Oh Hello Monday!

I woke up this morning ready to rock and roll and get right back into the swing of things. I convinced myself that I really did relax and not run here there and everywhere during vacation and was fully rested to start the week back at work.  After 3 trips back up to my apartment (4th floor) to pick up essential things I had not remembered to put in my bag the first time around - Train pass, Alstom badge and Umbrella. I finally began the familiar walk down Rue Levi towards the Metro.  I got on the train and was soon greeted with the fresh smell of already hot and sweaty people on their way to start their day as well - that is one thing I did NOT miss while I was driving my car around everywhere at home. We are making our way along when an announcement comes across the loud speaker - I would LOVE to type it in here to share for all but unfortunately I turned my music up to drowned it out and well I still don't understand most of the French language so maybe next time. What I did not realize is the nice French lady was telling me the train was ending the line 3 stops early due to construction. LOVELY.  As I stood watching everyone else exit the train - I glanced around thinking "Wooohooooo - I'll have a seat the rest of the way to work" until I noticed the little light marking the stops didn't go past Porte Champeret where I was and that I was the only one still on the train. I took my cue and stepped out into a mass of people being herded to the stairs. I took this announcement as my first sign to jump back head first into my French lessons. But until then I decided I would just follow the crowd.  Once above ground it wasn't hard to notice it was pouring - yay for Mother Nature on a Monday morning - but at least it was cooler than the train at that point. There were people EVERYWHERE. After a frantic text telling my boss I was walking the rest of the way, he filled me in on the bus situation (Thanks again for that - I would have been MISERABLE walking in new shoes and the rain). Apparently the RATP had thought of everything - if we are going to stop the line early let's accommodate. Once I worked my way through the crowd and found what I thought was the line for the right bus,  in my best French - I asked one of the gentleman in a green coat - "I'm sorry I don't speak French very well, could you tell me if this is the line to Levallois??" Only the I'm sorry about speaking French part was actually in French but I thought it would be a good lead in with a nice smile.... It worked. He confirmed that the massive blob of people was indeed the line. That was the second sign that I REALLY needed to get right back into my French lessons and I emailed my teacher right then and there, as I waited for my turn to hop a bus.

Ok... this wasn't my bus but I bet this is what it looked like from the outside!!! Hahaha.

Eventually I made it to the office.... so what if I was about an hour late and I had just been sardined on a bus in closer contact with strangers than I would be with even my closest friends?!

Two good things came of this:
1. I have a French lesson scheduled for Thursday
2. Starting a Monday like that means your week can ONLY get better : )