Arrival

My bedroom for the next three months

Hello everyone! I've decided to start a blog to document (for posterity) my winter in France. Everything has started smoothly, and I'm simply delighted to be in the City of Lights. I'm in the 16e arrondissement, a very posh and chic neighborhood with beautiful buildings and expensive shops. I have a large room all to myself, with WiFi that is a bit schizophrenic, but still appreciated.

I got here Thursday morning, and took a cab to the MIJE in the 4e where Stanford had set up camp for orientation. Various orienting activities took place, and I got to know the group a bit. Everyone is awesome, and there are only ~25 of us, so it's intimate. We sorted logistical things (Navigo, bank card, host family info, etc.) and explored the area a bit. We went out to dinner to this great place that Ali Holliday found, and had a delicious meal. It was right next to the Hotel de Ville, which was lit up, sparkling, and beautiful. Of course I've forgotten to bring my camera to outings, so no pictures yet. I'm hoping to steal some via Facebook once they're posted by the others.

My host family is very kind. I'm their sixth student, so they're used to Stanfordiens. They have four children, who are all grown. Their youngest daughter is 25 and lives with them (us, I suppose), as she is studying for the bar exam in September. The food is delicious; all the ingredients are pure and of great quality. Jen Luther and I went to Montparnasse last night for dinner to a creperie, and though we had to wait 20 minutes for a table, it was worth it.

Today, I had breakfast with my host family, and then went running around the Jardins de Ranelagh, which is very near to the apartment. It was quite nice, even though I was running on compacted snow. The park isn't very big, however, so I'm going to try out running around the Eiffel Tower next time, which is just 15 minutes away (walking). This afternoon, I met up with Kai Larson who lives just a few minutes from me, and we walked around the 16e a bit, and then across the Seine to the Eiffel Tower. Then we Metroed over to Place de La Concorde, where we went to Angelina, a famous café/teahouse. Tammy, Natalia, Aleema, and Kerstin had planned the outing, and we all had incredible pastries--I had a lemon tart--and coffee and tea.

I'm back at the apartment now, reposing a bit before dinner. Classes start Tuesday, but I have yet to finalize my schedule. Ok, c'est tout (that's all)! A bientôt.