A Frenchified Layover and Parisian Arrival

 

 

 
 

Hello! So much has happened in the last 24 hours. I knew that I wouldn't be able to predict how my first day (or days in different time zones) would end up, but my mind is still blown from everything that's happened so quickly. I was supposed to arrive in Paris yesterday, but because my flight was cancelled, I had to rebook everything and miss the first day there. But, in the meantime, I got the chance to experience everything that historic Grapevine, Texas has to offer during my layover in Dallas! Look at this fancy pastry that I had- it's not even Parisian! That's right, it's from Texas! Who would have thought?!

The flight to Paris from Dallas was very long and tough on my stomach, but I was lucky enough to sit beside a professor from France who could not have been kinder. We spoke in French for most of the way, meaning that it was my first French conversation of the experience! I'll be honest- it made me feel really good. After that positive experience, I began to believe that other French interactions would be the same, but of course I was wrong. Just ordering a ham sandwich and a bottle of water can be tougher than you think.

After arriving in Paris, all of us biked through the city at sunset. It was truly beautiful. It's amazing how a city can look so different during the daytime versus at night. Seeing the restaurants and landmarks light up was magical. And biking really showed me how fast-paced Paris is- and how vespas and bikes can fit into ridiculously small spaces. They seem to have their own rules. Afterwards, I and a few others got crepes and ate them beside Fontaine Saint-Michel, which was great. Nutella + walnuts + crepe = yum.

                                                 I'm tired. Time for bed. A demain!