10 April, 2016
Today was the first day for the rest of our lives. Just kidding, we didn’t get married today, we moved to Paris for 3 years, so it was one of the longest days we have had in a while. Let’s take a step back to when we finally got our visas in the mail until when we got to Paris. It was about 3.5 weeks and the days flew by. Jer had joked when we got our visas that even though we would be leaving in April he would bet money it would snow. And you know what, it did. Happy Spring! It wasn’t a nor’easter by any stretch of the imagination but there was just enough snow to freak everyone out.
We started out moving day by buying the new computer that I am currently typing on. Which is 100% my fault. I spilled a blood orange San Pelligrino all over Jer’s other computer. Regardless, Best Buy had what Jer wanted so he is now a happy camper and we have a shiny new computer to document our European adventures over the next 3 years.
After the computer, we dropped off our rental car where Kathy and Kelsey came to help us finish packing the house (yes we were leaving the country in under 12 hours and our home was not all in boxes). Luckily, Laurie, Aunt Toni and Jim came to help us pack (and get some goodies to take home with them). We were on a tare throwing stuff out. If it wasn’t for our families, there would have been no way we would have made it out in time.
After we got our 5 bags (all right at 50 pounds), 2 carry ons and 2 personal bags into the 2 SUVs, we made it to the airport with time to spare. We said our teary goodbyes to our families and headed to check in. We breezed through security and found ourselves having our last US supper at a Philly Staple, Chickies and Petes, where we engorged ourselves on local beer, Crab Fries, chicken fingers and cheese steak egg rolls. Was totally a proper Philly farewell meal.
We boarded our 7 hour flight with ease and got settled in. Unfortunately 6 hours in, Jer and I both had not slept. We got the Charles De Gaulle airport with blood shot eyes to collect our luggage. Our bags started to come out slowly one at a time. The Green Giant, followed by Big Red, then our trusty periwinkle bag from our honeymoon and the new grey stunner. But as the luggage stopped being new that came around the carousel, we realized that Jer’s Moravian Basketball duffle, which holds about 80% of his clothing, wasn’t there.We headed over the customer services to find out that Jer’s bag was still in Philly. It was never loaded on the flight. Great way to start our Parisian adventure. His bag will hopefully be here tomorrow or we may need to go buy some new undies.
Now we met up with our driver and we were off to our home for the next 30 days. 4 different locks on 4 different doors, we are in our home. It is small, but functional, mostly from Ikea, but it will do. At this point we are whipped and in much need of a nap. We crawl in for some shut eye around 10:00 knowing we have a meeting at 14:00 with the temporary housing company at our apartment. Around 13:30, while we are dreaming of our first baguettes, Jean Charles lets himself into the flat for a surprise. Luckily, he agreed to come back at 14:00. We went over the basics and bid adieu. Time to see our new neighborhood.
Since it was Sunday around 14:00, we knew that stores would be closing so we made a trip to the closest open grocery store, as the markets had closed at 13:00. We got the basics (bread, cheese, toothbrushes, soap) and headed to the Arc de Triomphe. We found a nice cafe, Cafe Lateral, where we sipped on some much needed caffeine followed by 1664s (a very very good french beer). Mine was called a Tango, which was pink with sweet syrup. After we enjoyed a few hours of people watching, we headed back towards the flat where we came across a lovely green space filled with families enjoying the Spring afternoon. I have to go into work tomorrow AM, so Jer and I walked through the park to the metro station where I am meeting a colleague in the AM. It was a beautiful walk. If our permanent housing is in this area, we will spend a lot of time in these parks. Then we finally headed back to the flat.
Once home, we cut up our dinner of bread and cheese accompanied by our first bottle of 5 Euro wine. It was delicious. Then we needed to get ready to call it a night. However, to add one final wrinkle to our day, the shower and toilet were making funny gargling noises. This was then proceeded by what looks like vomit or shredded carrots coming up through the shower drain. We called the housing company, with someone then showing up 3 hours later to tell us they could do nothing until tomorrow, sorry. We were able to get the shower to drain, to a point, to take quick rinses. But it looks like Jer will be spending some of his day tomorrow waiting for his bag and the plumber.
So in summary, we left Philly on a snowy Saturday in April to get to Paris to find out my husband’s clothing was left behind. Then to cap off the night, our shower looks like something after a rager in the college dorm on a Sunday morning.
But, we made it safely to Paris and will have a great story to tell to look back on and laugh in a few weeks.
-Kasey
Step Count: 8,661, 4.19 miles
Le tour de walker 