Paris!

This week, let alone today, has been an absolute whirlwind.

Despite the disgusting Thursday spent at home sick with the flu (gross) the week flew by.. we finished up classes and discovered some more of the little shops throughout Tours. My host mom recommended a bookstore called La Boite a Livres, which was a smaller (and very French) version of a Barnes and Noble, except it's not a chain. It took some nerve, but I restrained from buying anything toooo unimportant. ;) It's okay, anyway- my host mom bought me a book from the same store that she gave me on my last day, on the artist William Turner (who did some very pretty landscapes of the Loire, as she duelly noted my love for the beauty of the river).

As much as I'd love to write more about the past week, today has been far to exciting and I just have to get it out.

I LOVE PARIS.

There are two other girls in my foyer from Central- Katie and Caci. We got to the foyer on the Ile St. Louis in the afternoon, kind of confused because the address and sign was just a slate and a huge door. After ringing the bell, the door unlocked and we pushed it open to reveal a huge, gardened courtyard collecting the five residence buildings of the Foyer Vigie! The foyer is very quiet, and we all live in different buildings on the fourth and fifth floors.. it's definitely some good exercise up the stairs.

I was so nervous to meet my roommate. First of all, I knew she was going to be Francophone... so what do I say? Uhh, nice to meet you, sorry for my huge bags I'm dragging in? It was such a relief when I walked in... she had left me a note on the dresser (in half English/half French) saying welcome with a jar of peanut butter on my desk! SO COOL. She also labeled all of the items in the room with English/French translations (lightswitch, doorknob, towel rack.. ect).

The room itself is a decent size- probably the size of a double at school. It has a big window (with curtains!) at the head of the two beds with nightstands and lamps on them. We each also have a desk, and there is a sink/medicine cabinet and towel racks cornered off from the bed area. The toilet is right outside the door, as well as the two showers. Convenient.
(I'll put up pictures in a few days... today was just way too overwhelming to bring out the camera.)

So ANYWAY.. out of the room, onto the Rue Poulletier, and five steps to the island's edge, where on our way to the metro we faced Notre Dame, literally five blocks away and in plain sight.
...gorgeous.
If that wasn't enough, on our walk back after dinner we passed the Pantheon, and the Place de la Sorbonne, aka my school. AAH!

Oh yeah, and we had to pass Notre Dame to get back to our house. Like, walk in front of it. Incredible.
I'm sorry if my vocabulary isn't getting very far past, great, wonderful, and gorgeous... it's just all so EXCITING!

I finally met my roommate on my way in as she was leaving- her name is Colin, and she is so sweet.. she asked which one of us was me and introduced herself before she left. (Did I mention there's a copy of "Un tramway nomme Desire" on her nightstand, and she has a copy of "L'Etranger?!")

Tomorrow is our Redcar (double decker buses) tour of the city, and after that, some more exploring! I don't have internet in my room, so the skype/phone call thing probably won't happen as much. :)

Salut!