what I have learned this semester

With my first semester in Paris coming to a close (wait? how did that happen SO QUICKLY?), I feel it is time for a reflection on what I have learned, which is infinitely more fun than writing my paper at the moment.

1. Never tell your overprotective father where your future host family lives if he arrives in Paris before you do, because he will cause lots of drama between him, you, your future host family, and your program, all before you even arrive.

2. You must accept that no matter how hard you try to speak French, Parisians will get really excited to reply back to you in English. You must make clear the fact that you are on their soil for a year to learn THEIR language, and recommend if they want to learn English, they should go spend a year on your terf.

3. When your professors tell you what your final assignment is in late October, start working on the assignment in late October. Don't be an idiot and tell yourself you're too busy traveling to start them until December. You will regret it like crazy.

4. Always bring extra socks and an extra pair of shoes when traveling. You never know when it will be pouring rain and freezing cold.

4.5 If it is pouring rain and freezing cold while traveling, buy rum to warm up.

5. Buy your eurail pass way in advance, so your family doesn't have to spend extra money to ship it to you at the last second.

6. When your host dad regularly greets you by saying "hello baby!" know it is because he is merely repeating what he hears in songs and on TV and not because of any other reason.

7. French people expect you to do your homework in your room and can't help but feel a bit invaded upon when you do it elsewhere around their house.

8. You must pay to use the cool libraries in Paris.

9. When your professor hands you a list of books for the class, of which there are about 30, they do not expect you to buy/read all of them, like in the states. It's just a suggestion. You will probably buy one or two books that look interesting and then never find a moment to read them because of all the other reading you must do for this class.

10. Parisians do smile sometimes, are very helpful when you're stuck in a tricky predicament, are also concerned about their weight, like Americans and American culture, only sometimes wear berets, and despite what they say, can speak English quite well. However, they are still absolutely nuts, and you will learn to love them for that :)

edit: 11 (and how could I forget this one?): never give a seemingly sweet Parisian boy who stops you on the street to "faire connaissance" your number, because he will never stop calling, even when you haven't responded in weeks. In fact, he will think he is tricking you by calling from a number 'inconnu.' You will realize that he may never give up, because he is Parisian, and his mind works differently than yours. You will also get nervous every time you walk to the metro from your house because you know that he works at one of the hotels you must pass by, and you're terrified that he will see you and try and talk to you... confrontation--*shudder*