I waited for Guillaume while he was in class and used his login info to use the computer at the lab in Science Po (the school). I knew that I had to be rested because Guillaume had mentioned how there was a soiree that night.
Guillaume is like the French version of me. We have similar family histories, went abroad at the same age, and do a lot of things outside of school. He is in charge of multiple committees at his school that deal with “integrating” the new students with the older ones.
The soiree was done for that reason. Each older student was paired up with a first year or international student. They were paired up by having all the new students take off a shoe, throw it in a pile and have the older students pick one at random. This was done at about 5:30pm. Then, the older students would have to take their partner out to dinner and then to a place to take an “apero” before going to the dance.
Guillaume and a friend of his took their partners and I to a kebab place. I missed Kebabs sooo much! They are like the European equivalent of Jack in the Box tacos! You can pretty much get them anywhere and at any time.
After that, we stop at an Epicerie (small grocery shops) and buy some beer and start drinking it on the way to the pre-party. There was a metro strike so we had to walk a couple blocks to finally take a metro that would take us closer to our destination. I loved how I had not even been in France for a week and I was already experiencing a strike – they are not always the best things to experience.
We get to the apartment and start drinking some more. French parties are a lot more social than parties in the US. You have to come in and say hi to everyone before finding a group to stick with. I like the “intimacy” that everyone shares. I was welcomed by everyone and of course an interest for them since I was the foreigner. About an hour in, the neighbors came over and asked to keep it quite. That’s when the guys living at the apartment started to send groups of people to the elevator and to the club.
I left with the last group and talked to some people that had studied in California and that were interested in going. For not being around Guillaume, I was fairly comfortable with the strangers.
We walked for what seemed almost 30 minutes before we got to the club. There was a line outside but I was able to cut since I was dressed in the proper attire and didn’t have to leave a jacket at the front. I walked in and it was madness everywhere. The club was full of students. I ran into Guillaume and we proceeded to the bar.
It was fun to party with the French. I also ran into some Californians that are studying through EAP for the semester. We had a good time since the majority of the music they played at the club was all the latest English pop. It was actually kinda funny listening to the French trying to sing along.
The party went on and eventually things started to die down. I was leaving with one of Guillaume’s friends since he had asked me earlier to ask someone if I could stay at their place. Guillaume is also hosting his cousin (for a few more days) and there really wasn’t any room for 3 people in his apartment. So, I went home with Paul, who had gone to Australia for a year. We spoke in English and it was weird to hear him speaking English with an Australian accent.
We got back to his place at 5am. I was completely “broken” as the French say. I woke up at 11 am and helped clean up the apartment a little. I left and then made my way back to Guillaume’s. We were both really tired so we went back to sleep and woke up at 3pm.
We showered, packed, and then met up with one of his friends and his friend’s dad. They gave us a ride to St. Symphorien – Guillaume’s hometown in the countryside.
We arrive and I greet his parents and sisters.
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