I guess I’ll start off with the drive to LA. My entire family (with the exception of the dog and parrot) accompanied me down to see me off. We had a nice dinner and desert at one of my favorite restaurants in Los Feliz called The Alcove with Kristin, who was my roommate during my stay in southern California, and her boyfriend Troy.
The following morning I had my flight scheduled for 8am, so we left our hotel early. Good thing too, because it turned out that although my flight itinerary said I was to fly out through Lufthansa, I was in fact to fly out with US Airways. We got to LAX and to the Lufthansa check-in right on time, but there was nobody there! For the next hour or so, things were a bit hectic to say the least. We walked around trying to find anybody who knew what plane I was to take, and finally after talking to person after person, we found somebody who informed me of my actual flight itinerary. Who knows how that got screwed up… After this whole ordeal, we had to walk over about 5 terminals to get to my airline. Checking my baggage posed another problem. Turns out checked suitcases are limited to 50 pounds or less. This was news to me considering that my last trip to France, I had a monster suitcase weighing well over 50 pounds. Anyway, my bag was 5 pounds heavier than allowed, so I had to remove nearly all the books I had packed, and send them back with my parents, very reluctantly I may add. I arrived to my departure platform with only about 15 minutes to spare… but bottom line – I made it. It was such a relief to be on the plane, really.
After turning 14 hours into a 23 hour period of time, due to the 9 hour time difference, I was back in la belle France, in Paris. My Parisian friend, Zakaria, picked me up from Charles de Gualle airport at 6:30AM, and we went back to his place in Saint Dennis where I slept all morning, wiped out from my flight. We went out later that afternoon to the city to see his cousin Jallal (probably butchering the spelling) and another friend Djamal. It was great to see them again.
The following day was my flight to Oslo, Norway. During my travels in Europe with Kira over the summer, we met a girl in Vienna (from Michigan?) who told us about what a great experience she had couchsurfing. I remembered our conversation a few months before leaving for France, and decided it would probably be a great idea to participate in the couchsurfing community! So, anyway, I found a nice Italian guy named Carmine to couchsurf with in Oslo. He works as a chef in Oslo, and lives with his brother Giuseppe who is also very nice. Carmine received me at the bus terminal, and we went back to his apartment. I wasn’t at all tired from my flight, so he cooked me a pizza, then we went out walking around the city. We ended up going in this really fun nightclub that played ‘house’ techno music, and just danced and had fun for 3 hours before returning to his place to crash. It was a really fun, somewhat out of character experience for me. I really enjoyed myself. The next day he took me to see the sculpture park in the city center, which was unique. The park is centered around this one tall pillar that depicts the life cycle with the aged at the bottom of the pillar, then progressing to the small children at the top. It was a beautiful sight, all the statues covered with snow… I think I will have to return sometime in the summer to see how different the park becomes. We spent the rest of the day just walking around the city, and in the evening we visited the fjord of Oslo. He cooked a delicious Italian dinner later that evening, and I spent a nice time visiting with my 2 Italian boys! It’s a funny thing about the Norwegians… they always obey the laws. At crosswalks, even if there are no cars coming, they will wait for the green walk sign. If a pedestrian has even one foot out on the street, the cars will not go. Very interesting. The people were nice enough, but maybe a little reserved, and a little cold, generally speaking… probably at the cause of their weather reaching down in the negatives! I’m very glad I had the opportunity to stay with Carmine, he was great. It was a different way to experience a city, as less of a tourist, and more as one of the natives.
On a side note, I was told a little story about some Vikings… A group of them had the desire to invade a particular fortress or castle, so they captured homing pigeons, tied sticks to their legs, set the sticks on fire, then released them. In panic, the birds returned to their base, and the target was burned down. Those Vikings were pretty clever, always had some sneaky business up their sleeves!
Yesterday I had my flight back from Oslo, and experiencing one of the most exhilarating views of my life thus far. After passing through a dense layer of snow clouds, we were left flying right in the middle of these opaque clouds below, and a light layer above us with the sun right overhead. It is hard for me to explain, and I wish I could have taken a picture of this, but really, it was beautiful beyond words.
I had only an hour or so back in Paris, where once again Zakaria picked me up from the bus station, and drove me to the Gare de Lyon, where my TGV train to Aix-en-provence was to leave from. I really don’t know what I would do without this guy; I’m sure many planes, trains, etc. would be missed! Haha So the TGV ride was nice, and I arrived in Aix in the evening. I am currently staying in a hotel in Aix centre, as my apartment I will be living in is in use for one more week by the previous semester students. I’m very anxious to move in, I hear it is really nice, not to mention, right above where the market of ‘fruits et legumes’ is held, so that’s something to look forward to! Also, it just so happens to be just a 2 second walk away from my bars of choice here… an Irish pub called O’Shannon and another bar that plays metal music called l’Elfike. I met my future roommates Cassidy and Lauren, and we went out to enjoy the nightlife of Aix, and in fact, I just got back at 3AM! They are great, I think we will get along very well.
Orientation started today, and I became an apparent tourist walking around in a group of 11 other American students. We had a nice lunch at a vegan restaurant, got some paperwork filled out for school, then go to go off on our own. There was supposedly a linguistic exchange at the pub O'Shannon, but it turned out to not be anything organized. We met a New York boy who seemed nice named Lionel or something like that, I'm pretty bad with remembering names, and we just talked for a while (yes, actually in French) and it was a nice night. As part of our orientation, there is an organized walking tour of Aix in the days to come (hahahaha) To be completely honest, it kind of kills my goal of assimilating! However, orientation lasts for only a week, then I can go back to my blending =) I'll be tested tomorrow in my language proficiency to determine what classes I will be able to take, so wish me luck on those!!! I'm rather curious to see what level I will test into, because some people who speak French less fluently than me tested into the highest level... I can't wait to learn more of the language!
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