For I know the plans I have for you...

I woke up this cold morning with a plan. Get to school early in order to print out some stuff and be available in the staff to hear about possible host families; lead two conversation groups in the afternoon; walk downtown to ask how to start using my French bank account and whether trains will be running tomorrow.

Good thing I planned to be early, because the bus was not running! Thanks to the strike, of course. I walked the 40 minutes to school (and was frozen! BRR!) - and apparently this is unusual behavior - the teachers reported that many students were absent due to the lack of buses. If only I'd known, I could have played hooky! ;) I was really trying to do my work. But when my class hour (written on my rough-draft schedule) came around, none of the English teachers had told me I was to work with their class, so I still had no idea which students I was supposed to be working with, or where. I went to look for them, but did not find them, and did not find someone to ask...where was everyone? Don't they want me to work? Why didn't anyone let me in on the plans?

At a loss, I went to see the secretary who had summoned me for some paperwork. She was out to lunch. I had been told that a certain Mme. P., who works at the high school, might have information about host families, and so it seemed a good time to visit her. She was in a meeting. I didn't want to just leave without having done anything, so I sent an email to Mitch from the staff room, and still no one came to look for me, and still I had nothing to do.

I went back to the secretary, and took care of the paperwork. I went back to Mme. P., and met her, introduced myself and explained that I was hoping to find a host family and had heard she knew things. (I have been planning to get an apartment by myself, I'd resigned myself to that and made it a concrete option this week by visiting real estate agents. Only then did I started hearing things about host families, and I just knew that I needed to wait out this week before committing to an apartment.) To my surprise, it wasn't that Mme. P. knew host families - hers was the host family! She asked who had told me about her (I think it was one of the English teachers), and said that they had room for me. I  had expected more difficulties, and no straight answers--so I was taken by surprise that she seemed perfectly willing to offer me houseroom! She wanted to make sure that staying with them was what I really wanted, and asked me to come spend a weekend and see how it went.

She began telling me about her family: She has three grown sons who no longer live at home, and she and her husband have four adopted daughters from Cambodia, ranging from 5 to 14 years old. So, she warned me, "It is girly at our house - your room would be pink." Not a problem for me! :) They also have three huskies, and live in a small village. I would be able to ride into school with her or her husband, and she reassured me that she wouldn't want me to feel stuck - I could get a ride to the nearby train station and go from there, or I could even borrow her car to go into town. She wanted me know that she respected everyone's different beliefs (her Muslim friends, her Buddhist daughters, her Jewish-background husband). There was also one special thing she told me I ought to know - her husband was a member of the humanitarian organization that got into governmental trouble for trying to save/adopt children after the 2004 Asian tsunami. (Google it!) Crazy, huh? This fact weirded me out a little - but, she assured me her husband would never try to hurt children, he just wanted to help - and it looks like the group's intentions were good ones. I imagine that they are big-hearted and passionate people. And a bit eccentric - she also mentioned that he might wear a kilt. I'm planning to spend the weekend with them after I return from my fabulous Italian adventure with HH, and I'll see how I like being there.

Speaking of our vacation...That reminds me of my other plans for the day. After walking back from school, I continued on my way toward the bank and train station. I saw smoke rising...bad sign. The post office bank was closed. I almost turned back, but then I remembered I had to check to see if trains were scheduled to run to Lyon tomorrow. On I continued, toward the smoke. It was people striking, of course. They had little flags, and a bonfire, and were dancing and chanting. I didn't take a close-up because being to close to rowdy, yelling people made me nervous...but here are a couple pictures I've collected of "la grève" in the small town of Châlons-en-Champagne.

At the train station, I was informed that there is "rien" (nothing) that will take me to Lyon tomorrow. Not from Châlons. Not from Paris. Not from Dijon. So, Helen Hunter and I have cancelled the Lyon/French Alps leg of our trip. We still plan to head to Paris and be there to catch our flight out on Tuesday. Au revoir, la France! Never thought I'd be happy to leave it, but I'm so glad we decided to leave the country for this trip. When we come back, the strike should be over and done with...whew. That's the plan, anyway! ;)

Knock, and the door shall be opened

Knock knock!
Who's there?
Ken.
Ken who?
Ken I get an answer here?

I am still playing the waiting game -- Wait and see, wait and see...
But I'm feeling better about it all. Some housing possibilities have opened up this week, more are to come, and I feel sure that something will work out, and that I will have somewhere new to live for the month of November. I don't know where yet, and I don't know when I'll move exactly, but I think that these details will be worked out by the time needed. The French don't seem to mind this waiting. So, I won't stress out about it either.

As for work, I've begun leading conversation groups this week. I took a class Monday morning, more introductions in the afternoon, and then I took two classes on Tuesday afternoon. One of these is an English conversation hour - for it, I printed an opinion piece followed by 3 shortened points-of-view on the topic, and had my students read it aloud and tell their thoughts on the subject. These four older students chose to take this hour of English conversation practice, so they were motivated and wanted to be there. They wanted to take every opportunity to practice their speaking. Ideal students! For the younger ones, I need to prepare differently, because they have to be forced to speak. So that's a little tougher. But, I've made them talk for their 20-30 minutes, and we got through it. I think it will be easier once I have a better grasp on their English levels...to me, it's still pretty unclear what they know and what they don't, and each class is different. What worked with one, might lead to a bunch of blank looks from another! So, I don't think I'm a great teacher... But I'll improve my methods. I'll prepare some more for Friday. At least the students are well-behaved, and I get them in smaller groups. It's supposed to be a privilege to get time with the English assistant. This week, walking around the school's campus, I overheard a few "C'est l'assistante anglaise," "Elle est l'américaine," and even got a few "HELLOOOOO"s from students. I'm a celebrity! :)

If you're particularly curious, you may be wondering where it is that I teach these pupils. Well, for right now, I take a group, and use my key (I have a master key) to "masterfully" unlock the doors of what I hope will be empty classrooms. Alas...on my first try (after turning the key around about 5 times to finally unlock this door), I discovered, not a classroom, but a closet. For the next group, I was equally impressive. I locked, then unlocked, the door of a classroom in use. Oops! Thankfully it was one of the English teachers who came to the door wondering who was disrupting the lesson by trying so hard to open the door... The lesson learned is, when you're attempting to go somewhere (like an empty, locked classroom), there's a sort of process that can help you out a lot. First, you need to knock. You might hear an answer - but you might not! So knocking alone is not enough, you should also try to open the door. Maybe you'll open it to find something unexpected! Or maybe it actually is locked. But at least then you'll know. So, if it is still locked at this point, THEN you take out the master key to unlock it...et voilà!

Unanswered Questions

When will I stop missing home?

Will I be able to make it through this year?

Are these boring nights just what happen when you leave college?
Will I ever earn enough that my dad won't have to support me?
And last, but most certainly not least, when will the French stop striking? (Hey, I want to go on vacation here! I came to your stinky little country all the way from the U.S.A.!)

Oh yeah and one more thing: How in the world did I (shy and awkward) manage to land a job where my primary duty is to make conversation? (I'm a professional conversation-maker! Hah! Now that is unbelievable.)

For the past few days, I've been hanging around with another assistant who's British :) She says things like "jumpers" and "knickers" and talks about finding a "flat." It's been really nice to have some company (and someone to commiserate with me). Finally, assistante friends! People to go out into town with! :)


I also have been looking at apartments, and think I might be able to find one for next month. I'm fearful because I've never rented an apartment by myself, or even lived by myself! But I would love having a little kitchen and my own bathroom - and it's not a big difference in price either. It will be so worth it. I hope.


The end of my first month in France is coming up fast. I'll work this week, and then go on vacation through the end of October! Even after having a couple of weeks to settle in, right now, nothing seems normal, and nothing is regular: no regular meals, regular sleep, regular work schedule...not even regular trains because people are all on strike! But it's getting there, and I'm sure with some time, I'll get more used to things. The way of things is just different in so many little ways, from the proper greetings to the layout of the streets and the material of the sidewalks. Last time I was in France, I think I saw only the charming, or delicious, or quaint. :) I still find many aspects of French life so lovely, but the good is countered by bad this time around; some things are a bit irritating and inconvenient at times.


This weekend in Châlons, there is a Festival des Furies. More booths downtown in the marketplace, and some acts. Today I went with the other girls to see what we thought would be some dancers (it said something about "ballet" and "spectacle" on the signs). It turned out to be a sort of marching band parade - but not like an American marching band. This small troupe glided around the streets of Châlons playing instruments and poofing out smoke. Here are some photos I took:

First impressions at school and my housing doubts

This week is my week of observation and introduction at the high school. English classes are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. That means I don't have to work tomorrow or Thursday! C'est la belle vie. Instead I can stroll about the gardens and go to the market.

So far, I've enjoyed working with the high schoolers! All I've done is introduce myself and answer their questions (if they have any), but it's been fun. Some classes are shy, some uninterested, but some are enthusiastic and curious. I was asked everything from my age to my political and religious views. (Which I denied telling them. I was given the impression that it's practically illegal to talk about religion in a French public school.) Some favorite questions: "Do you think the French boys more beautiful than the American boys?" and, "Euhm...you 'ave 'obeez?" (It is hard for them to pronounce the word "hobbies").

I've been much less lonely and bored for the past few days. Of course it helps having work. I've also seen a bit more of people my age around the hostel (sometimes in the common room I wish for a little MORE solitude, even...), and the assistants of Châlons met for coffee on Sunday.

Housing...my current lodging is not perfect. It is well located, and safe. But sharing showers and toilets (with guys and girls) means often dirty bathrooms and a little inconvenience (I have to take my keys and a bag of shampoos, et cetera, to the shower and lock my room door). And I have not had a night of good sleep since I arrived--there's so much noise (this morning, for example, I heard my neighbor's alarm go off at 6am, my other neighbor's at 7, music playing, showers going, doors slamming...), and the mattress is awful (it's really a 3-4 inch high cushion). I don't usually mind having to go to the common room for internet, but the connection isn't that great, and often it's full of loud, rowdy guys who really disturb my Skype conversations.

I had a dream that I could find an ideal living situation if I rented a room from a family. Then yesterday at school I mentioned it, and the discouraging faces made crushed my dream. "But of course," I can still look in newspaper ads; these women just thought it very unlikely I would find a family to rent from. I decided it is best for me to make the most of what I have right now, and be grateful for it.

However others today recommended I visit a certain lady at the school who knows all about "those kind of things" (host families, I guess?) in Châlons. Further, I've just been informed that there are different kinds of rooms in this place where I'm staying--one of the assistants is moving into a better one, and now there may be a place for me in an apartment in this building... I need to ask around and find out more. That's my general situation: if I want a change, I need to ask around. Will it ever end? I just want to be settled! But I also want to have the most ideal living situation that I can.

Is it worth the trouble? Is there really someplace better? Do I still believe I can find some sort of ideal place?

Ideal:

Comfortable bed.
My own bed, closet space, & toiletries space.
A place for me to cook AND store foods & kitchenware.
Good wifi connection.
Easy to walk or to take bus to school and downtown.
Near a grocery store and boulangerie/café.

Is that too much to ask for?

Best of times, worst of times

..."Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me." (Matt 25:34-6)

I've now been in France a week! Thoughout the past week, I've often thought of this verse. It really is hard to be so far from home, from all the people whom I love. Now I more fully appreciate people who have the compassion and the patience to welcome strangers. It takes effort to be truly welcoming to a foreigner. There are barriers, language barriers and cultural barriers. But to have compassion and have patience will bring blessings!

Stranger in a strange land. Sometimes I enjoy it, savor it. Sometimes I feel lost and lonely.

For example, there are accomplishments:

Today, I didn't get really lost! I succeeded in opening a French bank account this afternoon. I went shopping, bought lotion and shower gel, and a French novel (called Alabama Song). It's about Zelda Fitzgerald, and the French author visited Alabama to do research for it, and consulted with one of my French professors at A.U. (from whom I first heard of the book). After publishing, the guy won the Prix Goncourt, a French literature prize, for it, in 2007! The perfect novel for an Alabama girl to read in France.

I also had a couple of nice exchanges. I looked into Notre-Dame-en-Vaux, the church downtown, for Magnificats, and a helpful little old lady thought and consulted with a friend about where one might find them, then gave me directions to look for one at a "Maison Diocèsaine" down the street. On my way, I stopped into a sort-of fancy foods store, which had a lot of scented sugars (fruity to put in yogurt, chocolate-y to put in coffee, etc) and other luxuries. The lady working there was very friendly and interested in what I was doing in Châlons. She asked me about my experience coming from the USA to France, and she gave me a chocolate-covered almond to try. How sweet!

I profited from my beautiful surroundings, sitting on a bench by the water to read, relax, and eat a croissant (okay, fine, I admit it was another pain au chocolat). That was peaceful. Swans swam past me, to eat breadcrumbs that a mother and son were throwing. Fishermen threw out their lines. Some teenagers sat on the bench next to me. And some mammal swam through the water, too (a beaver? I have no idea!).

But there are also difficulties:

In the evening I went to a daily mass at Notre-Dame-en-Vaux, but it was hard for me to follow the readings without seeing anything written. And no one talked to me like I hoped they might...I dreamed that I maybe could have a Catholic friend or perhaps even find someone nice to live with. But these things take time, I guess.

Then, I was sulking at the foyer because the other assistants left me behind when they went to centre-ville. Why doesn't anyone want to be my friend?!?!? On a Friday night, I had no one to eat dinner with and and didn't want to go out by myself. Lonely evenings. I think I might just need to accept this and buy some non-perishable groceries that I can cook. Dad told me that I'm not in France to sit in my room...so I ventured out on my own and found a little crêperie, where I had a "galette" and some tea. It was good to have dinner, yes, but it made me uneasy to walk alone at night. Especially after some guy insisted on striking up a conversation with me, and gave me his number so I could call to have drinks with him! Hmph. 

I also don't know if I want to stay at the Foyer where I am now...the walls are SO thin, at night I can hear if anyone's cellphone goes off, if anyone opens their door, if anyone listens to music, if anyone takes a shower...! And the mattress is thin and uncomfortable, so I didn't sleep well. Maybe it'll be better other nights. Still, this place is like a hostel...not like a home.

But the worst and the most difficult is the frequent solitude. I like to be with people. I often think how much I would love to hang out with a good friend. 

But, it's okay...it's okay to be alone sometimes. Even on a weekend night. I'll be alright--I don't have to go out every Friday night with friends to have a good life. I have a lot to be thankful for anyway :)

And I will go on living as a foreigner and outsider here, and I will go on believing that it will get better and easier as I give it time.

Lost and found in Châlons

Well, apparently I do not know my way around Châlons, despite the fact that it is small. I walked ALL over it today! 

Partly planned - S took me to have a picnic in the park, and we walked downtown and through the three parks. There's le Petit Jard, le Grand Jard, and le Jard Anglais; all of these gardens connect to each other...somehow. I might need to study the map. :) They are beautiful! But I didn't stop to take photos...sorry. Another day, I will go back and run along the rivers, where the white swans and little ducks paddle, and take some photos to put up!

Later, in my attempt to get to the post office, I walked for an hour and ended up near where I began...oops. At least I had plenty of opportunity to take photos, to give you a taste of Châlons.

This was actually yesterday - my first view of the Marne river, from Pont de la Marne.

This is the cathedral of Châlons -- those French flags surround a statue honoring war victims.

This was just a cute square (well, really a circle) that I saw while I was wandering around lost...

And a street, leading me back downtown to near my destination. (Finally!)

Isn't this pretty? From my room I can see a view of this little river. I took this photo on my way home...and of course then I got lost again. It's pretty bad when you aren't even sure where you live! Maybe next time.

I would put up a picture of my room, but I'll wait until I'm done unpacking and organizing it :)

So while I failed to navigate Chalons and get a bank account (I was told they are not sure I can have one because I am American (?!?))...the success of the day is that I now am living in a room of my own, with a key and an address. And, of course, wireless internet access in the two common rooms!

Chalons-en-Champagne

After the two day orientation, I arrived in Chalons-en-Champagne. One of the English teachers at my school, D, drove me from Reims to the high school I'll be working at.

I stayed last night with S, my "welcome and contact person," and another one of the five English teachers at my school. Which means I got to sleep in a real bed last night, and eat real French meals with her family (her partner, two of their children, and a tabby cat). She assured me that she would help me with my errands, and told me that I won't have to worry about working this week. Next week I'll observe and coordinate lessons with the 5 teachers, and then I'll start in full the week after that. She has been such a help to me: calling the boarding school for me to ask about housing, explaining what phone I need and where I should open a bank account, taking me with her to the market and showing me the town, and of course, even welcoming me into her home!

Today I tried to find housing too-a real priority! I am very blessed to have been welcomed into a home but I don't want to trespass on their hospitality for much longer...and really I need my own address to do things like open a bank account and get paid! However I think we found a place, so we're going in the morning and I'll move in tomorrow! It's sort of like dorms but the rooms are private, and three other assistants are living there now. They seemed happy to be there (and when we saw them they were speaking French and cooking in the communal kitchen), and I think I'll like it. It is basic (small room, shared showers and bathrooms for each floor, and worst, no fridge) but not expensive...and once I get settled in and adjusted I think I'll be happy there too! It's also in a good location for me: close to the center of town and not far from my school. Another good thing about it is that the lady who works at the front desk will help me with my immigrant papers (but unforturately she speaks very fast and I can't understand)!

I signed my papers which officially install me at the high school this afternoon. I was also taken by S to see the things that she has collected from other assistants' stays--when they leave, they leave behind sheets, pots and pans, an iron, all sorts of stuff. I got a French cell phone too.

S has been showing me around the town as we try to accomplish these errands, and I already know my way around a bit. I like Chalons: it isn't big, but I can walk everywhere, I feel safe, and it's very charming. I'll post photos soon!

Sunday

Sunday was the day for all of the Language Assistants of the Reims district to meet up here. So after breakfast I checked out of my room, scattering my baggage between C's room (since I was still going to be with her) and the "bagagerie" (storage room). Then I ran to the cathedral to make it to mass. The cathedral is enormous, but Sunday mass took up only a small portion of the area. I didn't even see where it was until I walked back some, past the line of immense columns, to the very heart of this church. We faced the two beautiful rose windows. It was reassuring to go to mass. Even in French it was familiar and comforting.

FYI: today on a tour we learned this is the fourth largest organ in France! On the exterior are statues. I knew I recognized that smiling angel...and I remembered that these four figures show the Annunciation (Gabriel gives news to Mary) and the Visitation (Mary visits her sister Elizabeth).

After mass, I met Christina. Her agenda for the day was to go to a champagne tasting. She secured us an appointment at Mumm cellars (on the north side of Reims) for 2pm, so we chose a scenic route there and began walking. We stopped to see the Porte de Mars, a Roman ruin from the 3rd century.

Especially in this part of town, we noticed a lot of construction going on - what looks like train tracks. On the way back I realized I had read about Reims building a Metro system - so that's what it's about!

By the time we got to Mumm, we were hungry! And few, few places are open Sundays here. Luckily a restaurant about a block down was serving lunch. There was one menu, with four courses: pâté croûte (meat surrounded in pastry), langue (cow tongue! blech...), fromages (cheeses), and flan. What a lunch! We split it and were both full. (And that's without even finishing the tongue.) The servers didn't speak English and I acted as translator. It felt authentic and typically French. Then we got the check and headed to the tour and tasting.

We descended stairs, and toured the cool, dim champagne cellars. We saw the oak barrels that were first used to ferment grape juice at Mumm, back in the 19th century! The tour guide explained how champagne is made - it's a precise procedure!

This shows the angles at which the bottles are tilted in order to get all of the yeast particles (added to make bubbles within the bottle) into the bottleneck. After that, the bottle is turned upside down and the tip is frozen to make a little icecube - then they open it for a sec to "explode" out the ice & get rid of the yeast in it! Make sense? I thought it was innovative. But then, this process has been perfected and passed down for centuries.

After going through the tour, we got to compare their popular Cordon Rouge brut champagne with their Vintage from 2002. They might look the same (supposedly the vintage is darker), but the difference in taste was noticable - even to me! I could taste the "complex flavors" of the vintage compared to the brut - so naturally I only drank the vintage. It may be considered taboo here to waste champagne, but why drink what I don't like? :)

After that we returned to the room (well, C's room now - I had a new room with other assistants who were arriving Sunday night). While I was using my laptop in C's room still, another girl walked in - and she so happened to be an assistant going to the same town as me! Quelle coincidence!

I must leave you at that. I'll update about my orientation soon!

Reims with a friend on Saturday

Saturday afternoon, I got a roommate! "C" came on a whim to France from Los Angeles, to travel around on her vacation - without speaking French! So we two American girls became fast friends. It was wonderful to have someone with whom I had real conversations, something more than asking "Do you have here the thing to dry hair?" or "How does one go to ___?"; someone to go out to eat with, rather than picking up a salad at the grocery store; and someone to walk around the city with, so that when we get lost it feels more like adventure and less like trauma.

We went to the Musée de Beaux Arts of Reims to see a famous French Revolution period painting, David's Death of Marat. The museum of Reims, small and not at all ostentatious, isn't the place I would expect to find this painting that I studied in both high school and college. But there it is!

See how I wore tennis shoes - typical American tourist - because my feet had blisters from running through the Philadelphia airport in my boots. We then walked toward the Place d'Erlon, where you'll see a fountain, statue, and many open-air cafes. 

By the way, my shopping bag has a hair-dryer in it! It makes me feel slightly more settled...now if I only had a real residence and a phone! And Mitch, my family, my friends. But, one mustn't be too needy! Anyway it was so great to enjoy my dinner out Saturday night, and not worry about walking back before dark. Here I am with a Kir Royale, and then C and me with our meals.

Saturday morning in Reims

Hello again! I had a long and much-needed night of sleep, and this morning I went off in search of the cathedral. I walked across the river, passed shops (making note of where I might find a hairdryer, a phone, toothpaste, or cute shoes), stopped in a boulangerie for a quiche, turned a likely looking corner, walked about a block, looked down the street to my right...and there it was!

You can see there's scaffolding in the front, and part of this west façade is undergoing restoration work (to be finished in 216 days - they have a countdown going). I walked behind the cathedral to find the courtyard where I sat to eat my breakfast. Luckily it didn't start raining on me - it is very overcast today! And a little chilly, but not really cold yet; I wore just a long-sleeved shirt (and sneakers - how American of me! Excuse: My heel has a blister from running in my boots without socks through the airport yesterday- or was it the day before?). Anyway, this was my view!

I thought about how long ago those stones were put together while I munched. On the bench next to me a man played harmonica while people passed by. A father paused to let his little son play with the pebbles of the walkway. Walking past me, the boy looked at me with his big blue eyes.

Then I continued to walk all the way around the cathedral to find a usable entrance.

Inside, I was most struck by the beauty of the stained glass windows, shining with a brilliancy of jewels and with such rich colors! I took a couple of pictures, but they're kind of blurry...stained glass is hard to get right with a camera!

This photo was taken from within, looking back toward the front entrance - the rose windows of the west façade.

This second photo, on the right, shows the windows designed by Marc Chagall. They're in one of the chapels in the back of the cathedral.







I took note of the mass times for tomorrow (9h30 for Gregorian chant!), and asked at the gift counter for a Magnificat booklet, which I really want to get so that I can see the French responses for mass and follow along better...but they had none! Only tourist-y things. I got a couple postcards and directions to a nearby religious bookstore. I thought I was doing pretty well with my French - so far, everyone has understood my requests and questions, and I can understand most the answers as well. Sadly, this time I must have missed an important detail, because I could not find that bookstore. I could have wandered around those few blocks again, searching, but I was getting seriously tired of walking at that point!

I returned to my room, found the coffee vending machine, and had a pain au chocolat (flattened from being stowed in my purse, oops) and a tiny "café crème." Now I am waiting to see if someone will sign on to Skype and internet-phone me...wake up, Mitch! :)

Arrival in Reims

I made it to my room in Reims, France, where I am now! It was a long journey...delayed plane from Atlanta to Philadelphia, running through the airport to catch the connection to Paris. And then successfully boarding the plane only to wait 3 hours to take off! (This was due to a lady on the plane who had lost her paperwork and demanded to get off of the plane. My first impression was that she had boarded despite not having papers & I thought she'd had to be bodily removed from the plane! It wasn't quite so dramatic as I'd imagined, once I got the story straight.) In my exhausted state, I was already missing my familiar home and second-guessing my decision to leave. Thinking maybe I wish I'd demanded off of that plane too!

Thankfully, I was seated next to a very kind French girl, called "V." I can't imagine a better person to have been placed beside me for those hours. She struck up a conversation with me while we waited. She'd just spent many months studying away from her home, in Spain and in the U.S. Unfortunately it was more difficult for us to understand each other in French than in English; and I think neither of us were quite yet ready to switch to speaking French. So in her accented English, she told me about her region, recommended favorite museums and monuments, discussed French politics, answered any questions I came up with, and was just plain eager to help.

V had a train to run after, so we parted at customs; but after she missed it, we met again while in line to buy train tickets. She offered to help me, and after we had both gotten tickets (on our own!), we sat together with our luggage and ate lunch. She even showed me to my train platform, and there we said "bonne chance" (good luck) and "au revoir!" 

Even though I had worried about having to change trains, the only difficult thing about riding the train from Paris to Reims was having a huge, 50 lb suitcase to lug up those few steps! But the French gentlemen were gracious enough to help me haul my bag, and so I and my luggage made it to Reims.

...Where I managed to get lost. I was very unable to decipher the lines of the Reims bus system. After taking one bus ride (one I was instructed to take by the train station worker), I had no clue where to go next. Thank God, I was rescued again - one lady finally took pity on me and led me to the correct bus stop. And from there I just walked down the street to get to my lodgings. I was so happy to have somewhere to put my bags and take a shower! But I think I will venture out again soon to find food. Maybe I'll even cross the river to catch my first sight of the magnificent Cathedral Notre-Dame de Reims...