Hello, Euro

First post from Paris!  It's Day 2, or Day 1.5 as I like to think, and I've "moved in" to temporary housing, although I'm taking as little out of my suitcases as possible, since I know I'll be moving again in a week or so (I hope!).  It's unsettling in more ways than one, but I know I'll be wasting my time trying to set up shop here.  

I don't want to disappoint you, but I haven't seen the Eiffel Tour yet.  Nor the Notre Dame.  I've walked (sometimes quite hurriedly) the streets of much of the 13th and 14th Arrondissments, where the MICEFA office, the Maison des Etudiants Canadiens (temp housing), and at least one campus of Paris III are located.  Paris seems even bigger than I expected, which is why I got a one-month metro/RER/bus pass today (yes, Paris offers THREE forms of under/above ground mass transit).  Tomorrow I'll pick up a copy of Paris Practique, the ridiculously thorough guide to the city that even Parisiens, yes, Parisiens, carry.  With that in my purse, I hope there will be no more seemingly endless treks to the bank (read: today).  On that note, I do have a French bank account!  Génial!  Which I acquired with an ALMOST solely-French appointment.  Other accomplishments today: making some calls on housing/finding more places to call, and attending the Orientation meeting with all 160 other MICEFA students.  

Tomorrow: placement exam part I (for the language intensive), acquisition of a cell phone, potential acquisition of a place to live, and..acquisition of a hair dryer, j'espère.  

A toute à l'heure, mes amis!

Alina :)