How I got to France and all the random things Paris has taught me

 I started out Friday morning bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Dad dropped me off at the airport at 11:30 and I was through security and to my gate in literally 10 minutes. So I spent another 2 hours sitting around playing solitaire before I was able to board my flight to Philly.
When I landed in Philly, stomach growling and make-up starting to disappear, I took the bus to the terminal of my flight to Paris and grabbed some good ol' McDonalds. (though I was a little surprised to bite into my hamburger and discover barbeque sauce instead of ketchup) before attempting to skype with Liz and we did get a good 90 seconds out of all of our hard work!  I had an excellent seat on my flight to Paris sitting next to 2 women in their late 40's or early 50's who had been friends since their first day of high school. They had taken several trips together in the past and this time they were taking on France together (Camille, they made me think of all of talk about traveling together). The highlight of the flight (besides getting to re-watch Water for Elephants) was when right after they had been reminscing about how they had their flight from Brussels held for an entire hour while they raced (escorted by security) across the airport to their flight home. Once they finally got onto this flight they spent quite a bit of time talking to this Flight Attendant who ended up giving them his christian music CD. And who came up to serve us our dinner on this flight? But of course the same man, seven years later, with the same two women! 
<I had a great time in Paris especially since it is so warm here, unusually so for this time of the year, and I saw all the touristy highlights again; as well as ate some good food spoke a lot of english thankfully... but Now I am with my host family in Dijon eating more good food and I spent the day relaxing at their petit chateau in the country. The house dates back to the middle ages and this tiny town complete with the chickens clucking next door was so wonderful!

Things I learned in Paris:

1. If someone asks to if you are a foreigner you simply reply "Non, Je viens du Strasbourg". Apparently the french in Strasbourg have such a strange accent that it is your best hope of passing as french (it will also help when I can really speak french)
2. There are no lanes on busy french roads. (especially round-abouts) It's a free-for-all if you think you can fit between
3. If there does happen to be a lanes it probably means there is a lane for buses. Meaning every taxi in the city is trying to fly through in the bus lane even when there is a bus parked in front of it. 
4. It takes a while to acclimate yourself to eating on a different schedule. Which really sucks when you spend the whole day with a french-man controlled by his stomach. 
5. The french might not have invented Coke but they know how to drink it better than anyone else. When you order a "Coca" at a café it comes with a glass containing just a few ice cubes and a nice slice of lemon (not a wedge but a slice). The best part (Rachel Harrington you will love this) is that they don't bring you coke from a fountain, they bring it to you in a large glass bottle which they open for you :) Moral of the story is that from now on I'm only drinking Coke with lemon. It's worth all 5 euros!
6. If you're in an accident (not super severe) or having car problems call the fire departement instead of an ambulance. Apparently they do the same things and they are much friendlier
7. apparently french people dont run on the streets

More later when I can use my own computer and not one with the keys in the wrong place!