NANTES. day 1.

What is so special about this city?
Now when I think about all these months, starting from a blank page and ending up with memories everywhere.
2 years ago, I was sitting there in the airport, stepping not the 1st time on the plane, but the 1st one to a new way of life - living abroad. Being a geek in my memories, I was expecting things to be a reminder of previous experiences like it was always - that corner reminds me this city, this street - that one. But, it didn't happened. Something very different was waiting for me. New story which I was suppose to create on my own, all from the start, all with new things.
Later on, some days will become a routine, and will blur in memory, but the 1st one I won't forget and will celebrate each month of my stay.
Before the arrival itself was obviously a flight. For the n-th time promissing myself not to get tricked for buying an early flight, I was doing that again, exhausted after few hours of sleep. Flight through Paris. Passengers of our flight got stuck while changing the flight. Charles de Gaule, other flight's passengers, all stuffed with banana-full-boxes where totally unhappy to have an extra check screaming around would after all let us pass meanwhile.

Nantes airport and taking luggage was one of the most funny part. Well the story seem funny today, but in a very moment I would consider it as rather dump and tirefull. I've packed my luggage in plastic and could not rip it off in order to be able to wear my backpack. I helped myself with a key, but it didn't help much, too tight, too much layers. Most of the people got their luggages fast, other started to stare at my adventure. An older couple was laughing at me, and decided to help: 

- T'es tout seul? - they've asked, and the man tried to help me with my routinish plastic-rip-off. 

- Bonne courage. - Merci. 

I've got a knife(that sounds a bit weird, and I will have a weird story with that knife 2 years later, but at the moment it was ok, I had my minimal stuff for the future kitchen), and could remove finally that d*mn plastic from my bags, freedom! yeah! freedom for bags? haha

So after a shuttle bus, no specific memories of that moment... I got to commerce.

Traveler with a huge backpack, small backpack and a suitcase - there I was. Place du commerce descending the shuttle bus with no clew where to go next ( as a person who agreed to meet me was lost somewhere else ). Calling anyone/everyone. Ok, need to get a line 2, tram line 2. Speaking English to strangers, those that clean the bus stop (the one that will be destroyed later in 2014, cos of anti-Airport demonstration), doesn't help, no information, still with some lame 2 words in French, I get there realizing that just using English won't help to find my way in the city. 

Tram. I guess I didn't get to the non-steps doors, need to carry up the bag. Et voila... "Ecole Centrale - terminus de ce tram". Yeah, cool, some people explained me, that I need to get off the tram and wait for another one. Totally frustrated. It's getting late, and I'm lost. Here arrives J. with some people, on bikes, after all, we get in the tram, and from Recteur Schmidt (was it?) or from the Centrale - we save money on busticket and just walk to the destination.

Getting to the residence. La Sensive, I wish it would look the same as on the picture, I mean the room, as we got it later, never does, at least for the residences. More far than it seemed on the google map walking to school. Room was dirty, dusty and sort of dark. You are super tired, but can't sleep in that, J. borrows me some cleaning stuff. Evening was way long, before I got to bad, with some sort of confidence that this place is now more livable. 

First nights will be horrifying, was the door won't stop to make noise so as it would be kicked by someone. "Super Cyril" will fix this problem easily, but I will ask her only in some weeks. 

This magic person can fix everything, and one of the most helping in the beginning. 

Sleep.