Short update

So the wireless broke basically right after I wrote that entry, so there won't be any pictures for a bit. I'm meeting my host family tomorrow, so depending on whether or not they have internet I might be able to upload some then.

I'll make another entry on meeting them, and then from there I'll shift this into being a weekly thing. But for now, today:

We had our brief orientation for two hours in the morning, after a breakfast of croissants spread with a Nutella knockoff (I felt very French eating it). It was much more helpful than the one in New York, namely because we had an actual French person answering questions about France for us. It was pretty relaxed and fun, and we talked about everything from where one uses 'tu' or 'vous' to racism and homophobia. Much better than making skits about the history of AFS.

After that, we had lunch, and I ended up being at a table where exculsively Portugese was being spoken at one end and exclusively German at the other. It was an interesting experience. Ocassionaly Marina (my Brazilian roommate) would make a comment to me in French, but most of the time I was left out of the conversation. It was interesting, I wasn't angry or anything. Just gave me some things to consider.

After that, we went on a drive around Paris and got out briefly to go walk around the gardens by the Eiffel Tower. I have pictures from that too coming soon, not to worry. It was really cold, but beautiful. I love Paris. And for Tammy-- I saw the Musee d'Orsay, but unfortunately we didn't go in. But I thought of you as we drove past it.

And that's about it. We've got a two-hour break before dinner, and then they're officially giving us our travel itineraries tomorrow. I'm really excited to meet my host family, after all this time speculating and wondering about what they're going to be like.

So, tomorrow or maybe later, depending on the internet. 'Til then!

So the hostel has wireless. Cool.

Which definitely means I'll have the opportunity to upload some photos from the walk, provided orientation doesn't run too late tonight. Failing that, I'm sure there will be some free time tomorrow. But I thought I'd let you know, at least.

Right now it's ten minutes until dinner and, if you read my last and extremely rushed entry, you'll know why I didn't have lunch and barely had breakfast. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go prepare for that...

I MADE IT!!!

After a long flight, I finally made it to Paris! The flight was smooth; I didn't sleep well but it passed fairly quickly for being seven hours long. Customs and passport control were very easy-- they barely even looked at my passport. We were met by an AFS volunteer right at the exit of the bag claim, met up with some Chilean students and went to lunch at, guess it--

McDonald's.

I couldn't make this shit up if I tried.

I didn't eat anything, so along with jetlagged I'm extremely hungry from not having eaten anything since yoghurt on the plane about ten hours ago. I'm in a pretty good mood overall, though: I've been making friends with a lot of the other students, from all over the world: Brazil, New Zealand, Switzerland, Iceland... And I've been practicing my French a bit with my Brazillian roommate: she doesn't speak English, so to communicate we both have to speak French. So it works out. The orientation thus far has been in English since a lot of the international students have come with almost no French, but most of them speak pretty good English with a few exceptions. We're staying at a hostel of some kind that appears to be mostly for disabled people, four to a room. We took a brief walk around Paris in the 30 degree weather and played soccer and other random games. I've got pictures, but not the time/method to upload them: I'm using the lobby's computer and only have fifteen minutes to write.

If that came out disjointed and strange, it's probably a combination of the lack of sleep and the rush from the limited time. But I'm alive and well and dinner's in an hour and sleep in another two, so I look set to survive another day. I meet my host family on Sunday, so there's a full day of orientation in Paris during which I have no idea what's happening.

I'll tell you if I have the time!

Once more from New York

Hi again.

Not that there's much more to say. There was orientation, which consisted of watching a documentary following AFS students from New Zealand on programs in Spain, Austria, Canada and the US, doing vague skits about the three golden rules of AFS (no driving, no hitchhiking and no drugs, in case you were curious), and holding a brief teleconference with someone who came back from France and is currently at Harvard. Now we're just hanging out. Austria, Portugal and Italy students already left, so it's just the France group left until six thirty. With nothing to do. The plane leaves at eleven tonight. It's going to be a long day...

To spare you the boredom, I'll quit and go read the Economist (we exhausted conversation topics about three hours ago, and everyone is exhausted from being unable to sleep from excitement and doesn't really feel like talking anyway). So, the next one really will be from France, unless something interesting happens at JFK. 

Even more briefly, from New York

Hi. I'm in New York in one piece.

I'm too tired to write any more than that. So the next one will be whatever my first opportunity in France is, or something from JFK if I have the internet. I'm almost assured the time, since we're getting to the airport at 6:30, even though the flight's not until nearly midnight. So I can talk about orientation and the other AFS France students, or something. Yeah. It's late, and I've gotten three hours of sleep.

'Til the next.

Briefly, from Denver

Yep, you read that right. Denver.

I got rerouted again at the last minute this morning (when I checked my cellphone, there was a polite message informing me that my flight to Chicago had been cancelled...about two hours before it was supposed to take off), and luckily I managed to get a flight leaving earlier than the Chicago one, but later than my first one to Dallas. There wasn't as much time to say goodbye, but I think that might have been a good thing. Less time to dwell on how much we're going to miss each other. We were debating minority representation and identity politics pretty much right up until we got out of the car at the airport. It was a nice way to leave, and I'm serious when I say that. I sometimes don't say goodbye when I hang up the phone; see you later is better. Because leaving is never as final as you feel like it is.

They put me through extra security (something to do with having been rerouted so many times; the explanation didn't make much sense and not just because I only slept three hours last night), so by the time I got to the gate my section was boarding. The flight was overall pretty smooth. I started one of my three English books and listened to music and watched the sun finish coming up. It wasn't a terrible way to start things off.

Anyway, so for right now I'm using the free WiFi at the airport and I've got a two hour layover. So far my flight to LaGuardia appears to be on time, but I'm not holding my breath. I'll post something from New York if I can so that y'all know I got there in one piece. If not, I'm not exactly sure when I'll get the chance to write again. It all depends on how long orientation lasts, whether I have internet at my host family's house, etc, etc.

I miss you all; you're in my thoughts. 

Until the next!

It's late at night...

...and I can't sleep...

Bags are packed, flights are more or less arranged. The airline called this evening and left a message saying that my flight to New York was cancelled, but then, just before I died of a heart attack, they kindly mentioned that they'd rerouted me through Chicago and I'd actually get in ten minutes earlier and leave an hour later than before. So, cool. I just hope that this one doesn't end up cancelled, too...

But, yeah. I'm crazy and nervous and completely unable to sleep. But I leave tomorrow! Wow, what a thought...

I might write something from the airport or the hotel in New York, if I have the internet and the time to do so.

Updates as I can.

The fog clears a little more

     Some good news: I received a short e-mail from my host mother this afternoon. She received our letters and told us a little more about her family: she works with elderly people (I assume in some sort of nursing home or assisted living facility; she didn't specify), and has four children. Florian, the oldest, is married and lives about an hour away with his wife and daughter, Camille is at the university in the south of France studying sustainable development and tourism, Louis is actually studying in Finland (and not Britain...small gap in comprehension...), and Lea, the one who's left at home, is eleven and in her first year of middle school. 

     They all seem quite friendly; I've been exchanging a few short letters with Camille and I already mentioned in my post on the phone conversation that Catherine sounds really nice as well. It sets my mind at ease a little, now that they're more than just signatures and names on an e-mail, that I have somewhat of an idea of what to expect. I'm really looking forward to finally meeting them-- it's just hard to believe that it's less than two weeks until I leave! Time flies...

    ...but unfortunately, my thesis isn't quite yet done, there's still some last minute French to be crammed into my brain, and there are still a few more errands that need running, so I'm definitely not going to be bored as I round the home stretch. 

     Next one when I leave, in all probability!

The visa drama ends

So, this post is a few days late, but in any case:

The visa troubles are finally over. My mom and I flew to LA on Monday evening and had surprisingly good sushi at this little hole in the wall across from our hotel. Our cab driver from the airport was interesting; he either drove ninety or zero and cursed at the traffic in Russian. We got to the consulate the next morning forty-five minutes early. When it finally opened, the consul spoke through an intercom:

"Hello. Do you have a cell phone?"

"No," I answered.

"Turn it off now. If it goes off while you are within the consulate, you will not be getting your visa." (And yes, he really did speak in overemphasis like that. And with a fabulous accent). 

So, I went in, I paid ("Is this your own visa card?" "Yes." "Are you sure?"), they sorted through my forms, and they told me that everything was in order except that I was missing my parents' bank statements for the past three months. I had another form that was supposed to substitute for this, but when I tried to argue the point, this was the response:

"Look, it is very simple. You will go up to the fourth floor, you will connect yourself to a computer, you will print out the documents, or you will not be getting your visa."

So verily, we went up to the fourth floor, connected ourselves to a computer, printed the documents, and lo, I got my visa. We flew home a few hours early and had some extra time to prepare for leaving the next day for Florida to go to my grandfather's eightieth birthday party. While I was gone, a little note from my host family arrived wishing a happy new year. It was signed by my host mother and two girls named Camille and Lea, but no Louis.

Hmm.

But, the day after we arrived in Florida, I gave them a call like I'd been planning to. I spoke to my host mother Catherine, and it went pretty well considering that I'd never spoken on the phone before in a language other than English. It was difficult starting out: I froze after saying hello, but luckily she prompted me ("This isn't Angela, is it?") and I was fine from there. She told me a little about how school is going to work out and we chatted about the weather (it was snowing when I called, which is fairly unusual for the region). And I solved the mystery: Louis didn't sign the card because he is currently studying in Britain, and he's going to be out for my entire stay (I'm getting his room). That still doesn't explain why AFS didn't tell me about Camille and Lea, but at least I have an idea of what's going on. I tried to ask how old they are, but I don't think she understood my question. I'll find out when I get there, so I'm not too fussed.

I feel a little less anxious now that I've spoken with her-- she seems very nice, very considerate, and most of all, very patient with my French (but I didn't do terribly; I only had to ask her to repeat herself twice). I'm still intensely curious about all the things I didn't get the chance or have the vocabulary to ask, but it'll all just have to wait. Only nineteen more days-- less than three weeks. Wow...

Updates as they come, but I don't think there's much more left to happen until I leave.