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I’m going to go ahead and warn you that this post may be one of the most interesting posts since the one entitled “Chinoise”. If you read this blog while I was in Caen a year ago, you’ll remember a post about certain bathroom incident with a girl from China. If you have never read this post, I encourage you to type in “Chinoise” in the search bar on the right.

I am going to go ahead and warn you that this post may mess with some of your sensitivities; therefore, please note that you have been forewarned!

I am currently sitting comfortably in my room after having taken a Sunday afternoon nap and eaten a nice dinner of chicken and pesto. I write this piece of boring information so that my Grandma doesn’t worry about me too much after having read this post. Hi Grandma!

Yesterday, I had a meeting scheduled with another random person about being my roommate in the apartment. I woke up, had a small amount of baguette with Nutella™ and did some shopping before the meeting (out of toilet paper!). Unlike my last meeting, this person actually showed up! The meeting was scheduled for 14h30 in front of the apartment building, so at 14h32, I headed downstairs to welcome an engineer student by the name of Arnaud. Arnaud has a very particular face and is very tall, so after waiting only one minute for him to arrive, I immediately recognized him as he exited the métro. I walked up to him to greet him and offered that we take a seat at the café in front of the apartment to chat. He wanted to see the apartment right away, but since I don’t currently live there, I couldn’t offer him instant gratification. Instead I just walked him into the building and showed where the apartment is located. He seemed interested, so we descended into the street and took a spot at the café to chat. He explained to me his current situation and how he is in his last year of engineering school after having taken a year to do internships in India and in other places around the globe. I also explained my situation and how I recently graduated from Baylor with a degree in French and Religion and that I am an English teaching assistant in Evry. We hit if off really well and had a lot of things in common, so when he asked me when I would be making my decision about a roommate, I told him that as far as I am concerned, he is it, should he so chose to accept the offer. He smiled and informed me that he was very interested. IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! HA HA HA!

I then invited him up to my current apartment to call the owners of the apartment to see when would be a good time to show it to Arnaud. She told me that we could come by later in the day and we agreed on 18h00. She said that she would contact the family currently living there to make sure that everything was alright with them. She said that she would call back us on Arnaud’s phone. I then invited Arnaud into the kitchen for some coffee or tea while we waited. We then talked some more and after an hour had passed, he recommended that we call back the owner. I did, and upon doing so, learned that she had yet to call the family. No big deal, I told her that we would come by around 18h00 anyway so that she and her husband could at least meet Arnaud.

As it was only 16h00, we had two hours to kill before going to the apartment. Arnaud then suggested that we go to the center of Paris to check out the Techno Parade. Welcome to Europe! Techno is ALL THE RAGE! He asked me if I had heard of the Techno Parade before and then tried to tell me that it was like a pride parade in the United States. I don’t know if he knows what a pride parade is, because the Techno Parade was just a large sum of people gathered in Paris to dance to loud music while going down the street. Arnaud wanted to meet some friends there, but he couldn’t find them. He said that it wasn’t that big of a deal, so instead we just walked around and laughed at the funny people. As 18h00 started to approach, we headed back to the apartment. Upon reached the owner’s (The Londners) door, we were greeted by M. and Mme Londner and the aunt of M. Londner. Mme Londner offered us some coffee and then went to make sure that it would be alright for us to visit the apartment. When she returned, she informed us that everything was a go! We then ascended the stairs and showed Arnaud the apartment.

Upon entering, Arnaud seemed interested, but as he realized just how small the place is, his facial expressions began to change. I could tell that it was smaller than he wanted and began to stress that things weren’t going to work out. He told Mme. Londner that he would reflect and give us a decision soon. We then exited the apartment, said thank you to the Londners, and left the building. I asked him what he thought; knowing very well what he thought, and listed to his concerns. As he explained to me that he wasn’t 100% certain, he said that he would think about it and get back to me. I told him that I would be going to Orange™ to buy a cell phone and that as soon as I had the number, I would send it to him. He then thanked me for taking the time to meet him and mentioned that we would keep in touch even if he didn’t decide to live in the apartment. I agreed; however, I knew better.

Arnaud descended into the métro and I began my walk to Orange™. I cannot express to you how stressed I was! I wasn’t sad, but just EXTREMELY disappointed! I wanted to lie down on the ground in front of me and fall asleep! Sleeping is my coping mechanism for fighting stress. I continued to walk and went into Orange™ to buy a pay as you go phone to use while I wait for the bank mess to clear. The lady that helped me was very nice and efficient and gave me exactly what I needed. Magali had already given me a phone to use; I just had to buy the card to put in it. This means that I NOW HAVE A NUMBER! It’s +33.06.48.62.16.90! Call me anytime! After leaving the store I still felt like lying down, but didn’t want to go back to the apartment and shut myself in my room. I therefore decided to take the Métro to the Eiffel Tower and lay in the Champs de Mars (it’s a park) while the sun set beneath the tower. It was a very nice atmosphere in which to be stressed, but the feelings that were overtaking me made me feel like I was going to vomit! I describe the feeling like this: it feels exactly like the first decline of a rollercoaster. I’ve used the rollercoaster illustration several times to describe my feelings, but this time it was absolutely true! It’s the feeling of being terrified to death, but not being able to do a thing about it! You must descend! The Tower was beautiful, but all I could think about was failing at finding a roommate. I know this sounds stupid, but I was distraught! I just kept praying over and over and over! I said, “Lord! Please take these feelings away from me! Calm me! Calm me please! I am SO stressed!” I figured that I would watch the tower light up and then head back to the apartment to have dinner. I began to enter some numbers into my phone when all of the sudden I received a text. It was Arnaud! WHAT!?!? He wanted me to join him and his friends at a bar near St. Paul! Was I reading this correctly? The same dude that just stressed me out to the max wants me to have a drink with him? I thought that when he said we would keep in touch that he was just being polite! NO! He wants to be friends with me! HOW ON EARTH!

As the tower shone before my eyes while the sun set beneath, I grabbed my things, turned my back from the glorious display in front of me, and got my butt to the Métro ASAP! As I walked with a purpose to the Métro, I couldn’t help but think that God was watching over me. As I sat in sorrow all alone, the Lord heard my cries and calmed the storm in me! I remember thinking that I was absolutely in the presence of God! I began to sing out loud, « Combien Dieu est grand! Chantez avec moi! Combien Dieu est grand! Le monde chantera combien, combien, Dieu est grand! » (How great is our God! Sing with me! How great is our God! The world will sing how great, how great is our God!). Some of you may know this song, so it might mean more to you, but just understand that I was elated by the fact that something so unthinkable just happened to me!

Upon arriving at the bar, Arnaud introduced me to his friends as his possible future roommate. I could see that he still hadn’t made up his mind, but that at least I knew that he was seriously interested. I took a seat, ordered a beer, and began to chat with everyone. One of his friends began to speak to me in English when Arnaud scolded him and insisted that he speak French to me. I wanted to HUG him! After laughing and enjoying our time at this bar, Judith (Arnaud’s friend) and some of the others suggested that we head out and find a night club.

John 8:7 But when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

You’ll understand why I have chosen to reference this verse in a moment!

We walked towards Place de la Bastille to find a good place to hangout. Along the way, Arnaud suggested that he and I duck into a store to grab some beer and chips. Like a little duckling following his mother, I followed Frenchie! We took our items and descended with the others into the Métro. Arnaud then handed me my beer and I proposed a toast to Baylor and the football game that was about to ensue. I thought that we would just enjoy the beer and enjoy the company; however, Arnaud informed me that I needed to have finished the beer before we arrive at our stop. As any other cool American would do, I beat him to the punch. I thought,”I won’t be drunk off of two beers, just a little more at ease! Besides, it helps to have a little bit of alcohol in the system when speaking a foreign language!” We exited the Métro and went into another bar. Everyone was ordering drinks, so I thought, “Why not!” and ordered a Guinness (dark beer). I began to feel a little happy, but not drunk. We chatted some and then went to meet with one of Judith’s friends who wanted us to join him at a night club. We met with him and he offered to take the girls to the club in his car while Arnaud and I took the Métro. Upon arriving at our stop, Arnaud said that we needed to go into another store and get two more beers. Oh là là! By this point I had no inhibitions and was truly following Frenchie! We took our beers into the street and he suggested that we finish them before arriving at the club. CUL SEC! BOTTOMS UP! When we got to the club, the man wouldn’t let us in because we weren’t dressed nice enough. I was obviously gone by this point, so I tried to persuade him that my jeans were special because they were American! It didn’t work. After some discussion, he let us in and we joined the girls. We danced and I literally almost knocked Judith’s friends tooth out by hitting his beer bottle with my elbow! OOPS! We didn’t drink anything in that club, so I thought that things would even out soon. Upon leaving, I discovered that we were headed to another club. At this club we all had another beer. Needless to say, I danced! I kept insisting that we pay attention to our things because I didn’t want them to be stolen. At one point Judith went outside to have a cigarette and I insisted that someone go with her. Arnaud told me to go ahead, so I followed her. She told me that I didn’t have to wait with her, but I told her, “My mother always said never to leave a girl alone in the street!” I don’t know that my mother has actually ever said that, but it is something that she WOULD say! Later on, Arnaud began to talk with this older woman and she asked for his number. I, in front of the woman, insisted that he NOT give his number to her. He didn’t care. He thought that is was funny.

We finally left the club, but it was 3h00, so the Métro was closed. We ended up having to take a bus called the Noctillian. I was afraid that I wouldn’t know how to get home, so Arnaud told me that I could stay with him at his friend’s house. His friend was gone, so it was just he and I. He made a palate for me on the floor and he slept in the bed. When we woke up the next morning, he looked up, saw me, and said, “OH! Bonjour!” He had forgotten for a moment that I was still there. He then made us some coffee and then I returned home. I was hoping that by staying with him he would give me an answer about the apartment, but I’m still answerless!

Although this story is a bit out of my character, it is absolutely true. I don’t plan on spending several nights on the town as I did last night, but I don’t regret having spent time with new people and possibly making some really good friends! I know this may sound crazy, but I do think that my prayers were answered as I lied stressed in front of the Eiffel Tower! I pray that the Baptist General Convention of Texas doesn’t read this and make me pay back all of the money they gave me while I was at Baylor, but I do believe that although I was under the influence, I don’t feel like I committed so terrible and unforgivable sin. As a matter of fact, I am pretty certain that it was the Lord’s will for me to spend the night with these people and enjoy myself! Please don’t call me to tell me that I’m a bad person or that I should be more careful! Also, if you are a bit older than me and a bit shocked, try to remember your early 20s! If you never did anything like me, you get a gold star! If you did, you know how it feels!

QUE DIEU M’A BENIS ET QU’IL EST GRAND!