and they only listen to American classic rock and indie/alternative. I was appreciative of their patience with me as I stuttered and stammered, trying to string together the right words. Fortunately, they are really understanding and hospitable Frenchies. I can already sense my level of proficiency with the language increasing the more I speak to them.

Grenoble is gorgeous. Nestled in a valley along the French Alps, there's no other place quite like it. I'm living right in the city center where all of the fun happens. There's something like 60,000 college students in Grenoble, and they all go out where I live. I step outside my house and I can choose between atleast fifteen bars within a minute's walking distance. I'm excited to start hitting up the bars and clubs with everyone from the program. Hopefully we can meet some locals, too. It's going to be a fun semester. Weekend starts tomorrow. I'm ready to take on Europe.

Paris

Paris. Amazing.

 Notre Dame

 La Seine

 View from top of Notre Dame

 Sainte Chapelle

Le Louvre

And the nightlife...

Bye Bye Miss American Pie

Sitting; Waiting

 

More tears were shed at the French Consulate today. I was first in line to pick up my visa, but when I went up to the service window, the consulate employee could not find my application nor my passport. She ran around frantically amongst the filing cabinets and stacks of paperwork trying to locate my packet. Twenty other students came and went after me, all spending about thirty seconds there because their visas had been neatly placed in an organized pile on the desk. After half an hour I asked her if she could tell me what was going on. She responded, "Take a seat. We are the rules around here, not you. I don't have to answer your questions. Now sit down." How rude.

I sat around for another half an hour, and at this point, I had lost all hope that I would be able to catch my flight. Then, miraculously, she called me up to the window and handed me my passport with the visa, stating that she just needed time to find it. My dad rushed me to the airport, and it took me all of twenty minutes to check my bags and go through security. Why do people recommend you get here three hours early? Now I'm sitting waiting at Gate B1 for flight 7687 to board. I can't believe I made it!

Finally Leaving Today

After some mishaps with the French Consulate on Friday, hopefully I will be able to get my visa today and actually take off on my 5:30PM flight. Air Canada. "Enjoy a complimentary selection of spirits and non-alcoholic beverages." Definitely cashing in on that.

It's too bad I'll miss out on the Eiffel Tower tonight...luckily, Kendra, Catherine, and I (and whoever else decides to come with us!) will be back in Paris for my birthday in March to wine and dine au Tour Eiffel. Offer will be on the table for any and all takers. Weekend of March 4th. See you there.