The guide book that I looked at was Rick Steves’ France.  My family used this book when we went to Paris.  The book was very good and helped us get by in the foreign city.  Other guidebooks just talk about the attractions and what are good places to stay.  Rick Steves’ books are very detailed and updated regularly.  It says everything from tips about dining to navigating the subway.  The thing that really impressed me with the book was that everything was from the perspective as a tourist.  When we went to the Eiffel tower the book not only told us how to get by but also gave us some history of the landmark.  My mom was able to read the book when we on the top and tell us about the early days of the Eiffel tower as it was used as a radio tower.  This was very nice and it saved us money.  The book also tells the best way the normal tourist route.  It tells where the pick pockets will be especially bad and ways to avoid them.  This came in handy when we went to Notre-dame.  We were able to avoid the long lines because we bought our tickets across the street.

Narrative Argument

On a cold winters night in West Lafayette, Indiana I was diligently doing my math homework.  I had been working for a few hours when I heard my stomach growl and knew that I needed to get something to eat.  I knew going to get some dinner would involve going outside and braving the harsh elements but the food at Earhart dining court is easily worth the walk.  It really did not appeal to me to have to walk through the deep snow, slippery ice, sub zero temperatures, and the very real threat of hypothermia but I needed to eat to survive.  My stomach was ready to devour itself so I knew that I had to do it.  I called some friends to see if they wanted to set out on an epic journey.  The buddy system is a very important and safe method to use when going out in the cold.  I managed to find some willing participants to go out in the cold with me.  We bundled up and put on layer upon layer of clothing.  I put on long underwear, a thermal top, wool socks, two sweatshirts, jeans, sweat pants and a jacket. 

We set out for the elevator with all our winter gear on.  We walked outside into a brutal snowstorm with winds that were at least fifty miles per hour but I knew the food at Earhart would be worth the walk.  It was this time that I realized that I had forgotten my hat and gloves.   This scared me to no end as I remember from school that most of your heat loss is from the top of your head.  I was absolutely terrified of the thought of getting frost bite on my fingers.  This would inhibit my ability to type papers and play basketball.  I knew after I saw the obnoxiously long line to get into Earhart dining hall that I would have to go back and get my hat and gloves.  As I ran back to Harrison Hall, I slipped and fell on a patch of ice.  My bare hands hit the ground with so much that I thought I had broken them.  To make the situation worse I sliced my hands open on a jagged piece of ice from finger to wrist.  My delicate hands bled profusely for at least ten minutes.  To add insult to injury, I had fallen in front of a large group of people who were laughing at me and did not even bother to help.  I was able to pick myself up with a few scrapes and a bruised ego.  I cautiously walked the rest of the way back to the dorm.  The visibility was poor because there was so much snow coming down and the bitter wind hurt my eyes. 

I managed to make it back alive and ride the elevator to my floor.  As I entered the room, my roommate asked what happened to me.  I replied with growl and said I will tell you later.  I grabbed my hat and gloves and started to make my way back to the elevator.  The hallway was very warm so I began to perspire.  With all the clothing that I had put on previously, I began to have second thoughts.  I made it downstairs and walked outside.  The cold winter air was very refreshing and gave me a sense of security.  I made it back to Earhart dining hall without falling.  The line to get in was longer than it was previously and it did not appear that my friends had moved an inch.  I started to stand in line and think about what I wanted to eat for dinner.  It was at this time that I realized how cold it really was outside.  We were all shivering from the cold and our teeth were chattering teeth.  We survived the line and got to the check in counter where the woman sitting there said “Hi, how are you?”  To humor her I responded with I have actually never been better. 

 I walked into the dining and the smell of the food made me feel that the journey was well worth it.  We got our trays and began the search for food.  The lines for everything were very long so we had to wait some more.  I thought this would not be a problem because it was warm.  The line that I picked happened to be right next to the door so once again I was cold.  I got my food and then set out to find something to drink.  I got a glass of water but I filled it up too much.  I regrouped with friends and we tried to find a table.  We must have walked around the dining court five times in our quest to find a table that could fit six.  After a good ten minutes we found a table and had a rather enjoyable dinner.  We made it back to the dorm room without incident because of the strength we had gotten from the amazing food at Earhart dining court.  To this day we still joke about the experience.