Americans in the park

Tonight was amazing.  I came back to the room around 2:30 to rest my weary feet and put on sneakers, and ended up staying here until 7.  I wrote some letters and postcards and I talked to my mom for a while online.  Eventually I went to the post office, bought stamps, and sent off my stuff.  Then I got on the train to head to La Tour Eiffel.  I took the Metro, and I thought I was on the line I needed to be on, and I wasn't.  So I decided to get off at Invalides, as I remembered there being something cool there...and it's in the general area I wanted to be in...20 minutes from the Eiffel Tower.

When I came out of the Metro, the most amazing expanse of green park was before me.  At one end of this huge field (jardin) was the massive, gold-guilded Hôtel des Invalides.  According to my book, "The hotel was built from 1671 to 1676 by Louis XIV for his wounded and homeless veterans (invalids).  At its center lies the glittering golden roof of the Sun King's Dôme Church, which marks the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte.   After the two World Wars, Louis XIV's hôtel was returned to its original use as a hospital for veterans."  It is, as the guide book calls it, "imposing" to say the least.  It's an amazing structure, and one I hope to visit during the hours its open.  From this lawn, I could see the top of the Eiffel Tower over the buildings.  Once the sun began to set, the sky lit up with pinks and purples.  It was incredibly picturesque.

Hôtel des Invalides

Other side of the lawn

Beautiful sky...see the Eiffel Tower?!

The lawn was covered with clusters of people eating and drinking and picnicking and napping and reading, etc.  So, I decided to take a seat on this lawn and get my bearings.  I heard a lot of English--American English, from a group of about 25 or 30 people.  I interrupted a set of three women from a lively discussion to see if they could tell me more about the building on the other end of this lawn.  They told me all about it, and invited me to stay with them.  They offered me food and wine.  Turns out they're a group of American expats that found each other on www.meetup.com.  They were all in the 22-30 year-old-range.  I made some new friends with some lovely girls: Samantha from LA, Tressa from Alabama, and Lexi from Hawaii.  I was invited to join a group of them for lunch tomorrow at a place called "Breakfast in America."  If I'm moved in to my apartment in time, I'm going to meet up with them!

Needless to say, I never made it to the Eiffel Tower.

I was struggling today with the lack of ability to communicate.  I think if I had some command of French, I wouldn't feel that way as much.  It's overwhelming to be in a situation with someone and not be able to speak to them.  AT ALL.  Not only that...I was feeling a bit lost today.  I felt like my personality is completely lost in translation.  It's next to impossible to translate wit and humor to the people I've been talking to here.  It's conversational, "get-by" English 101.  (Okay, maybe 200.)  That being said, every person who speaks English to me has better English than my French.  And yes, it does take a very sophisticated speaker to "get" sarcasm and wit.  So, it was incredibly refreshing to meet this group of young American adults who I could speak to fluently.  It felt so good.  I didn't realize how much I identify myself as an American.  After today, I realize it's a huge part of how I define who I am.

The group went on to a bar after dark, and I came back to the 18th.  I ate dinner at the same café as last night, and said goodbye to Julien.  We exchanged emails and I gave him a tip (not that common here, apparently) and I returned to the hotel.  There were some rowdy (read drunk) women chasing around some German men causing a wild rumpus outside my door.  Some interesting conversation to be exposed to.  Ha.

Off to bed.  xo, aKiP