Metz

I left Atlanta on January 5th, and after a 9 hour plane ride to Zurich, a shuttle to the train station, a 4 1/2 hour train ride, and a taxi, I arrived in Metz, France on January 6th.

I live in a bright red hallway, which is kind of neat. I have my own room, with my own bathroom and kitchenette. I like Metz, but it seems like the sun is hardly ever out and it rains all the time. We've walked around downtown Metz a few times, and it is a very cool place. France is gorgeous.

The local supermarket here is called Cora, and its like a Super Super Super Walmart. It has its own cafeteria, passport photo place, and hair salon (apparently, although I haven't found it yet). Things that are different in Metz:

• To rent a grocery cart, you have to put a euro in that you get back when you return it.
• When you get fruits and vegetables, you have to go to a lady in the store who weighs them and places a price tag on them, instead of them doing it at the register.
• They have tons and tons of cheese, and even have a cheese bar in the store
• Meat is really expensive; ham comes in packs of 4 or 6 slices, and it costs as much as a pound would cost in the States
• They don't refrigerate their milk

Needless to say, it's been an interesting three weeks in Metz so far.