Paris: The First Week

Since taking off last Tuesday on an overnight plane, it's been an adventure!
At first, I didn't go anywhere exciting or see any of the great monuments in the city. I went from the airport to the house Wednesday afteroon, via the most impressive car I've ever actually sat in, care of Laurent's company.
Then, I met all of the family again, (I met them in New York in July,) at their amazing old house, full of inspiring architecture and cathedral ceilings. There's Marie, the mother; Laurent, the father; Guilliaume, Regis, and Xavier, the big brothers; and Etienne, the little boy I traveled across the ocean to care for. He's three and a half, full of energy and emotions, loves trucks, and hates baths.
After getting to know them and figuring out my place in the family and with Etienne, the weekend arrived, as well as my first payment. The first thing I did was take myself into the heart of the city on the Metro, their exceptionally clean and efficient subway system, and buy shoes. They are tall, purple, and awesome! After that, I had a coffee and a crepe at a cafe with a great view, reading through my guide book in search of where to go for the rest of the day. When I realized that I was less than two blocks from the Notre Dame, my decision became brilliantly clear.
My camera and I thoroughly took in as many of the intricately designed details as we could, and then sat in one of the many breathe-taking gardens to just look at it all, realize that I'm actually here. A lot of walking, pictures, being hit on by a cab driver, and looking at the art along the Seine, I decided to cross the beloved river and take a walk through the Jardin des Touleries -- a gorgeous park/garden next to the Louvre. Once I arrived on the other side, I walked under the archway leading to the Louvre, sat down on the nearest bench, and found myself drawn to tears at the shear beauty of it all.
I didn't go in, as the lines were awful and I had decided to get a museum pass anyway. The office of tourism gave me some great free guides and pamphlets about all of the main attractions, as well as the pass that I came for. They were very nice to me, as well as everyone else in the city, as a matter of fact.
That whole reputation that the French have about hating Americans is not true, at least, not for me. Most of the people who walked by and noticed me also smiled at me, and, when I tried to speak the language and was polite, they were more than happy to welcome me to the city, and quite a few offered to speak English to me. If they didn't speak English, which I prefer, because practice is how I learn best, they spoke more clearly and slowly for me, happily using their time and patience to communicate with me.
On the whole, I'm happy here. Sure, I'll have a moment where I wish the little boy liked baths and sitting still as much as he likes racing hot-wheels and kicking soccer balls, but I think that's normal. Today is the first day that I've been a little homesick, but even that is not so bad. Etienne keeps me busy, and Marie is happy to talk to me while I help her do things when he's asleep or at school. Plus, I can call home when ever I want. I don't, because calling all the time would make it worse, I think, but just knowing that the opportunity is there for me to take is a great comfort.
There are plenty of other things that I could write about for hours, but I'm sure that this will suffice. On one final note, here's a happy thought that I discovered at class registration today:
I get to see the Eiffel Tower every single day on my way to and from school. :-D