Jet Lag and Setting Up Shop

The flights didn’t necessarily go as planned. It was so hot throughout the entire first flight that I just couldn’t fall asleep. I had never experienced heat like that on a flight. Quite the contrary, I always get cold, so I was dressed for that. I even grabbed a blanket just in case, but the plane was small and the air conditioning didn’t work. I spent the entire flight watching Big Little Lies. I had never seen it and it at least helped distract me. We had a layover in Reykjavik. Originally, it was going to last a whole hour, but we left late. I don’t know how, but we were able to deplane, go through immigration, and get to the boarding gate for our next flight in less than 30 minutes. Our baggage even made it. This second flight was shorter, but the plane was bigger and we had more space. This time, I was really cold and didn’t have a blanket, yet I still managed to fall asleep because I was really tired.

We weren’t in any kind of rush when we arrived, so we took our time to wait for our luggage, go to the bathroom and find our way. We managed to keep calm while figuring things out, which is quite difficult to do when you are that tired. A friend had told us to bring a small picture with us to get a public transportation pass, but we weren’t able to, so we needed to get one taken. Luckily, there was a photobooth right before the ticket counter; the only thing is that we spent about an hour trying to figure out how to use it. It wasn’t only us, everybody was having trouble with that machine. In the end we printed pictures and were able to get on the train to Paris.

People are able to keep functioning as long as necessary even when they haven’t rested or eaten well. But it is important to try to get rest, otherwise you become susceptible to all kinds of mistakes and maybe even accidents. I’ve been told several times that the worst thing you can do when arriving in a different time zone is to sleep, and that you need to stay awake to adapt faster. However, I believe that everybody is different and you need to do what works for you. We decided to take a nap and then go out for dinner. 

The first morning in Paris was a bit hard, but we took our time to get our day going. We had bought things for breakfast the night before, so we only went out to get bread (a must!). I had booked a free walking tour in French in the afternoon, so we left early enough to leave plenty of time to walk around a little bit and eat something. The tour was really great. The guide was Spanish, but spoke near-native French, so she gave us the tour in French; after all, that is the language we came to hear and there is no time to waste. She spoke very clearly and explained the history of Paris in a very entertaining way. The tour ended at a candy shop where we drank a coffee. We then walked to a branch of a local phone company to get local numbers. This company only sells SIM cards in vending machines and it took us a while, again, to figure things out, but we managed in the end.

I am amazed at the way our brains work. The French that I learned more than 10 years ago is stored in my brain somehow. I also have the advantage that I don’t mind speaking in French, even if I make mistakes. Our time here is precious and I want to make the best out of it. But speaking in the local language also makes things flow better. People like it (most of the time), and that motivates you to continue doing it. We walked through most of Paris, but not all of it, because we really took our time to admire and feel the city. When we got to Sacré-Cœur, I realized that there was an artist playing “My Way” on a harp. And I was there, looking down at Paris, imagining my dad singing that song with my mom, my brother, and everybody else I care about there with me. I am very happy to be here and I will make the best out of every moment.