The Golden Rule: ALWAYS Check First.

Let me preface this by saying that this is not the way I anticipated starting my blog: by recounting my first embarrassing abroad-story involving a full bladder, toilet paper, and comically unfortunate timing.

That's right. Six hours after landing in Paris, I parked myself in a bathroom at my host family's classically decorated apartment and somehow managed to notice the intricate carvings on the soap dish while completely missing the blatant lack of toilet paper until, of course, it was too late. This was time for quick thinking. I went from "really, Gina? really?" to scanning for paper-like bathroom items in 10 seconds flat. Potential replacements included:

1. A towel.
2. A cardboard toilet paper tube. In the trash.
3. Nothing (Part A): Make a dash for it. This would have been the winning option had it been my house.
4. Nothing (Part B): Call out for reinforcements. Lose all hopes of a normal host family relationship.
5. My underwear.

Process of elimination led me to Option 5 (those standardized test skills had to come in handy someday). And that is how I found myself going commando in my room with my toilet paper replacement wrapped up in a plastic bag to be thrown out when no one is looking, waiting for hallway traffic to cease before running back to the bathroom to put on underwear. Because when it comes down to it, a first day in Paris necessitates holding onto your dignity more than holding onto your underwear.