First Day of Class

We were supposed to meet in the lobby of Lila at 9 and leave to go to the Paris Center. We left at 9.30. DJ took us on a tour of the area around the Center. Until about 5-10 years ago (apparently), it was mostly mills and factories. Now most of it has been torn up and businesses have moved in. The goal is to make it an area for universities to build, to make it the 'new Left bank'. I didn't take pictures because it was rather a quick tour, but I'll post some by the end of the week, I hope. I was supremely hungry (don't know why though...I had eaten breakfast only a couple hours earlier) so a girl in the program (Tory) and I went to a cheap sandwich shop for a sandwich. I got Le Puriste--ham and butter on a baguette (mostly because that was the cheapest). It was yummy (as is everything here, it seems). Then we went back to the Center to go to the recepetion they were hosting for us and to meet our conversation assistants. Elsa is mine--once a week we are to go with her to somewhere in Paris (a bar, a cafe, a market, somewhere) and talk. I think that it will be good. I made an effort to speak as much French with her as possible and to ask questions about how to say x. Unfortunately, several times, my vocabulary failed me and all I could think of was German (even though my German is also not very good...but it is better than my French). Ah well. I plug on.

French class was ok--I think that I am in the bottom rung of the advanced beginners class that I'm in, but I'm definitely willing to put in the hours necessary to improve, so I hope that I will improve rapidly. The philosophy class was good too. I think that Dan Brundney will be a great and engaging prof. BUT the class itself is 2 hours and 15 minutes long. 4 times a week. Brutal. We'll see how it goes. And how long I can stay awake. :P