Paris
Trip Start
Dec 01, 2007
1
25
37
Trip End
Mar 27, 2010
Paris,
Île-de-France,
France
Thursday, October 2, 2008
In front of the AirBus
. That is normally where the conversation ends. But I was feeling generous so I took his and promised to call when I get back. It did sound like he knew some burger joints in Conakry I was unaware of and as, it so happens, he grew up in New York City if he says they're pretty good I bet they are.Then there was a little mishap with security. I went through and nothing buzzed. The guard checked my passport and then told me I needed to follow another guard. The place was really hectic and as a large Guinean woman had just ran out of security and had had to be dragged back in there was quite a bit of confusion. I didn't want the same thing done to me so I patiently waited for the aforementioned guard. But he disappeared and I just stood on the street side of security looking very confused until the first guard approached me and asked what did I think I was doing. I explained I was waiting for the guard he told me to follow. He said he never told me to follow a guard and that I was free to go through to wait but that he was going to come check on me...so I sat to wait for the plane and sure enough the guard came in and not to subtley told me he wanted to get to "know" me better so could I please give him my number? This I had to be really careful about because as official security personnel at the airport, which I do plan to use again, he could make my life troublesome if I offended him. So I chatted for awhile about my "boyfriend" and how jealous he is, really, he just can't stand when I get calls from other men
Leaving Peace Corps Compound
. He said he totally understood. If I was his woman he wouldn't let other men talk to me ever! Yeah...but other than that the flight was good. I rode in an airbus which was quite overwhelming to look at. So I took a picture.I watched Hancock on my own personal tv (ps. terrible movie!). I ate amazing beef, salad, a roll and cake! Whoever said airplane food isn't delicious should live in Guinea for 10 months and then see what they think. Then I had two seats to myself so I put on that eye cover thing and headphone, both compliments of AirFrance and slept the rest of the way. All of the flight attendants spoke to me in French, even after I spoke to them. I am a little confused by this. My theory is my voice was gravelly from exhaustion and they mistook that for a French accent. To the other Americans on board they spoke English. Maybe my French is better than I thought. I did listen to all the announcements in French and then tuned out for the English, the accent was difficult to decipher.
So now I'm in the Paris airport on, what looks like, a brand new Dell computer. My impressions: its very big and clean. The high domed ceiling overhead kind of freaks me out. The flushing toilet and automatic water and soap were truly phenomenal and I have yet to have a stranger say "Bonjour" to me. I must remind myself, I do not know these people, they do not want to know me thus I should not greet them. It's the Western way. Can't wait to come home. Not too long left.
