First day in France!

Today is my first full day in France.
Last monday I packed my bags and got totally ready for my trip. I said goodbye to my friends and family and headed off to the airport. Unfortunately, I'm traveling on a stand-by ticket, which means that if there's no extra room on the plane they send you home to try again the next day. So I wasn't able to board monday or tuesday, but on Wednesday, after saying goodbye to my friends, family, and girlfriend for the fourth time, I FINALLY got on the plane. In the airport I sat next to a very nice French couple and had an awesome conversation with them about their jobs, skiing, and a few other things. They complemented my French and said it was really good, and I complemented their ability to guess what I was saying and understand my broken phrases and gestures. They gave me their phone number and said that I could come visit them when I'm in Lyon.
The flight was AWESOME. I couldn't believe my luck when I learned that they had put me in first class. They gave me so much delicious food that even I was full! I watched a few movies, studied French, and contemplated my trip. Then I arrived in Paris, and the adventure began. In the French airport the train station is in the same building, just downstairs. I picked up my bag and headed down to buy a ticket to Annecy. I thought that I would be able to get a train from Paris directly to Annecy, with one change in Lyon. So I was surprised when the woman told me that I had to take the metro to another train station across paris. Reluctantly, I bought a metro ticket and made my way to the other station. When I asked the man at the new station where the train to Annecy was, he told me that there was no train to Annecy from that station. Confused, I looked down at my ticket. In horror, I saw that, thanks to my impeccable and beautiful French pronunciation, they had understood that I wanted to go to "Nancy" instead of "Annecy" and had given me a ticket to the wrong city. I proceeded to ask three different people where the station to Annecy was, and they all sent me to a different place. After going all the way around Paris by metro for two hours, I finally ended up at the right station and was able to change my ticket to Annecy. I barely made it on the next train, having missed the one I was supposed to be on. I borrowed a phone to send a text to my friends who were waiting for me in Annecy, and told them that I was on the next train and was going to get in at 8:30 PM. Then I immediately fell asleep. When I woke up I enjoyed the beautiful French countryside through the windows of the train, and watched in amusement at a little French girl fighting with her brother on the seat in front of me. I don't think there's anything cuter in the whole world than listening to small children speaking French. When I finally got to Annecy, I was stunned. I had heard from Flor that it's a beautiful city, but I didn't realize just how much of an understatement that really was.
When I got to the station, Vale and Leo weren't waiting for me. I later found out that my text message hadn't got to them, and they had been waiting for me for three hours thinking that I was supposed to arrive on the previous train, and were now driving around looking for me. I asked the first person on the street to help me identify which street I was on so that I could walk to their house using a map that Flor had made for me. They offered to take me right to Vale and Leo's house in their car, and I was surprised at the difference in friendliness and hospitality of Paris and Annecy. I arrived at Vale and Leo's house safe and sound.
Then, today, Leo took me around to see the city. Annecy is a small town located right next to a beautiful lake and huge mountains. The mountains are surprisingly similar to the ones in Utah but greener, and the lake is beautifully clear. I immensely enjoyed my walk through the city and took pictures of every square inch of the city in true Tourist fashion. Then we had to come home early because Renzo, Vale and Leo's baby boy, and found a nice mud puddle to jump in and got filthy. So now we're back in the house and I'm taking the opportunity to write this all up before I go back out this evening. Au revoir!