Fakes and Falafels

Some great, some not so great, things have happened over the past few days. Let's start with the not so great so we can blow right past it.

My housing search is rough. I'm trying my best not to let it affect my time here, but it's pretty rough. I just gotta keep reminding myself it will all work out in the end. I'll have somewhere to live. May not be as close to my school as I'd like or as "cheap" as I'd like, but I'll definitely have somewhere to live. 

Currently, I am being scammed by three different people from Craig's List Paris. Don't worry, everyone. I'm completely 100% aware.

 Obviously I know it's a scam when you say,

"If you notice you will discovered that the price we are offering is far below standard renting price this is enough for you to know that we are not after the rental fee but the absolute care for our property and i  know there is no way i can be sure that you are the right person to live in our place because we won't be able to meet in physical before sending you the keys and the documents to occupy the place"

This person's name is apparently "Moore Cribbs." He signs the emails "Cribbs." MTV called.

Or, when you tell me the apartment is in the 1st district of Paris and send me a photo that looks like this,

I know you're trying to scam me for my money. First of all, NO apartment in Paris looks like this. A large space, a flat screen TV, a DOOR that leads directly to the outside? Nice try. And when your email address says your name is "James Luke" and you sign off using the name "Adrian," I don't think so. All three of the places I am talking to have suddenly had to leave Paris for a job or some other silly reason and the only way I can get the apartment is if I send them my information, and money of course, and they will mail me the keys. I may be just an exchange student from the US, but do NOT underestimate me. 

Now on to the good stuff!  A group of friends and I went to the Eiffel Tower for a picnic dinner on Saturday night. It was so much fun. There were birthday parties, party buses, wedding parties, and party people everywhere. It had such a great vibe. Gave a good feeling to the end of the summer and a great feeling to the start of a great semester in Paris. 

These are my friends Lino, from Switzerland, and Amanda, from Canada. 

We sat on the Champs de Mars for almost three hours just talking and hanging out. Seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle at the top of every hour is so fun. I feel like a little kid seeing a Disney princess for the first time. 

Then on Sunday, I went with Amanda and some other friends to the Jewish quarter where we ate 'the best falafel in Paris' for dinner. It was amazing. I've never really liked falafel before, but this was WOW. Except, it was missing hummus. That was a bummer. I was hoping for hummus. We decided to hit up "Falafel King" next time. They'll give me lots of hummus. Sunday night falafel will be a dinner tradition. We also went into an adorable bakery. The lady asked what I wanted and I said I didn't want to spend too much. She gave me a little mini cookie and that was it! Didn't make me pay or anything. Got a free cookie! I think the Jewish quarter is where I belong. The people I was with made fun of me, but it feels great to be there. Little Judaica stores all around, pushy Jews, falafel, it's just a great place to be. I definitely want to go back and spend some more time there exploring. 

And just for fun, I leave you with this, the ending to one of the emails,

"my family and I really known how you are feeling about this whole thing, cos you sound skeptic from your other email, and that's very wrong, if you are thinking that we just wanted to take your Advantage for nothing. When We known how people worked and earn their money, We will never think of taking some advantages over you and your money, please take that out of your mind, that is really awful thing on the earth that We will never think about doing. Please understand us better, we  are not trying to lure you into this, everything about us and our  apartment  is 100% real ok,we will like you to know one thing that we  wouldn't do such a thing when we have blood running through our vain.I really understand how you feel .It's just that the bad once has lay down a very bad Reputation for the Good Once."

Because your rambling about how it's not a scam is going to help me think it's not a scam. If only those bad once didn't lay down a very bad reputation for the Good Once.