First Full Day in France (Also the Longest Day of My Life)

by chelseyengelhard

September 3rd, 2014

Holy mother of Pearl. I knew there would be obstacles to overcome when I came to a foreign country, but I didn’t realize they would be so… obstacle-y. My second day in Nantes (technically my first full day) will go down in history as the longest day of my life. Warning: also a long blog post.

            I got up at 7am at my hotel to eat breakfast, which was a traditional French “petit-déjeuner” (pet-tee day joo nay) – bread, apples, coffee, and yogurt. I hadn’t had a full meal since dinner on the airplane, so I was hungry. I checked out and had to ask the lady at the hotel where to get a taxi. My grogginess made it difficult to understand her French so early in the morning, but she was patient with me and told me where to go. I had to walk about 5 minutes to the town center. I probably had “foreigner” stamped to my forehead with my huge map, buttload of bags, and confused expression. A police officer approached me and kindly asked if I was lost. I wasn’t far from where I needed to go, so his directions were easy to understand. He was also patient and talked slowly (sans annoyance) to me. I have yet to meet a rude French person.

            My first stop in Nantes was the International Office located in the town center. I went in with all of my luggage and the people there were warm and welcoming. I finally met my advisor, Jelena, who I had been emailing all summer. I was relieved to find she spoke clear English since the information she had for me was crucial to understand clearly. She was very organized and helpful. I was given a long list of “Things To Do When You Arrive in Nantes.” I had completed the first step, but my day had only just begun.

            My next stop was my dorm, which is about a mile away (5 minute metro ride) from the campus. The lady gave me my keys (but not without having to repeat herself several times for me to understand). I was in Building B, room 150. I thought, “Nice, I’m on the first floor,” since in America the first number correlates with the floor number. LOL, no. It’s room 150… with the first room being room number 1. I had to carry my luggage (~80 pounds altogether) up 13 flights of stairs. The French don’t believe in elevators, it seems. I sucked it up and made it to my dorm, which has an adorable lavender door (each floor has a different color scheme). I began inspecting my home for the next four months.

            I am fortunate to have a single room with its own bathroom, but there isn’t much space for anyone else. The bathroom is about the size of a camper bathroom, if not smaller. The sink, shower, and toilet are all in the same three-foot radius. I could literally take a shit and a shower at the same time, if I wanted to (I don’t). When I took a shower I had to try to fit the curtain so the toilet wouldn’t get wet, but no luck. Now I know why they call bathrooms “water closets”: 1) they are literally the size of a closet and 2) water gets everywhere.

            When I got into the room I the first thing I noticed was the bed. Like I said, the room is set up somewhat camper style, so there is a little bench and table underneath the bed, which moves up and down. It was about an inch away from the ceiling, and it took me a whole 15 minutes to figure out how to get it down. I was a little worried for my life. That would be my luck: first day in France and my bed falls on me.

            The bathroom and the bed will only take a week or so to get used to, but the hardest thing about the dorm is that here is NO wifi whatsoever. I have the option to get a cable, but even if I did, Skype is blocked due to “security reasons.” If I want to use the internet I have to take the metro to the university and hopefully find a spot private enough to chat. I could also find a café that has free wifi, but I have yet to find one close enough to my dorm. I never realized how attached I was to wifi until I couldn’t use it. My mother, heaven bless her, is sending me my case of DVD’s so I have something to do in my down time (also, even if I did have internet, Netflix doesn’t work in France).

            Anyway, after I settled into my dorm, I was so overwhelmed with all the information I received and the list of things I had to do that I pulled a Chelsey and took a 90 minute nap.

            My next stop was the campus to register at the university and pay for my health insurance. France has universal health care, so with 213 euros, I am completely covered, which is nice. I met a potential friend whilst standing in line – a Swiss girl named Riccarda. Her primary language is German, but she spoke English with ease as well, which made me feel a little less alone. I haven’t found many people that speak English, so I’m hoping I pick up the language quickly. By the time I left the campus, I still had to get a monthly transportation pass and go to IKEA to get linens. The machine at the metro station didn’t take my card, and I was completely out of small change (don’t EVER get 100 euro bills; they are not accepted anywhere). I needed to get on the metro! I tried all of my cards several times, but no luck. Feeling defeated, I began to head back to my dorm so I could cry forever. I tried again at another station – and voila! – it worked. I got a 24-hour pass to last me until I could get my monthly pass the next day. I went to IKEA and found some simple, cheap bedding. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast at the hotel, so I had some meatballs and French fries (ha), which tasted like heaven. The free wifi made the experience even better. I finally got my fix. HEAVEN BLESS IKEA.

            So far, I really like the city. It’s relaxed and quaint for being one of the larger cities of France – completely different from Paris. The people here have been helpful and kind, even if I couldn’t completely understand them. They knew I was trying my best with the language. THAT WAS ONLY MY FIRST DAY IN FRANCE, YOU GUYS. I overcame many obstacles, like getting on the wrong metro and dealing with the language barrier. It will get better in time.