The first 48 hours in France were a whirlwind of sights, emotions, and thoughts! We landed into Paris at Charles de Gaulle Airport around 9:00 am, but back home it would have been 2:00 am. I can definitely say we were all pretty jet lagged already. The flight went very well with no complications at customs which was a huge blessing to us girls. So many people were speaking French on the flight, and it was so fun to listen to!

On our first day, we ate baguettes, meat, cheese, and fun drinks to start off our time here. Our French tutor and new friend, Emmanuelle, showed us where the Metro and shops were. We bought bananas from a man in French. I expected learning French and speaking to people would be difficult, and being here has confirmed that. At the same time, we have learned so much in the last 48 hours which is exciting!

The next day, we went to a large mall in Creteil. Since it was a Saturday, the mall was bustling with people in all stores. They even have a new Primark store! I am excited to go to that next time. We played laser tag after a delicious dinner of Pho. It was fun to try to order and pay in French. The laser tag was a great way to have fun as a team.

We took a boat tour of Paris on Sunday. We saw so many major landmarks and learned a ton of history. The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and (the outside of) The Lourve are some examples of what we were able to see! A lot of this trip has been overwhelming in different ways, but it has also been so rewarding and fun.

Nothing has disappointed me yet, and I would be interested as to what would in the future. The first French people we met were Emmanuelle and Jeff. However, they speak very good English. My first impression was that they were more reserved, but overtime they are much more bubbly. I am most nervous to learn French and miss my family and friends back home. It is easy to want to be comfortable, and I hope I can push past my comfort to grow and learn!