I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be a world traveler. I thought I would make the most of my trip out of Uganda for Tiffany's wedding to make a stop to Paris first. Paris! The city in all the movies, so grand in its architecture, a destination desired by many. And the best part is that I had a dear friend, Julie Green, join me for this adventure.
Flying into Paris, I felt a bit like I was in a scene from Dumb and Dumber (myself being the only star because Julie had not yet joined me). Here I am, at the airport, with a scarf tied around the handle of my suitcase because the real handle decided not to work… are you kidding me?! So pulling my suitcase by my scarf I found the courage to practice my newly crammed French phrase, "Parlez-vous anglais?" I exchanged some money (which was super confusing because now my brain operates in Uganda shillings). I found the suggested location to board a shuttle bus into Paris town and waited. The ride was great. I anticipated my departure from the shuttle bus and how I would then tote my scarf-handled suitcase to the Metro to take 3 stops until I reached the area google maps said I needed to be to find the apartment I had rented through Air BnB.
Once on the metro, I saw a few signs that looked like a warning of some sort and had an "x" through my stop. Not knowing French, I looked around for another sign that might explain in English this daunting "x". Yep, my stop was closed for repairs. Awesome! So, I got off two stops later, trying to recalibrate myself to my goolge map I had printed (thinking I was so clever but forgetting that I was not driving from point a to point b so my directions were completely irrelevant and this point).
Streets and buildings are clearly marked in Paris, but I was lost. I started walking, getting the courage to ask the first person I saw, "Parlez-vous anglais?" Their answer was just a little based on the hand motions, but I pulled out my map and the name of the street and pointed. Nope. They didn't know. So, I continued walking, a bit aimlessly. The next person came along. Same story. Then I turned a corner and found one of the main roads listed on my map. Knowing I was at least somewhere near-ish, I continued walking.
I got to the corner of a park that had nice tree covering, but was obviously the end of the neighborhood. Oh great. What to do now? I have been walking, with my scarf-handled suitcase, having no idea how to find the apartment for about 20 minutes. A lady passes by. A couple. I keep quiet, just standing at the corning thinking about my next move.
"Ok. I just really want to sit on that bench and cry. What was I thinking to come here alone?! I have no phone and no idea where to go."
"You can cry, sure, but then you just have to get up and keep going because no one else is going to help you."
"But where the heck am i on this stupid map and how am I going to find this apartment? Ok, be brave, here comes two guys you can speak your awesome French with."
I asked them, "Parlez-vous anglais?" And received the same response that I had the previous half a dozen times. But they were a bit more helpful and in their broken English and hand gestures they suggested they search google maps on their phone and pointed me the opposite direction.
Once on the metro, I saw a few signs that looked like a warning of some sort and had an "x" through my stop. Not knowing French, I looked around for another sign that might explain in English this daunting "x". Yep, my stop was closed for repairs. Awesome! So, I got off two stops later, trying to recalibrate myself to my goolge map I had printed (thinking I was so clever but forgetting that I was not driving from point a to point b so my directions were completely irrelevant and this point).
Streets and buildings are clearly marked in Paris, but I was lost. I started walking, getting the courage to ask the first person I saw, "Parlez-vous anglais?" Their answer was just a little based on the hand motions, but I pulled out my map and the name of the street and pointed. Nope. They didn't know. So, I continued walking, a bit aimlessly. The next person came along. Same story. Then I turned a corner and found one of the main roads listed on my map. Knowing I was at least somewhere near-ish, I continued walking.
I got to the corner of a park that had nice tree covering, but was obviously the end of the neighborhood. Oh great. What to do now? I have been walking, with my scarf-handled suitcase, having no idea how to find the apartment for about 20 minutes. A lady passes by. A couple. I keep quiet, just standing at the corning thinking about my next move.
"Ok. I just really want to sit on that bench and cry. What was I thinking to come here alone?! I have no phone and no idea where to go."
"You can cry, sure, but then you just have to get up and keep going because no one else is going to help you."
"But where the heck am i on this stupid map and how am I going to find this apartment? Ok, be brave, here comes two guys you can speak your awesome French with."
I asked them, "Parlez-vous anglais?" And received the same response that I had the previous half a dozen times. But they were a bit more helpful and in their broken English and hand gestures they suggested they search google maps on their phone and pointed me the opposite direction.
Pause here... This is where The Lord taught me a great lesson.
Later in the evening, once I had found the apartment and met up with Julie, we were walking into the city center and reached the corner of a park and Julie stopped and said, "Look, the Eiffel Tower."
Beautiful, peaking over the tops of the park trees. And it was at this very spot that I had been asking the two google-map-search guys. I had missed it earlier. THE MAIN ATTRACTION of. Paris was right in front of me, if I just would have looked up. But I missed it- too consumed in the details, too worried about the task at hand- that I missed the big picture. How often do. I do this in my everyday life? So consumed with the minor that I miss the major of what the Lord is doing. If. I would only lift my eyes up to see the Main Attraction and the bigger picture in the Kingdom.
I am so thankful for this lesson.
Ok. Back to the story...
So the google-map-search-guys pointed me in the right direction and after wandering around I found one of the main roads listed on my little map. I finally found the road the apartment was on. Yes! Finally! In search of building 10, I passed building 7, went around the corner and nothing! Where is building 10?! I turned again to backtrack and found it.
Now I was meant to meet the owner 30 minutes ago. I had the road, the building, and knew it was on the 7th floor, but no sign of the guy and no way into the locked building. Now I really wanted to cry. So close yet so far away.
I remembered seeing the store of a telecommunication company that I use in Uganda, so with no other option (because no internet and no international plan) I wheeled my scarf suitcase into the store, welcomed with stares as if I was a bit crazy. I waited in line to be the next served and started my awkward conversation with the store worker:
Me: Do you have airtime I can buy?
Him: blank stare
Me: Um, I need to make a phone call (holding up my cell phone). Can I buy some minutes?
Him: No we only have plans
Me: how long is your plan for?
Him: a year minimum.
Me: I am only here for 3 days and I need to make one call. Do you have a phone?
Him: Yes (with an "of course" look)
Me: Could I borrow it to make one call?
Luckily he was kind but said, "Just one call?" So I dialed the number. No answer. What?!?! I dialed the second number. No answer. I dialed the first again. He answered. My hand was literally shaking, not becuase I was nervious or scared, but frazzled. I got instructions of how to enter and wheeled my scarf suitcase out and down the road again.
I can't tell you what a big sigh of relief I breathed once I was finally inside the apartment. And despite the experience finding he apartment, it did not disappoint.
Here is the view from the balcony:
And the neighborhood roundabout that we passed everyday.
The Eiffel Tower was only a 7 minute walk away and it was lovely to send off each day walking away from this.
It was a really fun trip and I am so thankful that My sweet friend, Julie, joined me.
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