First blog entry! My mom (hi, Mom! hi Dad!) suggested that I post something before I leave to make sure it's all working correctly, and then once I get to France I can post something to let everyone know I've arrived. Well, here goes...
In case you don't already know, my trip was postponed when I got really sick with mono and a sinus infection last Monday or so. I was feeling even worse on Wednesday (the day I was supposed to leave), so my mom and I went to the Hammond Clinic, where they told me that I had mono. My mom rescheduled my flight and we contacted all the program people and my French family, so they're expecting me on Monday, which means I leave tomorrow night at 6pm. I emailed my coworkers to tell them what had happened, and my boss emailed me back saying that he and another guy I work with are flying to India Sunday at 6 as well, so maybe I'll run into them at the airport. Once I get there, I'm planning on taking a taxi for the convenience and speed since I'm going straight to orientation once I get to my French house.
I got my family information about a week and a half ago, and they seem really nice. My French mom, Catherine, is a pediatric nurse in Paris and my French dad, Lionel, runs some kind of all-purpose sports shop. I had to look up a lot of the words, but it looks like he replaces keys, does laundry, and just fixes broken sports equipment in some place called Savoie (Savoy), which is in the French Alps. Catherine says he works there all winter and two months in the summer, but he's also the person who is supposed to be home to let me in, so I don't know if he's simply planning on leaving when it gets colder or what. I'll have to figure this out when I get there.
The family also has a 20 year old daughter named Aurelie and a 24 year old daughter named Mathilde. Mathilde lives nearby with a friend, and Catherine says I have the choice of eating at either house if I'd like to. The girls both have cats and the family dog recently died in August at age 9. Aurelie goes to school for accounting and Mathilde works in publishing of some kind.
I looked up my French house, and it seems to be pretty close to the IES Center, which is where I'll have my classes. It's about two metro stops or a 30 minute walk away, which is comparable to walking to class at IU. Luckily, my classes don't start until September 22nd, but until then I have orientation on Monday and Tuesday, then a language seminar the rest of the week, I believe. I've already missed day one of orientation because of being sick, but at least it wasn't any class.
I miss you all already, and I want to say a big thank you to everyone who wished me well or sent me a card or anything; that was very thoughtful of you!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hey Theresa,
I hope this goes through..I am so happy to hear from you..You sound very good..your host family sounds nice. I feel I can picture your surrounding..you have done a great job describing your family and surroundings..Are you in Paris? Can you walk to the Eifel Tower? I know what you are saying about being friendly and smiling..Americans are happy people..we have positive out look...You take care...Love, aunty ann
Post a Comment