I wrote this on Jan. 15th (Arrival day)

15th Janvier

Today I arrived in Amiens! It is such a beautiful little town!
I met my exchange advisor, Pauline and we get along famously. She loves to cook, shop and collect products (hair, make-up, skin)…all things I love.

Today I ate pork for the first time in 16 years (give or take). Pauline made Jenny and me this warm soothing soup with potatoes, zucchini and some other vegetable and then quiche with ham that was so amazingly good.

My dorm is very cute too. I have one window a mini-fridge, a little closet and my own bathroom. The shower has the best pressure ever and it’s HOT, but it is barely big enough for me to stand. If I bend any way I am no longer standing in the shower but in the area with the sink and toilet, so it’s about the size of a small closet. My closet is a quarter of the size of the bathroom. I have a desk, a single bed and lots of little shelves and storage space that even with all my stuff, I have not managed to fill.

The floor is a pretty soft purple and most of the décor is yellow with silver “chrome” I bought hot-pink sheets and a cute bath mat with flowers.
There are sooo many American students here, I think 19 total but they are all super young. I hung out with them for dinner tonight and they’re great but I’m really not sure how involved I’m going to get in that scene.

There are more Black people here than I thought which is comforting. I just like not being the only one and I also just appreciate being surrounded by all different kinds of people. There are students from all over!

I made friends with this girl Denae. She’s studying languages as well. She and I have a date to go to London for the premier of Underworld…I know, you’re jealous!
I will have a phone and internet tomorrow so I will finally be able to fully communicate with the rest of the world.

My homesickness has subsided for the time being. I’m sure it will come and go.

Okay there is an alarm going off in my dorm…a fire? Smoke? Why am I not jilted?
À bientôt (see you soon)
-René