I'm back. Change in plans: it's too cold and snowy for me to venture forth and try to accomplish my errands (namely finding a cell phone and an ATM). I came to this conclusion as I was tagging along while my host mother ran her errands earlier this afternoon. We went to the grocery store, an outdoor produce market, the jewelry repair store, and a bookstore -- the same bookstore where I bought my copy of Le petit prince when I was here with my family 2 summers ago. I did see several ATMs along the way, but I'm too cold and sleepy to go back outside. Instead, I am curled up in my room, debating whether or not to risk a hour-long nap. I'm going to try to hold off for a little longer, but I fear it's a losing battle.

In an attempt to keep myself awake, here is a recap of the past 24 hours:

Being a Nichols, I got to my gate at O'Hare far earlier than necessary, which gave me plenty of time to stop for magazines and snacks. My flight was barely half-full -- strange, but it meant I had plenty of room to spread out. However, despite being very tired, my adrenaline prevented me from sleeping. When I arrived at the airport, I had a bit of trouble finding my shuttle, but I called the company (from a French pay phone) and was able to sort everything out (in French). Yes, I am still pretty proud of myself for that.

My host mother was here to greet me, and she is as warm and friendly as she seemed in her email. As I mentioned, I went with her to run some errands and get reacquainted with the neighborhood (my family stayed right down the street when we were here). She made a yummy potato omelette for lunch, and now my full tummy combined with the heat from the radiator next to me is making me very sleepy again. I've tried to hold out, but I don't think I can do it any longer. I will set my alarm to wake me up in one hour...

Oh, and in case you couldn't tell: I got very lucky with this host family. In addition to the great location and friendly host mother (more on her later), I have wireless internet in my room! I don't want to sound like a spoiled American college student, but I guess in this case, I am one. I am so used to having constant internet access at home that I think having it here will help to make the transition that much less stressful.

Oh, and please excuse any spelling/grammar errors. Blame it on jet-lag.