just need to find a rhythm

I won't lie and say that France is a little less intimidating than I thought it would be, because it is, but I am beginning to envision a way in which it is not as intimidating as it is now. My main concerns for the moment are

one: food - I have breakfast every day (this morning it was toasted bread with nutella and then a cup of tea) but I only get one meal a week. The rest I have to figure out for myself. Just a few weeks ago in the US I bought a cookbook called Power Foods and successfully made a few recipes from it so it's not that I don't know how to make my own food, it's just that I don't think I really have access to a kitchen. Three other students get every meal every day if they want it, so that isn't so much a worry for them, but I'd rather not eat out every single day. It isn't a matter of not having the money (although it can get quite expensive) I'd just rather find a more sustainable way of eating. I've gathered some information on some inexpensive cafés at the University (referred to, I have learned as "les facs") but I'm not completely convinced and I'm not sure if everyone I know right now will be eating there as well (and right now I'd rather not eat alone).

Today we had a little tour of Dijon (although I certainly don't know the city and it will take much more wandering around for me to know it) and met with two other students from UNH who have been here since September. Due to the fact that they are here for a longer period of time they have access to hot plates and their own refrigerators so they are able to make some basic meals on their own. They also have at most one dinner in town ("en ville"), one dinner with their family and seem to find ways of eating at apartments of friends.

I'm sure I'll figure out something, but for now it's a concern.

two: CIEF - The two other students we met today (Nick and Kayla) both go to the University and don't seem to know much about CIEF because it's a different program and separate from the University. They are learning alongside other French students (though not meeting any French students) whereas I will be learning alongside other International Students.

None of us are quite sure how we choose our classes, when our placement exams are and when we really begin to the semester. Like the food, I'm sure it'll work out in the end, but I like having more of a plan than I do know so it's quite strange not knowing what is going to happen. The French school system in general is very confusing. We were talking to Elsa, a French student who is our appointed tutor, and she has an exam tomorrow but she doesn't know when and she doesn't know what it is on. The idea of this is completely mind boggling as in the US I know when my exams will be months before they even take place. They also don't know what classes they will be taking the next semester (which starts for the University on Monday) whereas we in the US traditionally find out halfway through the semester before.

For all the hoops it seemed I had to jump through to get here, it seems incredibly bizarre that everything in France is unplanned.

three: the keys - This is just a minor one but the keys for my apartment are quite honestly the keys I picture when I think of old things. For anyone that's read Harry Potter the flying keys in the Sorcerer's Stone/Philosopher's Stone are shaped like the keys to my house. Aside from the fact that that I cannot believe they are still in use, I have had some difficulties getting into the apartment building itself with them (though not getting into the apartment). I got them both this morning but this afternoon someone else coming into the building had to help me.

four: cycling - This one, is mostly for Mom and Dad, but so far I have not met anyone (my host parents included) who know anything about cycling beyond the Tour de France. I think I had this idea in my mind that cycling was embedded in the French National psyche but so far: nothing. I'm not sure if this is because Dijon is not in an area which has a classic each year (such as Paris-Nice or Paris-Roubaix) but I was not able to gather much information regarding any spring classics or any other bike races...which was not something I expected to be stumped by.