New meaning to being Thankful

What are you gonna do when your literally 5,000 miles from home for the holidays?? I dont know, why not just be a tourist! Matt and I decided to check out Paris for thanksgiving. We had plans to check out a couple of the touristy spots and then hit up the Planet Hollywood for a Thanksgiving dinner, before meeting up with some friends that we made at an Irish Pub's opening night to watch some of the NFL games. We got to see Ray Willis, Tashard Choice, Calvin Johnson... but before I go there let me take you to why it was a new way to be thankful.

"You have to fail before you succeed." - The new American motto for Matt and I in Paris. Knowing this we jump onto the rail system and take the "SHORT" ride into Paris. Well it's supposed to be a short ride; however we get stuck on the train that apparently needs to stop mid way between every preset stop to check the tracks or something. We see some locals jump across the tracks to another train and wonder...is this the gamble we want to take? I'm not sure? We wait.

After arriving in Paris we are in the Latin Quarter and because our train took a little to long we miss the free tour that meets at the Fountain. Thankfully I kind of know where we are at and I say lets check out Notre Dame.... Talk about a new way to be thankful. It's breathtaking. I can not understand how this was built back in the day, needless to say how architecturally breathtaking it is. They are actually shooting a movie outside the opening gates, so that brought out a large crowd.

Once you step into the doors, you can feel how magical this place is. I marvel at the view. The stained glass is gorgeous the hall is long. You can see the main pulpit which is roped off and it is a ways down. The church is filled with people. Some praying, some sitting, most taking pictures and being tourists. It's weird because I get this feeling of coruption, like it's a close to being a store. People pray to the patron saints. Pay to lite candles. Give donations. Pay for the tours. Pretty much it seems that they are marveling at the building just like me. But there is no doubt about it how Holy this place is.

Sitting there I became overwhelmed with the prescence of something great. I pray. God you are awesome. Thank you for this experience. It really brought a new meaning to thanks giving to me. I am very thankful for many things. Family and friends and new relationships and football and Paris and France and Georgia Tech and Coach Gailey and Coach D and the Cougars and CCF and divine interventions to name a few. It was amazing. As we leave I am still overwhelmed.

We walk to the Louvre. As the cold brisk air hits us, we decide it might be a good idea to grab some coffee. Good thing there are a million cafe's in Paris. I don't think you could ever stop at every cafe in Paris through the course of a lifetime. It's great. It really hits the spot. I used to not like coffee so much. I guess I'm getting older. We head to the Louvre and play around for a little bit. The Louvre is great too, but we decide to wait to tour it with coach mas because he knows so much about it.

As the night presses on we look forward to our thanksgiving dinner at Planet Hollywood. We treck forward towards Champs D'elysees. We walk what feels to be 5 miles from Notre Dame to the Arch. The cold has taking it's toil and my toes are starting to freeze up a bit. I'm regretting not bringing a beanie as my ears are getting a little cold as well. Thankfully the longer hair that I've accumulated is helping somewhat. (I dont know if I should keep it long, or cut it...maybe I'll decide later) We finally get to 78 and Planet Hollywood is no where to be found. Hmmmm..... REALLY?!?

We look around, keep walking up and down to make sure we didn't miss it. I check inside a little indoor mall, and it's not that. Getting desperate and extremely hungry, we ask the bellhop at the marriot where it is... "It's closed" Great. What do we do now. The next option is hard rock cafe and it is 6km in the opposite direction passed where we walked from. I dont think so. "Let's take a cab" Great idea at the moment

We walk in the street waving at cabs trying to get one. Then here comes the professional bellboy from the Marriot. He runs in front of us, grabs a cab and directs it towards his paying customers. This happens once. We decide to jump ahead of him. Still no cabs come for us. Every single one is full. I'm not liking this. I'm starving. I'm cold. I want to stuff myself with dressing and turkey and watch football. What the crap? The bellboy has already sucessfully ushered 3 different parties into the cab. When did this happen? They all passed us up. Jerks.

Next thing I know I remember I have a rail line map in my pocket. As Matt and I talk a group of Americans approach us and say do you know where hard rock is. HAHAHAHA. YES. It's comforting hearing English and speaking to one another, especially on this day of thanks. I'm Thankful for Americans. After exchanging stories (they are a group from all over the US, Alaska to Texas to Florida.) we wish each other luck in getting there and head our seperate ways.

We run up a block jump on a bus and make our way over to Hard Rock. Finally when the end of the bus route comes up, we are nearly 4 blocks away. I can smell the pumpkin pie already. I'm beat. I'm tired. But I'm gonna get my Turkey Dinner, regardless of how good or expensive it is. (roughly 38 dollars for dry turkey like eating wood, broccoli spears from a bag, dressing that feels and tastes like flan, GREAT mashed potatoes.....maybe the rest was just that bad?!? Corn tortilla soup, and a great pumpkin pie.) We decide to forgoe the wait and order at a bar table. It is nice.

Matt says happy thanksgiving to 2 French people, who to me looked like they had no clue what thanksgiving was and were just enjoying some type of specialty. They just looked and smiled, like WHAT? Matt says they have to be American right.... we laugh. Next thing we know the group of Americans come strolling in and we congradulate each other. It is so rewarding. I couldn't be happier. We then go to the Irish Pub and watch some football and hang out until 2 am. Life is good. I'm in Paris. It's thanksgiving. My life is changing. I love it. I'm Thankful.

My Thanksgiving signature at the official record books for Notre Dame.