In Paris

I'm here! At long last, I am in Paris, ready to spend the next four months here. Dad and I are staying at the hotel where my orientation with API (the program that set up my study abroad) is to be.  He will be heading  back to the states tomorrow, and I will be sticking around for a two-day orientation here.  I will then move into my host family's apartement, and classes will begin Feb. 11. 
We landed at Charles de Gaulle, the Paris airport, around 2 pm.  We somehow managed to make it to the attached train station, and catch a direct train to a downtown Paris station, where we connected to the metro line that would take us close to our destination. I am sure we stuck out like sore thumbs with all of our luggage and our loud English, but we made it! 
It is so. cold. here.  Below freezing... the coldest we have encountered thus far. We walked a little, to find somewhere to eat dinner, but ended up eating in shifts. We began with a split piece of pizza, then moved on to a little bar for what we thought was happy hour.  We thought we ordered off teh happy hour menu, but when we go the check realized we were mistaken...but it was good anyway! We then moved on to a small cafe to finish with soup and drinks, and then returned to our hotel with some groceries for my breakfast for thenext few days. 
When we were at the grocery store, I saw my very first European penny. It is tiny! The penny here is even smaller than the American dime.   I could not stop exclaiming over how small it was, and I just know the shopkeepers were laughing when we left. 
Am about to head to bed-not looking forward to Dad leaving in the morning.  He will be very much missed-there have been some tears on my part already.  I am trying not to think much more than a day at a time ahead- any more than that and I am overwhelmed with nerves and start questioning why I decided to do this in the first place!  I know I will be fine here, it is just the unknown that gets to me.  Keep me in your thoughts as I meet my program fellows and leaders, adn my host family!