Paris day one

I arrived on Monday morning in France with no sleep and not knowing an ounce of the french language. Talk about culture shock hitting you in the face bright an early. My first goal out of the airplane was to find an atm machine and score some euros. Luckily this is a record all time low for what the euro has been worth in years. I located an atm machine after a great amount of walking around amislilssely and proclaiming my first french phrase to everyone I came in contact with "Parlez-vous anglais?" later adding in extras such as "excusez-moi, bonjour ....merci."
After locating the atm I needed to purchase a phone card in order to call my host in Paris to let him know I had arrived. Next I needed to purchase bus/metro tickets and firgure out how to get into the city. Thankfully, this was pretty simple since the machine had an english button.
When I found my way to the bus I met an elder charming french woman who instantly started chatting away with me. Except here's the kicker she did not speak one lick of english. Somehow the whole hour and a half bus ride to our stop we continued to communicate with each other. She told me I was good at speaking french, well let me re-phrase that she sign languaged it and I interpreted it to be just that. I give credit to my handy "Rick Steve's phrasebook." Thank you for that MS "vous etes un ange!"
Did I mention how tired I am. I learned that one also "je suis fatigue." My backpack ended up weighing in at whopping 28llbs plus my purse with labtop and extras draped around my neck. Again a helpful french man came to my rescue. My Couch surfing host R, was kind enough to leave work for a bit to meet me and take my backpack until we met again later on.
I spent a few hours wondering around and figuring out the metro system until I met 'R' again. R took me to his university and into class with him. That was interesting considering it was all in French. The professor made a lot of comparisons to America and the way we do things. R translated telling me how the professor was "in love with amrica" sarcastically.
Once class got out we headed for R's flat where we wined and dined chatting away on his terrace until I had to retire. Day one complete!
I may go week to week with summaries after this I have not decided yet. Stay tuned for more on France:)