Week 1

Ok, so from the moment I arrived I havn't had a real chance to relax. My schedule is so jam-packed I feel like I could use a vacation.

The first day  my roommates and I sat through a 3 hour orientation with our program coordinator...this was after the 7 hour plane ride, 2 hour layover and 30 minute car ride from the airport. Then every day after that we have been at the American Business School of Paris every morning at 9 sitting through hours of orientation.Then at night we have gone out to dinner or stayed out late going to a club. However, what I really liked about orientation was that the Dean talked a lot about respecting cultural differences.

There is a world of a difference between exposure and understanding. In all honesty, even though I have studied french since middle school, participated in an Immersion program in Nova Scotia, and traveled to France several times its really only exposure. Its going to take a lot of time to really understand the various attributes of french culture, which can be completely contrary to the American ideology. 

My first challenge was food shopping which was surprisingly difficult. I didn't realize there really are not a whole lot of American brands, Its like trying to buy groceries in Chinatown. Every label is in french and they have a lot of food I have never seen before.  So I bought soup thinking it would be the easiest meal to make in a hurry. It turned out that even though it had a picture of what looked like chicken noodle soup, it was actually broth, my bad.

Anyway, from what I have seen so far there are no words to describe this city. This is my 4th trip to Paris and it feels like the first time all over again. It really makes you appreciate history, and I feel so unbelievable lucky to be here.