Everything has been shockingly smooth since I've arrived. It feels like I've been in France a long time, but it hasn't even been a week. Fortunately someone going the same direction as me helped me get from the airport to the main train station. After arriving at our stop on the extremely crowded city train we walked through some side streets to get to the main train station. I really don't think I could have done it alone.
The train ride from Paris to my French home town of Metz (don't pronounce the t!) wasn't long but I slept through most of it. The first thing I did was find a cafe with wifi so that I could eat and announce my arrival. Then I went and purchaqsed a pay as you go phone. Buying this phone was my first French undertaking and the man who helped me had the patients of a budhist monk. Getting a phone was wise and I'm grateful to the people who gave me advice about it before I left the states.
After getting a phone I waited on the steps outside of the train station for one of my colleagues. While I was waiting a man in his 50's with a mustache and a hat offered to buy me a coffee. I refused and explained that I was waiting for a friend. He said he could be my friend. Then he offered to buy me a coffee againg and tried to sweeten the deal by tellingme he could show me his house. I laughed at him and firmly refused but I didn't ask him to leave. I didn't feel unsafe and I wanted to practice my French, besides later he helped me find the post office when my friend said I should meet her there instead of the train station.
The next time I hear someone say that French people are rude, I'll have to resist the urge to pinch them. I'm already planning constructive dialogues in my heard to preepmt defensiveness when the occasion arises. Everyone here has been unrelentingly nice to me. Since arriving every need has been taken care of. I never expected such a thing. Assistants were told to find a temporary housing such as a hostel while we look for a permanent place. In contrast, my colleagues are hosting me and helping me find an appartment. They have also assured me that I won't be alone on the holidays. There is plenty of abundance in my life here too and I'm joyous.
I'll wait to comment on French culture until I can distinguish what is reliably French from what is particular to the family I'm staying with and the region I'm staying in. I will say that the traffic lights here are on the same side fo the intersection as the car it directs and 85% of the time the traffic ights are on the right side fo the road. When the lights are in the air they are much higher than American traffic lights.
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