au debut

First of all, let me just say that the train ride over here was one of the most beautiful things I've ever experienced. Just picuture an ideal image of the French contryside, and then add even more idealism to it and even then it probably won't be the same. I already love train rides, so for me this was fantastic. The minute we left Paris we were instantly surrounded by vibrant green hills, interspered with picturesque little villages. The further we went the more amazing it became until all I could do was watch in amazement. There were even hilltops covered in snow! I think now I absolutely must return to Paris often, if just for the train ride.

After the train ride, we had to walk to the center of town, to the program apartment, all the while lugging our giant suitcases. I now completely understand what all the study abroad people at UPS meant when they said pack light. It was a seriously intense workout. But we made it to the Condorcet and there we spent our last few hours together as an inseperable unite while we awaited our host families. It was difficult to seperate -- we'd all become so close after a week together and now we were being thrown from our safety net into a very French world.

It was scary at first, and it has been surprisingly hard -- mentally and emotionally -- but it's gotten a lot better. I really like my family. The mother's name is Pascal. She's a sweet, tiny little woman who always makes sure to speak slowly for me, which is actually not patronizing at all because I need it. The father, Nicholas, is also nice and very smart. He's a judge. He's very good at explaining complicated things to me in a way that is easy to understand, and I've already learned a lot from him. The brothers, Louis and Adrien, are wonderful, and they're just a bit older than me. The first night I was nervous and could barely follow any of the conversation, but they still managed to make me laugh and feel better. Adrien, the eldest, lives in Paris and has since returned there, but Louis goes to school in Dijon and lives here. We've been watching French movies and, believe it or not, playing video games together. I'm getting good enough that I've actually won a few times.

Adrien took me on a tour of the city on Saturday, which helped me orient myself somewhat. It's not a big city, but I wouldn't call it small, either. He showed me the various churches, shopping ares, museums, and some of the best places to find good bars. He told me some stories, and pointed out various little historical details. There is even also some touristy areas, including the square where Gerard Depardieu filmed Cyrano de Bergerac. Dijon does not dissapoint. Quite the opposite, in fact. I've heard some of the past Dijonettes talk about how boring the city is, and maybe that will be the case after a few months, but so far at least I've found it to be lively enough. The other night, for instance, we all went out for drinks, partially to celebrate Emma's birthday and partially because we've become somewhat dependent upon each other. Afterwards, at around midnight, we were able to find a kebab place that was still open. I mean, if this were San Rafael, that would not be possible. So I'm optomistic.

Sundays are a different story though. Abby and I went out for a walk the other day and it was totally dead. Everything closes on Sunday, throughout all of France. It's completely quiet and the only people out are walking their dogs or their kids. It's eerie. But we still had a nice walk. Dijon is beautiful. It really is like a little Paris, in that sense. The buildings are smaller, but just as lovely and even older. There are a bunch of nice parks, and many, many old churches. The city will be really beautiful in the spring, I think.