[Journal] First Full Day of Travel Study

Sunset at the airport last night.

My jet-lagged body woke itself up at 4AM today. A solid five hours before class. I did some readings and case briefs, then before I knew it, my roommate was up making us breakfast. Yesterday, she went grocery shopping to get bread, eggs, and butter. Today, she made cute little egg-toast sandwiches. 

Afterwards, we went to class. Our first class in Paris began with French lessons. 

How to describe Professor Freixes… My immediate impression is that he is a straight-forward character who genuinely cares about his students. He has a way of making students feel comfortable in class. Speaking aloud, he tends to finish your sentences when you begin to struggle using legal terms. He told us about an interesting Dodger’s case he took on, but I’ll leave it to Professor Freixes to tell his story to you next summer.

After class, I went to a pizza place called Da Vito with four classmates, where I greeted the hostess with Bonjour Mademoiselle, parez-vous Anglais? Seeing our effort to be respectful, she appeared pleasantly surprised and immediately warmed to us. The entire course of the meal, she was friendly and kind, even sitting down with us to translate the menu and make recommendations. 

The mushroom and ham was our favorite, but all were fantastic.

Later, I traveled alone around Paris to explore the streets while other students went to Forum des Halles, the Eiffel Tower, or the Louvre (I visited those places last year and wanted to explore a neighborhood I hadn’t before). I ended up walking along both banks of the Seine, through the Latin Quarter and along the shops by the Louvre, then returning through La Marquis

Somewhere in a neighborhood along the Seine.

I found myself more than capable of traveling around Paris alone with no cell phone service and only Google Maps to track my location. (I had previously downloaded the Paris using Wi-Fi.) When I had questions, I asked a Frenchwoman about the city bike system and a metro worker about the underground routes. I greeted them in French and asked if they spoke English. Both were friendly, kind, and more than happy to help. 

The French have a bit of a reputation for not being warm towards tourists, but they are quite charming and willing to help if approached with a smile and polite French greeting! 

Until next time,

Sherry