"Grab shell, dude!"

 
So I definitely feel a bit like Marlin and Dory when they're riding the super fast part of the EAC.  Everything's crazy and intense, and they have no clue what's going on, but it's insanely fun.  Story of my life this past week.
The plane ride was rather uneventful.  I sat next to a really nice French lady who told me some places in Paris I should try to visit.  And I could actually distinguish the chicken from the rice during dinner, so airplane food must be improving :)  Weird and freaky thing that happened: in order to land the plane, the pilot just turned off one of the engines and let the plane glide down.
After leaving the airport, I had my first experience riding the RER.  I had no clue what I was doing.  And I had about 50 lbs of luggage to drag around.  Once I finally got on the right train, it broke in the middle of the tracks.  But eventually after a few more train changes than anticipated and only two flights of stairs, I made it to the "Grandes Lignes" station.  Luckily I had time to spare at the station, because the train left 10 minutes early! Then, finally, I was in Limoges :)
There was a whole entourage of French guys to pick me up at the train station when I arrived.  They drove me to campus while showing me all of the "important" landmarks: movie theater, creperie, and pubs.  And luckily, there was someone to give me my key when we got the dorms, so I was able to move into the little closet I will be calling home for the next 5 months!
There is one redeeming feature about my room: the view.  I can see the entire city from my window.  It's gorgeous.  However, I don't have a bathroom, refrigerator, or internet connection.  Fun fact for you Americans who had communal bathrooms in college: in France, communal bathrooms are co-ed.  So guess who stalks the showers each night waiting for it to be guy-free??  :)  I sense some awkward moments in my future...
The city is very nice.  The other two American girls and I have already found a shopping mall (of course).  We walk into the city almost every day since classes haven't started yet.  Yesterday's trip into the city was quite eventful for me at night.  I ordered my first alcoholic drink.  It's a big deal for a 19 year old to legally order alcohol :)  Not to worry, my first drink was also my last of the night.  Unless you count the rum ice cream...and if you'd eaten it, you probably would count it.  It was more like ice cream flavored rum than rum flavored ice cream!
Speaking of food...wow.  Good thing we walk everywhere, because the food is AMAZING.  Fresh baguettes for breakfast, tomato and goat cheese sandwich for lunch, croque-monsieur for dinner, plenty of delicious pastries and cheeses, and of course wine to wash it all down.  I could stay here forever :)  There's a bakery that's only a 5 minute walk away from my dorm.  It is the best thing I've ever smelled.  Ever.  So naturally I had to go inside and sample everything.  I've made it my goal to eat absolutely everything they sell in the bakery at least once during the next 5 months.  It's going to be difficult, but I will persevere :)