And so it begins!

After all of my bags were packed, I was dropped off at the Yakima Airport to head for Seattle. Everything went smooth; especially for it being my first flight in over ten years. I then navigated through all of the security checkpoints of the massive Seattle Airport and had a quick breakfast at the Airport’s Burger King Restaurant. Afterward, I got on board to head for the Minneapolis Saint Paul Airport. I had a quick nap through this 2-3 hour flight to recharge. Once I checked in at MSP, I had a huge lunch at their airport’s McDonald’s and finally headed for the place en route to the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France. This was an overnight flight, so I was furnished with a pillow, blanket, eyeshades, earplugs, etc. I had dinner and breakfast during the flight, and the only two movies that were shown were two that I have already watched (Race to Witch Mountain and Seventeen Again). On this flight, I befriended the vice president of Sports Authority and his daughter who went to Bringham Young University. They were very nice people who had to change flight plans due to a technical glitch in their itineraries. Once I got to Paris, I entered a foreign portal where English was no longer the main language of communication. 😐

I had so much difficulty traversing through the airport to get to the Train Station (RER). I must have asked over ten people and several information booths for help; less than half understood my broken French. Luckily, I made sure to convert my money to Euros (the national currency of France) before arrival and withdrew it in cash form in the nearby ATM. Unfortunately, the airport did not provide free Wi-Fi, so I had to use other resources at my disposal to get to the Fiap (thanks, iPhone). Eventually, I figured out how to purchase a ticket at the station. But it wasn’t too long before I was harassed by deaf beggars for money. I even encountered a nun who asked for coins on the train ride to Denfert-Rochereau (my final stop on the train). Once I got there, I walked the streets for hours trying to find the darn Fiap Jean Monnet; a hotel that houses students during their stay in Paris. Thankfully, a kind British man was able to use proper English to guide me to the location. Once I entered the hotel, I met up with both Pamelas. We were all sweaty and fatigued from the heat. Nonetheless, we all shared a common thought: our adventures in Paris have just begun! 😊