Enfin!

So, finally (enfin), I'm in Paris! The travel was a little annoying, but mostly because Continental is possibly the dumbest airline ever - after what happened last February, did they really think it would be a good idea to add a propeller plane flying around Buffalo in the winter? All they did was freak my mom out and make my parents consider driving me all the way to Newark. What a pain that would have been! Other than that, the flights were both quicker than Continental had estimated. Security in Buffalo, aside from what one might assume due to "Captain Underpants," was a thirty-second ordeal. The guy checking the computer even gave me a high five. They seemed to be having a great time. Then, since I didn't need to go through security in Newark again, I ended up having about three hours to wait around for the Paris flight. But it was okay - I got to eavesdrop on a bunch of French people around me who had no idea I could understand them! Sleeping on the flight was a problem too, but I knew that would be a problem. I ended up just watching us get closer to Europe on the little personal TV in front of me. Then, as we were approaching the sunrise, I watched that out the window.

Once in France, my host father, M. De la Taille, met me outside baggage claim with a sign with my name on it. He drove me back (out of the twisty coiled parking lot of Roissy) and their street looked just like the Google street view pictures! I felt like I had been there before! Technology is really incredible. I am walking distance from the library (which is enormous and fantastic - four giant towers that resemble opened books, a courtyard with a garden in the middle, and the grand auditorium where the l'OuLiPo jeudi's will be!!), which is my favorite part, obviously. My room is really nice too. The bed is so comfortable, I don't even see how I'm still writing this because I'm really tired.

My host family seem like the nicest people ever - they've been hosting students with CUPA for the last 4 years. They always make conversation, they've been teaching me tons of new words, and they said that my French is a lot better than all their previous students! They said I'll definitely do well on the test tomorrow. A test on the second day in Paris...lucky me...

Well, I think that's it for tonight. It's only 9:40, but I'm running on about 2 hours of sleep. Good thing orientation doesn't start until 2:00 tomorrow!