Americans are in Paris.

I made it! I'm about to begin my fourth day in Paris. It is 9:30 here. I have a meeting this morning and then so other people from my program and I are going to the Louvre. I think it's finally starting to sink in that I'm here.

     One of the first things I've noticed here, which in hindsight shouldn't have surprised me so much, is how many American products I see. I had Golden Grahams for breakfast today. On our drive in from the airport, one of the first billboards we saw was for Call of Duty. The movie theatre that I can see from my appartment has huge posters of Yogi Bear hanging off of it. The list goes on.

     In a way it's very comforting, but it's not what I expected at all. I was expecting major culture shock from the way they do their daily activities differently and their are some major differences. Everything starts later here. I had dinner last night at 8 o'clock. Dinner is always followed by cheese and baguettes. The toilet is separate from the shower in the apartment where I'm living. The cars are all a lot smaller. But these things haven't really bothered me, but made me smile. I guess I was expecting more weird quirks like that. It's almost like reverse culture shock: more pop culture from America than I expected. So many idealize Paris and city life, but they should know that the Parisians idealize America.

      So I guess you might say I just have city culture shock. I've always wanted to live in a city and now that I'm here, I'm not so sure. 

      

      Yesterday, some people from my program and I went to see Notre Dame. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I know the Eiffel Tower is the trademark of Paris, but I honestly this Notre Dame is far more impressive in person. The details in the architecture you can't see in pictures and the inside is just gorgeous, holy and reverent even with all the tourists. 

      I've been having a difficult time being here. I miss my family and my friends more than I could have imagined and I fall into doubt that I will never find any other Christians or friends like I have at Hillsdale here. But being at Notre Dame yesterday was so beautiful and the statues of Christ's appearances after his resurrection reminded me of how good God is and how He has much to show me in this experience. All that's left is to be still and wait.