Jan 1, 2007

I got my luggage very easily! Then I go to meet my VIP service french guy--or so i thought! It was the first time I came out of an airport and someone was waiting for me with a sign with my last name on it. It was rather exciting! He made small talk with me--meanwhile, I'm exhausted! I mean 9 am here is 2 am in Chicago and I barely slept! Anyway...this is our conversation. (he starts)


"Where r u from?"


"Chicago, IL"


"Oh, I'm from Pakistan"


"Oh, Ok"


"Oh, you know it?"


"Yes, I've heard of it" (me lying a little! I mean...what? who hasn't?!?!?!)


Then he proceeds to say...


"You are very beautiful, I like your mark" (meaning my beauty mark)


I was like...get me out of this taxi!!! So he dropped me off at my hotel. I walked in and thank god the woman at the desk spoke a little english! She showed me my room on the second floor which was the size of a closet. The elevators are soooo small here that one of my luggages fit in but I couldn't go with it! Since it was the New Year NOTHING and I mean nothing was open. I went next door to the only place that was open to buy a phone card to call my mom at 3 am! She wasn't too angry. Then I went back to my room to take a mini nap at 11 am which turned into a LONG one til 5 pm! Then I put on my clothes and proceeded to go to le notre dame. I walked around, changed 200 american dollars which converted to 123 euros after taxes and fees! bogus! Oh and I met some dude from Orland Park when I heard him speaking english and asked him for directions. Crazy huh?! Then I sat waiting for Jacqui and her sis. Well, some guy says to me Bonne Annee (happy new year) and I didn't respond. He walks a few feet and stares back at me. I see him giving me this look like "why are you acting like this?" Well it started raining. I left my umbrella in the hotel so I start walking. All of a sudden he is next to me. He smiles. I cross the street and he is across the street walking the same pace as me! Well I walked into a store and I lost him! Sheesh! Anyway...it's down pour so I wait under a awning for a while and then I begin to pace Notre Dame for a while. They are nowhere. At 7:45 (supposed to meet at 7:30) I'm about to give up...but i walk around one more time! I seen them and I run into their arms and start to cry. Just bawl. We go into a bar and i have a decaf to warm me up (no milk...just sugar...im trying to drink it black!) After a while, the bar owner starts to hush people. The lights dim and yes, on my first day in France, I watch a proposal...can i leave now?!?! No joke! it was sweet. Anyway we sit and talk more, and then Jacqui gives me the name and address of her hotel and tells me to call when I can. I go to the hotel and crash...i hadn't eaten all day and im exhausted. (oh and i took the metro by myself and didn't get lost!)