A "Succesfull" Adventure

What makes something a failure or a success? I suppose it depends upon the intention. If my intention had been to spend my first day in France finding my way into town, finding some nice things to do, buying a few important items, and not spending too much money (oh, and let's not forget avoiding being the stereotypical stupid-American), then I have certainly failed. Perhaps one of the main tricks in life is to change your intention (even if it has to be in retrospect) in order to make a success. Okay. Let's call today an adventure.

This adventure left me with 13€ out the window, a bunch of increasingly frustrated-looking photos of my face of all different sizes, and a 27€ subway pass (good for 1 week starting two days ago) that is not valid because it still doesn't have my face on it. But I did get to watch cheerful French people turn sour when they found out that all I wanted was change for a five and that I don't speak French. I did pretty well keeping my chin up and going into different stores and asking for change so that I could try that bloody photo machine again. But three times was enough, and I've spent more than enough money on nothing today.

So, I'm back in Valerie's apartment. I'm actually quite taken care of. Valerie and Daniel picked me up yesterday from "right in the middle of nowhere" (I had wandered off from the bus station in search of someplace that was open, but it was Bastille day) and welcomed me with pizza and Miles Davis. We spent a late night drinking the raki I brought and appreciating greek music and art. They got up early to go to work, and I just slept in. It was really nice to spend a morning to myself; the kitchen didn't mind that I was American, and the shower happily spoke to me in a language that I understood. In a couple of hours, Daniel will return from work and show me to his place, where I'll be staying for the next 3 weeks, and I'll let him laugh about the "progress" of my day.

I knew what I was getting myself into, Daniel told me in the car: "Sometimes people around here speak this strange language..." Tomorrow is a new day, and maybe when I wake up I'll magically know what the hell I'm doing.