My first day at work...

went well! :D

I kept waking up before I needed to, hearing a baby crying in the distance and general distant hustle and bustle so when it came to REALLY waking up I had pas de probs! I had a very lovely shower (I get my own one here but I share a loo with the other girls on the floor) and got dressed and brushed and presentable and left my room ready to venture out into the city in search of breakfast.

I found the boulangerie round the corner that had been recommended me and purchased a beautifully fresh pain au chocolat. It was heaven! And then I made for the metro, making an unnecessary road-crossing but I didn't mind. This part of the city manages to be relatively busy but still seem relaxed and friendly at the same time, as people were seated at the cafés reading and chatting and watching the traffic go by on the main road. And everything does look just so beautiful in this sunshine and summer - I am SO glad I've arrived in the summer and not the dark, wet and cold winter, I'm sure I shouldn't have noticed half as much if I had!

I made it to work and just before I walked in realised I hadn't brought a single piece of identity with me which did indeed prove to be a problem for reception. So I waited and read my book. (And got to page 36! It's definitely american.) My boss arrived after half an hour and we went upstairs together and I got started with my first day of French work!

I had to go and get my ID card done - it gets me through the barriers downstairs and I can charge it up with money and get lunch with it! - which involved going to see human resources. I was met by a very lovely girl who made me sign a lot of paper and then gave me a huge pack of rules for bedtime reading (which I've just realised I've left!) She then took me to this other woman who seemed to be exasperated by absolutely everything and very dramatically recounted all her woes to Leticia whilst I stood there and tried to figure out what she was saying (I didn't get very far).

She then took my picture, and then took it again because it was bad and then again and then gave up by the fifth one and made my card. When she gave it to me she told me not to lose it and then said stuff very quickly. I asked her to speak more slowly and then think I caught something involving death and asked for it again. Eventually she just asked me very loudly if I was trembling. My answer was quite unnecessary - I clearly was. She said:

"Good! Don't lose it!"

I swore I wouldn't.

I really hope I don't.

At lunch there was a farewell table of snacks and drinks for some people who were leaving and I tried something of everything. I was caught out twice. No! Thrice! But I kind of expected the third one.

First of all there were these wotsit-shaped, twiglet-coloured things which I soon discovered were what could only be described as peanut butter wotsits. Weird, but not too bad.

Then I saw what I presumed were bbq flavoured pringles but when my lips started burning, I realised they were in fact extra-spicy pringles. They ARE extra spicy when you don't expect it but my third was decidedly average.

And finally baklava. It has a hint of soap.

It's not my absolute favourite.

Then we had a main meal in the big canteen (fish, cous cous and tomatoey vegetable saucy thing) which I sadly found myself unable to finish (curse that intriguing buffet with all it's mystery foods)! Whilst walking back I asked a couple of the girls if they ever had fire drills, they replied that they'd never had one here.

Guess what happened after lunch!

I think I've convinced them I have witch-powers.

It was really hot outside and I am so very thankful that my office is air-conditioned! (My room here is just at bearable level now but I think this is as hot as it gets.)

So that was fun. Work itself went quite well - I don't think I'm quite the relief effort my colleague Chris had anticipated since I was genuinely working at snail's pace and am unsure of EVERYTHING (PLEASE keep praying!) but he is very lovely indeed. He teaches swear words and northern dialects to foreigners and it is very fun to share an office with him!

I arrived home late having stayed behind late to check emails and walk back with the others (Diana was applying her newly acquired vocabulary along the way) and opened my teeny tiny fridge to take out my lone, resolidified M&S lemon mousse chocolate bar. Beautiful. Oh and I met two more girls from my floor (one Romanian and one from Madagascar!) who are also very friendly :)

Same again tomorrow I suppose! Minus buffets and ID cards and fire alarms, I hope.

Bonsoir! xxx

I have made it to Paris!

I've arrived!

Mum helped me carry 3 bags all the way to Paris and together we eventually succeeded (in STIFLING heat, might I add) in finding the foyer where I'm staying! It is beautiful. I shall upload photos another day.

Once settled, we found a lovely restaurant which supplied us with a cup of jasmine tea and a lemonade and then I successfully purchased France's smallest padlock for my fridge (which, despite being told to get the smallest available is only just big enough to fit!) and took Mum back to the eurostar.

The train to get us there was PACKED and we became rather intimate with the people around us, which in this heat was NOT the most pleasant experience of my life. But we survived, I saw Mum off and then found the novel that had been advertised EVERYWHERE last time I came and bought it. It's called "La fille de papier", written by Guillaume Musso and so far it's very good though I suspect that it may in fact be a translation from America!

I then returned to find a french fireman climbing a ladder to the second floor of one of the houses round the corner and breaking the glass of the window - only for it to swing open and reveal that it was in fact already open! He climbed inside, as did another french fireman and the other french firemen stood and watched with the rest of us! No one seemed to know what had happened but they speculated that it was an elderly person caught by the heat. I asked why they didn't ask the firemen but was told that they never tell. I am ashamed to say I took them at their word and didn't ask but curiosity is EATING ME UP!

I then got back, got my internet sorted (hence the blog post!) and met three of the girls with whom I'll be living who all seem delightful and one of whom was my next door neighbour (who lives at number 22!!! *sigh*).

And now I'm off to bed to start work in the morning.

Thanks for all your prayers - keep 'em coming! xxx