Students arrive safely in Paris

Editor's note: Second-year students at Cottey College are taking part in the school's "international experience," in which students visit another country and learn of its culture, history, and more through educational modules and experiences along the way. This year, the group is visiting France. Following is the first in a series of columns through which Cottey College Public Information Director Steve Reed will share the experience with readers, in the form of letters to Mama.

Bonjour, Mama!

Well, we all arrived safe and sound in Paris. I was a tour leader and in charge of making sure all of the folks on my flight got on board in Kansas City, Charlotte, and onto the bus once in Paris. I'm pretty sure that keeping that many people on task is like herding cats. No sooner than I would get a head count at the gate, than a couple of people would wander off. At least we all got here. (Whew!) It was a long day, and night, of travel. My flight left KC at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and we arrived in Paris at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. That makes for some tired folks, like me.

One of the first things our tour guides do when we arrive is take us on a walking tour of the city. It's a bit of a misnomer, however, because even though we do some walking, it's also for the students to learn the Metro system.

We took the subway out to the Latin Quarter, walked past the oldest cafe in Paris (opened in 1686), saw a couple of really old churches, and visited Notre Dame. Of course we all touched the zero kilometer mark in the plaza. All of the roads from Paris are measured out from that mark, and legend has it if you stand on the marker you will return to Paris. So far, I've returned three times now. I stood on it again for good measure.

Our tour guide, Suzanne, turned us loose for about 90 minutes so we could get money out of the ATM and grab a bite to eat. Four students ended up tagging along with me. I showed them some cheap take-away sandwich shops and we all grabbed something quick and sat out behind Notre Dame and had a picnic lunch.

I told Katie, one of our students, that she was having a true Parisian experience. She was eating a cheese and chicken crepe in a Paris park while a man played the accordion on the banks of the Seine. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it's all true! Before we left Nevada, I taught a short course on acquiring food in Paris. You know, just some basic vocabulary and tips on how to save a Euro or two. When our group got back together, several of the students came to tell me how easy it was to buy their lunch, and they had appreciated the tips. Four in particular, came to tell me they had purchased a croque monsieur, the unofficial national sandwich of France, and how good it had been. I had told all the students that they should try one at least once in Paris. Anyway, it was nice to hear I had given them some advice they had found useful.

After that, it was a bit more walking and then the train back to the hotel. There is a really nice walking path along the Seine near the hotel, and I got a really good photo of some boats on the river to show you.

I did come back up to the room to freshen up a bit, but I was so tired I needed to get back out and walk or I would fall asleep, and it's still three hours away from an early bedtime. I need to stay up so I can get somewhat adjusted to the time here, which is seven hours ahead of Nevada.

So, I went to take some photos of the Eiffel Tower. What the heck, it's only three blocks from the hotel!

When I returned, Mary, Mari Anne, Terry, Susan and Kip were leaving for dinner and invited me to go with them.

We ate at a Lebanese restaurant called La Feyrouz. We weren't sure what some of these Middle Eastern dishes were. I had a lamb and rice dish. The lamb was sliced and mixed with brown rice and roasted pistachios. Very delicious.

We were all done and I told the waiter we were finished. He took our plates and then brought two plates of pastries. We hadn't ordered them, but I guess they came with the meal. We ate several before we were too full for anything else.

One of the advantages of dining in Paris, Mama, is that you usually have to do a bit of walking before you get back to the hotel or the Metro. It was probably pretty good that we had to walk several blocks afterwards. Plus, we had the added benefit of seeing the Eiffel Tower lighted up on our way back home. Now that's a treat you won't get anywhere else! Tomorrow we have a bus tour in the morning, and then an afternoon open for exploration. Not sure what I'll do just yet, but it will be great fun I know.

Well, I'm off to take photos! A demain, (till tomorrow),

Your loving son,

Steve