Shuttles, Taxis, Monoprix, Getting Lost, Oh la la!

             This is my third day in Paris, France and I am slowly recovering from jet lag. Along with being in a new place and having to figure out how things work, it’s been quite an interesting time. My flight landed early at the Charles de Gaulle airport meaning that we came through a different gate than expected. First off, this airport, like other ones, is so big and you have to take shuttles to get around. Somehow I was supposed to find immigration and get my luggage before taking a shuttle since I wasn’t going to pay for a cab. As you have to do sometimes, I followed the signs and the crowd to what I was finally looking for. After I acquired all these things, I asked my way around to the Air France shuttle that would take me into Paris for a reasonable price. I was very glad that I could speak French because everyone I encountered was so nice when I asked them for directions. Taking a cab from the train station to the office of the Trinity’s program was easy enough. After running around and carrying my entire luggage, I can say that I successfully got to my place without taking a cab from the airport, meaning that I opted out of the easier option.

            While here I have made a few discoveries and I’m sure that there will be more to come. The Metro in Paris is very easy to use. By the second day, I took it to Sciences Po without once getting lost. This was an accomplishment worth celebrating!  I’ve learned that Monoprix is the place to go shopping. It has everything that I need from food to household items and everything. I did learn the hard way about the streets in Paris. Unlike other places that have the grid system that makes getting around their cities easy, Paris streets seem to end and disappear before I realize any of this. A trip to Monoprix that could have taken 12 minutes took sometime but I was very happy to put my map skills to use. Lastly, my apartment is fantastic! It’s a pretty good size for one person and in a good neighborhood. Though I did learn about how tiny things in France can be. The bathroom is the smallest thing I’ve seen in a while.

It’s only been three days and I’ve yet to go act like a tourist but as I settle in, I shall bring you more stories and great photos from my time in Paris.