First Day of School

AMAZING!! Today was so much fun! The school is so so different than any American school I've ever been in. For starters, its beautiful. Picture a mansion...but really it's actually an old mansion turned into this school. I'd put up a picture but apparently there's high security and privacy rules with this school because important peoples kids go there. For example, Demi Moore's kids went there. Lots of UN people and such too.
The classes are soooo relaxed. Discipline is not an issue at all and it was amazing to see a lesson completed without behavior interruptions. The lunch for the kids was like a meal I could get going out. It was served on glass plates and they used real silverware! It was insane! So much better than the mush they serve kids in the US.

My teacher is originally from Germany, but speaks English perfectly. The kids are from all over and it is so cool to see many of the ELLs and other students speaking a number of different languages.

At one point the teacher had to assist one of the students out side of the classroom, and I ran a little bit. On  my own!! It was sooooo coool! And it was great to see a full day of school for the first time too!!

Idk if I can go back to the American school system, this is so nice. The teachers and students have so much freedom and learn so much more! The kids are so advanced..I was working with a small group during reading and told my teacher I was impressed by them, she then told me they were the slower group and I was shocked!

It was an amazing day and experience!! I can't wait for the rest! Already a break tomorrow! It's a French Holiday, so back to school on Wednesday (aka My Birthday!!!!!!!!) I think one littler girl may be making me muffins and jam for my birthday. She told me she had a surprise for me and then later asked if I liked muffins and jam and said okay good. So maybe some birthday muffins?! :)

And my teacher said Field trip on Thursday. I'm expecting a rando place....oh no were going to the Louvre!!! So excited! Free trip to the Louvre with my class!! egyptian exhibit here I come!!

Sleepy in Paris

The rest of yesterday we took the metro as a group to learn how to use it. We went to the Eiffel Tower first and it was awesome!! It is huge!! Once we did that we were on our own to do whatever we wanted. We decided to get some lunch and then we headed back to the hotel. Getting lunch was terrifying. I had no idea how to order or anything. I had no idea what the waiter was saying to me, kinda played a smiling and nodding game and relied on who I was with. Once we got back to the hotel, it was a battle to stay awake. We lasted till about 8 pm and passed out. We woke up at about 3:30 and were wide awake. The wind was just whipping past the window and it was hard to fall back asleep, but eventually happened.

Today we took an open bus tour of the city. It started out cold and rainy and just blah. We were on the upper open deck with our hoods on and freezing. They gave us little headsets so we had a guided tour. We saw a ton of things. Arc de triumph, Eiffel Tower again, The Louvre, Notre Dame, and everything along the way. The bus tour was a hop on hop off kind of thing so you could get off anywhere you wanted and stay and just wait till the next bus came. The sun eventually came out too!! So it got a lot nicer! We ate lunch at a little cafe and I obtained my first legal drink with my lunch!!! We had little toasted sandwiches and a glass of wine. Yum!! Once we got to Notre Dame we were on our own and split up. We walked back to the Louvre area and went to the Jardines de Lourve. Huge area of gardens, it was sooo pretty!!

Now were back at the hotel resting and plan on going to get dinner later.

Only slight culture shock. Really wish I understood and could speak more French, that's the hardest part. I've got bonjour, merci, and Au revoir down. Still learning...

First day of school tomorrow!!!

WE MADE IT!!!! And it is absolutely amazing!! I don't even know where to start. My mind is all over... granted my body feels like it is 4:40 AM.

Well our plane was delayed an hour. But once we got off it went great. As they began to give directions, we understood toilet and U.S. Airways, and decided we may be in trouble. But that's what French speaking friends are for! The meal was well interesting, but you would have thought they were serving us gourmet, fresh, food in these small, plastic, microwavable containers with how excited me and Jordan were. We hit hour three, watched a movie and I started to feel like I had been on that plane forever. Tried sleeping, no that didn't work. So just played a number of sudoku games, solitaire, and anything else the little screen had. Around 11 I fell asleep for 45 mins, but when I woke up I was far too excited to sleep.

Landing and getting around the airport was well interesting. 8 American girls making their way through a foreign country, you can only imagine. Customs terrified me and all I had to do was say bonjour and hand them my passport for a stamp.

Now were unpacking and trying to stay awake and alive!!!
It's foggy here but we have an amazingggggg balcony so I can't wait for it to clear up!!

I am beyond excited, and obviously chugging on 45 mins of sleep.
Paris is amazing so far. We're going to venture out soon!

Au revoir for now!!!!

Oh and everything on my blog now shows up in french. Lost. So cool though!!

Well I didn't think that I would be posting so soon...first update... 45 minute delay. Ughhh. I just wanna get there so bad!!!! They said maintenance is on the plane and we have to wait. We were so close! Boarding was supposed to start at 4:05. But I guess it's for safety... Just get me there!! NOw they are saying we will depart at 5:15. Hopefully this is my last post from America.
Au Revoir!!!

So, I decided it's be a great idea to blog while in Paris. I'm currently in the Charlotte airport waiting to board my flight! I am beyond excited!! I have so many amazing opportunities to look forward too. Plus, my 21st Birthday!!!! I promise to blog as often as I can, and will do my best to keep up with pictures!!
So check back for my Parisian adventures :)