My first weekish in Paris.*

*The weeks and days are still a blur.

Well I have a lot of catching up to do. well to get to the place where Katie is anyway. I feel like I have gotten through the jet lag phase finally. All I wanted to do was sleep for the first couple of days but when I laid on the bed, my back yelled at me. Not a comfortable bed at all. I think I have gotten use to being in a different bed now and different country.

I have been told that the culture shock takes a couple of weeks usually, but I feel that I have prepared myself for it rather well. Everything I see so far, I have learned about in the states. Or I just ask Katie. She's my guide. :-) So I will let you know how I feel in a couple of weeks. As of right now, I miss my family, co-workers, friends and the little life I had in Indiana.

À Paris,

For a person who speaks very little French, I feel that I have been doing well. Luckily I can read and figure out what most of the signs instruct and pick out the important words. Thank God for gestures and tone of voice.

The first wednesday, I got to play indoor football (soccer, I haven't meet one European that likes American Football) with a bunch of French guys and some other Europeans. Only one could speak English and he was not much of a talker. Little tip for American soccer players when playing Europeans: Never hesitate when playing. The few times the ball was passed to me, I stop only long enough to look up to set up a cross (I hesitated). As mentioned before, I don't speak French but I could definitely tell that I was being cursed at and by gestures and by the Frenchman making fun of me, one should set up the play before the ball arrives at your feet.

Today was the second day of French class for me and it is going well. I am still not sure what level I'm in or what the professor is saying. It is all in French, no English allowed. I'm not complaining just informing hopefully encouraging others like me reading this. If I can do it you can too....probably. Many that I have spoken to here in the foyer have told me "It takes time and then it just clicks" or "So and so got here not knowing a lick of French and two months later he or she speaks very well." As for me, I am still waiting on that "click" thing to happen. In the meantime I will continue to listen and speak as much as I know and can. Maybe in a month I can write these blogs in French like my awesome Frenchy wife (she's not really French).

Well this Wednesday I will be playing Badminton which is a sport that I have only played in the backyard. Katie and I are going to a meet up group where they speak 45 min of French and 45 min of English, so it is nap time for me. Till I write again......

Cpt. Tom