Orientation

Hello all!

After a restful 11 hours of sleep (7pm-6am) I woke up with a mind to do some research on the internet and then run some errands. My internet, however, (freebox - you plug it into an outlet and then you put the ethernet cord into the computer - good thing mom and I bought the ethernet adapter!) wasn't working. I spent an hour or so trying to figure it out, to no avail. I went out to get breakfast around 730am, its difficult because my family sleeps in and I didn't want to wake anyone up!

I resigned myself to the prospect of no internet and set out for reid hall early to see if I could use the wifi there. I finally figured out where it was, and got lots of valuable research done about where to buy a hairdryer and how to buy stamps. Blogs of expats in Paris are invaluably helpful - from them I learned about Monoprix, which I would equate to a smaller version of a supertarget or a walmart (a store with everything + a grocery store). I left RH to go find monoprix, where I bought some breakfast food, shampoo, a water bottle, post-its, pens, and peanut butter.

A few reflections on le Monoprix:
1. Even mid-price range level grocery stores here have better meat/cheese/wine/alcohol/dairy/everything except vegetables than the expensive groceries in the US

2. French people hate peanut butter. Also, peanut butter (beurre de cacahuete) can sound alot like poop butter if you overprounounce the "caca" and the front instead of prounouncing it "ca-shewett". OOPS. I got quite a look from the grocery store man before he realized what I was talking about, corrected me, and then led me (after a bit of searching) to the tiny section of the tiny shelf where the tiny jar of peanut butter was housed. Guess how much aforementioned tiny jar of peanut butter cost - 6 euros! It will be my first and last jar in Paris, but during my first weeks here I think it will be a good reminder of home!

3. "En bas" means the hairdryers are downstairs, not in the back. Knowing that one could have saved me quite a bit of searching!

4. French people don't eat a lot of cottage cheese :(

5. Salespeople move SLOW here! I waited in line to checkout while the clerk took her sweet time doing everything except helping people. She totally would have gotten fired in new york. I went back later to pick up something else and the second clerk took just as long! Ohwell, c'est la vie.

After monoprix, I went back to reid hall for orientation where I learned a lot of relevant stuff (and got a french bank account with Credit Lyonnais), but nothing that is terribly relevant for anyone reading this!

Afterwards, I came back home and watched a movie (in French!) while I waited for my host family to arrive. We ate dinner around 745 (quite late for me - as my parents and friends will attest). It was my first dinner with my family, and it was not what I expected (or what i have been told is the traditional french way). We ate at the counter, three on one side and one on the other, and Cedric (age 16) ate quite quickly and then ran back to his room for homework (or something)! I didn't mind it at all, I spent some time talking with my host mom (Veronique) before and after we ate. She even complimented my French!

I have been watching the news and/or soccer games in the evening when Stephane (host dad) and Fabien (23) do. I think I can already understand a little bit more - quite exciting! We are watching "Camelot" now, then its off for a bath in my tub (!!) and bed in my wonderful, cozy room.

A Bientot!

PS
I apologize for any grammatical errors - my written english has been suffering as I spend more time learning French.