When we arrived at our hotel in Paris, they told us that we had the next two hours free to eat lunch. This kind of took me by surprise. I didn't think they'd just let us wander around Paris by ourselves. I was also kind of concerned because I didn't have anyone to go to lunch with. I knew who most of the people on the trip WERE, but I didn't really know anyone. And I'd never spoken a word to my roommate, Kat, in my life. In fact, at the airport, she'd kind of intimidated me. She is a junior, and rather pretty, and had seemed somehow aloof. Things were kind of awkward as we took our suitcases up to our room. Then we both kind of stood there for a while. "Are other people going to eat?" I said. "No idea," she said. "Do you want to go?" "Ok." After we left the hotel, things were litterally awkward for about thirty seconds. Then I became very aware of the fact that she was the only person around me on the street who spoke English. That has an affect on you. We immediately became friends. We ended up hanging out together the whole time we were in Paris. It's wierd when you make friends with someone by nessescity like this. When I think about it, I don't even know her that well. But I feel close to her, just because we were thrown into an unfamiliar situation together and turned to each other for support. I'm not saying that these kind of relationships are bad, I'm just saying they're wierd.
We walked around for a while looking for a good cafe. We finally settled on one that at least had salads and where everything didn't cost ten euros. We walked in. The owner of the cafe said bonjour. Kat looked petrified. I said bonjour back. We sat down. I ordered water. Then he gave me options. I stared at him, uncertain what to do. I thought that water would be safe. "L'eau... normale?" I said. He gave me the options again. When it was clear that I didn't understand him, he came out with a bottle and a flask of tap water. I said "‡ la gauche." He laughed to himself and gave us the flask. Then he brought us bread. Kat and I both took a piece. It was the best bread I've ever eaten in my life.
Kat and I looked up at each other. Then she said, "I think we just might be in France."
Lunch was pretty awsome. We just sat in the cafe and talked about how wierd it was to be in France, and periodically Kat would run out into the street and take pictures of things that were unusual. Turns out there was nothing there to be intimidated about. She is not in any way "aloof." She's very eager and innocent, and even somewhat immature. But I like her. I felt like I could count on her. Hm. I wonder if I'll ever talk to her again.
Later, Jai and Andrew Johnson came into the cafe. Jai said "I'm gonna kill you! We've been looking for somebody else for like an hour! We were all by ourselves!" Then he abruptly changed the subject and started talking about how our hotel is near the red light district. Jai is kind of wierd to talk to. I used to think it was that his English wasn't great, (he's Asain - won't specify exactly where he's from) but now I'm pretty sure he's just a strange person. They ordered the same thing we had, and when I asked for the check they just said "nous aussi." A little before we left, Jai changed the subject again. "So," he said to Kat, "Are you going to see Jaques again?" He emphasized the "Jaques" and widened his eyes. "Hopefully not," she said, looking uncomfortable. "He's my host you know." "I know." "I should like, get him to invite your girl over." "I'll kill you if you do." "Is it true that Pedro pushed you guys into a closet?" At this point I realized what they were talking about. "Wait -" I said. "Kat - You're that girl that was making out with that French kid at the Halloween party?" She was surpressing an embarrassed grin. She didn't say anything. "Have you been in touch with him since he came?" "No." "Are you going to talk to him now?" "I don't know." "Oh. Well that's awkward."
Anyway, the cafe was fun.
I don't think it ever really sank in that I was in a foriegn country. All I could really think that first day was "Huh. Well this is wierd." It didn't feel like Paris. It felt like Boston, or perhaps New York.
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