JOUR DEUX

I CANT BELIEVE IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO DAYS.... C'est la vie!

Life is going great. I arrived yesterday in the afternoon around the 15th hour (3pm) Coach Mas greeted me and we went to see the apartment. It is a nice three bedroom place with a kitchen, living room, bathroom etc. My roomate Willeim was at the apartment, he's awesome... think of a happy Italian man and you've got him... he lives in France and works in Paris and he's a down to earth type of guy. Oh... I have to tell you this crap, so as soon as I get off the plane from London to Paris, there is some jerk wearing a Georgia bulldog sweatshirt. Are you kidding me? I can't even get out of the country without seeing that crap...

Anyways I get settled in and take a quick nap because we have practice at night at 8:30. I go and it's great. The guys really just love the game of football, it is something so pure that you can't question it. It is amazing, you can not question there commitment or hearts. The guys are definitely not NFL quality, but have this unmeasured love that makes me realize why I love this game so much. After practice I go to McDonalds with Arnould and let me tell you theres no more dollar menu, food in France aint cheap. We get food for 3 and it's well over 45 Euros (roughly 1.3 dollars to euros) damn i miss the dollar menu.

We get back to the apartment and it's just like any other lineman group in north america... fast food, good jokes tv and fun, I LOVE IT. I'm going to fit in great with these guys. They all try so hard to accomodate me and speak English to me as much as they can. I am envious that I can not return the favor. I wish America did a better job teaching/ requiring foreign languages to be learned: God knows I NEED it now...

Second day after catching up from my jet lag I wake up and get to see the part of the city I am in. I live in Pointoise; play in St. Ouen L'Amoune, which is next to Cergy? (sp) Me and coach X eat at an all you can eat Japanesse restaurant. It is good but the pastry that I got following the meal from the bakery down the street was in a word DIVINE... seriously the French got that right; soft center, crisp outside, chocolate and almonds!!! amazing...

We go shopping at the local, art and it is an experiencee, chese and yogurt are king. My coach ask's me if I've ever tried Nutella... I laugh and don't tell him why. I get pasta and meat and cheese, and cordon bleu, and chorizo, and enough to feed me for the week. We head back to the apartment and I have the afternoon to myself, for some strange reason with no outside influence at all... I decided to talk a walk and learn my new stomping grounds. After a few strolls exploring down bending narrow streets, I finally get it. I'm in France and life is BEAUTIFUL!!! The French have it. Their language is SO beautiful, if passion was a language it would be FRENCH. Their is no segregation, people just love each other.





I did figure out why the french smoke, it's because it is so darn cold, they have to to stay alive. I am next door to a highschool, and the kids have some style, if your not wearing calf/knee high leather shoes, your probably not a girl in France... they all have them. And let's just say the French are in touch with their bodies... enough said.

I went to practice again for the junior team, and it was good getting to coach them. Afterwords me and will grabbed a bite to eat at a local pub near the apartment. I had my first Adell Scott (thank you Virginia Abell) It was great, I also tried a french bear which was good, but way to strong at 14% a beer. I love this place; I am happy, this is right. Thank you God for this opportunity to open my eyes to a whole new world. The catepillar has grown wings and is ready to fly...