RE: change working directory in emacs

[Drew Adams]

    When you find file in emacs, how does it it decide which
    directory you will
    begin finding? Usually, it's the directory where you started
    emacs, but if
    you've already opened some other files, you begin finding
    elsewhere. Also,
    how can I tell emacs where I want to begin finding? Thanks!

Each file buffer has an associated directory - it is the buffer-local value
of variable `default-directory'. This value is normally the directory of the
file associated with the buffer.

You can change the working directory using Emacs command `cd', just as in
Unix or GNU/Linux.