First try of e-mail from this strange new land. It did not take long for me to receive my first culture shock, while standing in line at the airport to check in passports and stuff a guy came up behind us and lit up a cigarette. It was pretty strange.

After arrival we watched the cars go by the airport (not a minivan or SUV in sight, they were all tiny) then we caught a taxi to our hotel (the metro was on strike). After sleeping for a while to try to catch up on the six hour difference we set out to explore the section of town we were in. There was nothing but advertisements and crusty stores, but after awhile we found a nice place and got some food. After vowing to wake up early in the morning and go downtown we went to sleep. I slept until 1:30 and then laid awake in bed until 6 when I fell asleep until 10. The time change is really messing us all up.

We spent Thursday as tourists in downtown Paris and saw all of the tourist things.

Friday we hopped on a train to Dijon and began checking out this city. It is cleaner and nicer than the outskirts of Paris. I also spent Friday turning sixteen. I guess now I feel obligated to get a car. Maybe a MINI like Mr. Bean. Speaking of Mr. Bean I saw a theatre advertising a movie of his coming soon, called BEAN (the ultimate disaster movie).

Here I am today, Saturday, writing this message with a funky European keyboard at the only place I could find to use the Internet.

Tomorrow we head to Taizé.

F