CPU/Motherboard

I have never installed a motherboard before but I just have {k8nf4g} it went on ok just have to put the connecting things on now. The CPU is doing my head in I thought I had better look online first to see how to apply the paste but looking at the paste being applied the cpu's looked nothing like mine, I have a white square with a smaller square in the centre and a sort of metal rod on the side which I can pull away and lift but it seems to do nothing. The cpu's I saw online seemed to be metal. I
dont seem to have any metal where I think my cpu should be. I put a bit of paste on the white square and replaced the heat sink which is a right bugger to get on. Is this white square my cpu and have I damaged it by
putting the thermal paste on it?:ermm: