La Poste

The cause of some serious stress has finally arrived..... AND I HAVE CLOTHES!!

Before I departed for Europe, I was planning on bringing a carryon suitcase and checking a huge suitcase with all the clothes that would last me for the year. But as soon as I booked my vacation to Barcelona and realized how difficult (and expensive) it would be to keep track of all my luggage throughout Spain and France, I decided to bring one carryon and then ship the rest of my stuff to my apartment in Reims.

Sounds simple, right? HAHA it wasn't.

My mom and I chose the 3-5 day priority shipping option and sent it out on the day I left Barcelona for Paris... thinking that it would arrive within my first week and I'd be all set. However, as the days went on, I knew I wouldn't be getting my package anytime soon and I had to buy some stuff (the weather here is freezing!).

Also, I started my classes and couldn't be at the apartment all day long to wait to sign for the shipment. So I put my name on the buzzer and the letterbox for the mailman, and on Tuesday afternoon I got a notice that my package had attempted to be delivered but that I will have to pick it up from the post office.

And then I realized..... I had to carry a 60lb / 27kg box all the way home from the post office ??? Cue the stressed, shivering Sydney asking everyone if they have a wheelbarrow she could borrow.

But in the end, it all worked out (as it always does). Thank God for good friends and strong boys and friends with cars because I was able to get my package yesterday :) I won't be cold anymore!

Life Unplugged

Often, in everyday situations, I find myself saying "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have my phone" or "How did people survive without their phones x years ago?!" It is just so darn useful, especially in Europe. I became particularly reliant on the clock (because the watch I own does not work), the Facebook app (to communicate with friends and family back home), and the maps and compass (because I have no sense of direction).

But then I lost my phone in Paris. And realized that I did,when I woke up fifteen minutes before I had to leave for my new home in Reims. I had to make it to my new apartment in a place I had never seen before, with no map and no way to contact anybody.

Crap.... Luckily my amazing Parisienne friend Laure wrote down exactly which metros I needed to take to get to the train station, which train I needed to take and which seat I had. So I grumpily lugged my suitcase two blocks to the metro station, got on and and then off, and then on another metro that I prayed took me to the right place. I got off at the stop where I saw people waiting with suitcases, walked up the stairs, and then voila! I made it to the train station!! I hopped on my train, found my seat, and literally two minutes later the train departed.

Getting off the train in Reims was a different kind of struggle, since I had no idea how to get to my apartment, no way to contact my landlord, and no clue what time it was (I was supposed to meet my landlord outside my apartment at 10:00am to get my keys). So, I seriously walked out of the train station and just kept on walking straight in the hopes that I would see my street at some point. After about ten minutes of walking I happened upon a row of restaurants and bars and shops and a fountain, so I guessed I was in the center city..... so I kept walking straight. After about another ten minutes I SAW MY STREET! I turned right and there it was: 32 rue Boulard. How did I get that lucky?? I fell asleep on the step outside the apartment and was woken up by my lovely French landlord who didn't speak a word of English.

The worst day without my phone was complete.

Every day since then, I think it's been a good thing to not have my phone. Sure, not having an alarm clock has been a problem, I'm never on time, and I do feel a little left out when my new friends exchange numbers... but the pros well outweigh the cons.

My French is improving because (1) I constantly have to ask for directions and (2) I can't just "google translate" every word I don't know, I have to explain it in another way. I'm getting to know the city of Reims much better because my eyes are not glued to a phone screen and I'm having to familiarize myself so I don't get lost.

But the best part of not having a phone is the connection I've been able to make with my new friends here. I think back to times when I go to dinner or hang out with my friends in the US and everyone is always on their phone... texting, taking pictures, scrolling through social media, Snapchatting... and I couldn't have normal conversations because they were too distracted to listen. Here, all of our dinners, drinks and gatherings have not included any technology. We tell stories, share laughs, and truly get to know each other without a technology barrier. I think this is the best way to live. And I think I'm beginning to form some very strong relationships here. :)