the resolution of problems. finally.

yesterday, i experienced my first rainy day in paris. the weather has warmed slightly, just enough to form a chilling rain that settles in your hair and on your fingertips. paris becomes deathly still when it rains. the sky turns solid and grey, weighing heavy on the rooftops. puddles form in the cobblestones of the sidewalks, creating a silent echoing cocoon, broken only by the sound of the splashing raindrops and the slosh of tires on the slick asphalt. voices are hushed, and even the dogs are intuitively quiet. i passed the morning riding the train, with fog condensing on the windows, blurring my view of the graffiti covered industrial yards and the small back alley homes, built by the tracks. the train was rickety and rocked with movement, i stared vacantly out the window, clutching my copy of "franny and zooey", while a traveling, begging musician played accordion for the empty car.

i arrived at charles de gaulle, and guessed my way to united baggage claim, after dubiously following the instructions of a security guard, who told me to enter a part of the airport clearly marked "interdit". but, half an hour later, i emerged from the airport feeling much lighter. they have found my bag, it is now in my possession.

my bag arrived yesterday, one problem solved! only two more to go...

i have found housing, i moved into an appartement in the ninth arrondisement. i share a very large room with a friend i made here named katy. the room is in a very large flat, which we share with an older woman.

the room is large, and has two desks built into the wall against the window. against one wall, there is a mini fridge, a microwave, a pantry, a wardrobe, and a small dining table with legs shaped like pencils [complete with matching stool]. on the wall opposite, there are two buitl in bookcases we use as closets, a chest of drawers, and katy's double bed. against the final wall, is simply my futon.

before arrival, katy had said i could take the bed. i sat on it, and instantly hated it. it was much too firm, and i felt like lying on a wooden board would be more comfortable. katy sat on the futon and sunk in, proclaiming it horribly soft. so we swtiched, and that has worked out perfectly! that is the only thing that has gone right!

our first night was a bit worrisome, the double bed was placed in the middle of the room, taking up much of the free space. we decided to move against the wall, which our roommate/land lady didnt appreciate. she proceeded to give us a lecture about how we must ask her if we want to do anything else, like move around, add, or take out. we can do whatever we want in our room, as long as we ask her first and dont make noise... she didnt have the access code to the internet, so i was unable to enjoy my camera cord and post pictures, or talk to my parents. when it came time for bed, i couldnt figure out how to get the futon to fold down, and had to sleep on it as a couch.

we woke up in the morning under rested and cautious, uncertain what the day would hold. we spent hours trying to figure out the internet and failed. desperate for the internet [we had homework], we went back to the temporary housing for the final day and used the internet there. we returned back to the apartment around eight, and our landlady had not moved from the desk in the living room, where we had left her at noon. she had spent all day, perusing internet dating sites and talking on the phone. as it turns out, she doesnt even know the code to leave the building. she works from home, and has no need to venture out. we are thinking she might be agoraphobic...

but the problems were resolved! after a couple of hours, we finally figured out the internet. [it was an ip address problem] and she showed us how to work the futon. the main issue is now the landlady herself and the fact that the heat doesnt work in our room. im not sure what to do, if we should just stay here, or move somewhere else and risk losing our deposit...

*i have edited my other posts to include the pictures i wasnt able to post before.