When I made it to the train station, a man waiting, seeing my bags, asked me if by chance I was heading to CDG airport in Paris. Since I said yes, he introduced me to his friend, a Russian woman in a full fur coat who didn't speak a word of French or English. She had a sign explaining where she was going and with her flight information, and the man asked if I wouldn't mind helping her to find her gate when we got to the airport. I said sure, since the train was getting in around 9 and my flight wasn't leaving until almost 1pm. Our single conversation on the train went like this:
her: New Ork?
me: no... California?
her: californieee! (nod of recognition)
When the train got in we set off running trying to get to her gate, which of course was in the terminal the furthest from where we were... To make a long story short, I think she made it, and when I left she gave me a kiss on the cheek and said, "gross gross mercy!" which I'm sure was her "merci beaucoup", but much cuter.
I then tried to find check-in counter, which of course was all the way back where I started, and when I got there was greeted by the longest line I have ever seen in an airport... it went almost into the next terminal and I was in it for over two hours. By the time I got to my gate the plane was boarding... oy.
On the way to Texas I watched no less than three movies on my handy personal screen, setting the tone for the rest of my break, during which I watched movies like it was my job.
(Sidenote: Texas is not the best place to rediscover American culture after 4 months away).
25 hours after leaving and one nasty customs run-in later (never declare anything when you have a connecting flight), I arrived in Sacramento. Luckily it was nighttime, so I woke up the next morning jet-lag free! Hurray!
I spent most of the next couple weeks hanging out with my family at home. I had my first hamburger after 4 months without, and ate plenty of real american breakfasts. I went shopping with my mom-- buying some of the things that I needed but had been avoiding because of the Euro-- hung out with friends, showed my parents some pictures... It was really relaxing and really nice to be home, and it felt almost like I had never left.
A couple weeks later I hopped on a plane yet again for my third trip halfway across the world since September, and when I got back to Nantes it felt like I had never left. I arrived a couple weeks before classes started, and since there weren't many people here I didn't do much: watched a few more movies, did a bit more shopping since France is in the middle of the winter edition of it's bi-annual national sales, and slept more than I've ever slept in my life (the return trip was, unfortunately, not jet-lag free): I went to bed around 11 and woke up around 9... and it was wonderful. I wandered around town and discovered a few things that I had missed first semester, including the beautiful trails that run along the river right by my house. I've since taken a long walk there at least once a week.
Classes started last Monday; effectively destroying my vacation-sleep schedule, but at least giving me something to do. So far I really like my classes, and there hasn't been any strikes to speak of! Well--at least not the kind that blocks my classes ;) It's a little strange that most of students from last semester are gone and that there's a bunch of "newbies" around, but it will be fun getting to know them and showing them around town.
More frequent and entertaining blog posts coming up soon...
