"I can tell by your tears that you will remember it all." The Cure

  Wow. I don't even know where to begin. It seems impossible to sum up my experience here in a few words. There's no way to explain how much I loved France, the people, and how I'll always cherish the memories. Why do goodbyes have to be so hard?
   This last week flew by! On Monday I went canoeing, on Tuesday and Wednesday we went to the lake for the last time (we really loved the lake). On Wednesday evening, we had dinner on a boat! We went on the biggest, natural lake in all of France. It was a great opportunity to get pictures of everyone one last time. Friday, my friends Antoine and Marco hosted a cookout for me and my friends and after we went out. This last week was absolutely perfect.
   If I think about the initial goals and fears that I had before I came to France, I feel so accomplished. I was really nervous about making friends. Not only did I make friends, but I made best friends. It's remarkable how in six weeks you can meet people who you feel you've known forever. The best friends I made were Ivana (from Canada), Ariane (from New York), Katie (from Montana), Antoine (from France), and Marco (from France). I am literally so happy that I made real French friends. It was amazing to learn the real slang of France and not just what the teachers tell you. They helped us out so much by telling us where to go, what places are dangerous, what's happening in the city, and they helped Katie send her baggages to Rome. Maybe it's just because I'm in a good mood, but...I have faith in people. There are marvelous people out there in the world. I'm never going to forget the ones I met here. We've made promises to see each other again, and I believe it will happen. How can I not see people who were with me when my dreams came true?
   Goodbyes are so hard. They have always been hard for me, and always will be. It's hard leaving a place and people who have been such a big part of my life. Will I remember everything? I don't want to forget anything! Pictures can only do so much. I'm afraid this will all become a dream to me; it's too good to be true.
   On a brighter note, I can tell that I've changed. I feel that I'm a little more confident in myself now. Navigating airports and depending on public transportation is so stressful, but I think I can do it. It's nice to know that I can depend on myself and that if I need help, I can ask someone in French. I also think I've become more personable. Meeting people and conversations are so important. For me, I need to keep my eyes open to meeting as many people as possible. For example, when I get back to Maryville College, I want to become friends with as many International students as possible. It's easier now to see where they are in their lives and how to talk to them. We're all the same, and it's wonderful when we realize that.

   France. I still can't believe that I studied and lived here. It's possible to chase after my dreams. It's funny - going to France has been my dream since 8th grade and as soon as I get back to the US, I'll want to visit again. This trip has introduced me to a new way of living: explore, learn as much as you can, make friends, try new things, and appreciate what you have. I'm going to think about this trip every day.

"We are just the same"

   One of my goals to accomplish during these two months was to make a real French friend. I was told that might be hard due the fact that my program would primarily consist of fellow Americans wanting to learn French. Nevertheless, I wanted that goal to become true.
   One day when I was at the lake with my friends Katie and Morgan, this guy approached us. He said he heard us speaking English and he wanted to introduce himself. After a few words of greeting, he sat down right next to us and continued talking. Seeing as how I was in my bathing suit and not knowing who this guy was, I  was a little unnerved and even a little annoyed to be honest. He surprised us by inviting us over to hang out with him and his friends later that day. Are people just nice over here or does he have some other intention? By trusting our instincts, we decided that he was a good guy. And indeed, he is. When we went over to his friends house, he introduced us to everyone, translated for us, and walked us home.
    From all the times that we've hung out with Antoine, I've come to know him as a funny, fun-loving young man. He loves to say, "Swag," "D-O-Double G", sing American pop songs, wear American brands, and listen to rap. He's has also actually taken care of me and my friends. Every time we hang out with him, he walks us home. He is persistant that we shouldn't walk home alone because the park that's very close to our apartments is very dangerous at night. And the other day we were going to go see fireworks, but he told us that the area that we planning to go to was the most dangerous in Chambery. And today, I'm going to a huge music festival where LMFAO, Blink-182, and Garbage are playing. I wouldn't have know about he festival if it wasn't for Antoine. He lets us know what's going on and where the best places are to visit. I'm glad we've made a good friend here.
   Two days ago Antoine took us to his friends' concert. While there, he introduced us to all his friends and bought me a drink. On the way home, I asked him, "Hey, do you think Americans are cool? Because we think French people are really cool." And he said, "Of course! Americans are great! The more I spend time with you, the more I think we are just the same." I was very happy that he said that because internally I have been thinking the same thing about people all over the world. I'm glad my persona doesn't scream, "I'M AN AMERICAN!" Antoine has also said he would make me a French culture list full of music, movies, songs, and sayings so that I can continue to learn French when I've returned.

   It will be so strange to leave everything and the people I've met. It's scary to think that I may not ever see these people again. But the experiences I've had and the honest laughter I've shared makes everything worth it.

Progrès et Tristesse

   J'ai un coup de foudre avec la belle France! I am accustomed to living life here now; I feel like I have been living here for at least a year and that I have known my new friends my whole life. I feel like I have been walking around the cobblestone streets of France for years. I feel French at times, but I wish I really was. The countryside is so beautiful. I see mountains that surpass the Great Smoky Mountains in height every day. Hikes here are beyond beautiful, the lake is crystal clear, and I'm going to gain 10 pounds from all the tasty crepes, croissants, and pasta I've eaten. My thoughts this past week have been revolving around my new class and what it will like making the trek back home (only two weeks and three days left...NOOO).
   I was put into the intermediate level French class after I took the placement exam online. Although I felt that the class was a little too easy for me, I loved reviewing grammar rules and practicing pronunciation.It was the perfect chance to review. However, on Tuesday our teacher told us that there were going to be changes and that some people would switch classes. I secretly hoped one of those people would be me, and yesterday I found out that I was :). My teacher said that my friend Ivana and I showed a lot of interest and that we would do better in the higher class. I am now in Level 4 - the highest French class here. Today was the first day in that class, and it felt right. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I'm rather proud of myself. Dedication goes a long way here. Learning to speak French like a French person isn't as easy as I thought. But I'm getting better. I hope I've made a significant amount of progress and that I can retain everything I've learned. There is no greater feeling than being able to understand. Just to understand. For example, a few days ago I had a friendly conversation with the directeur d'ISEFE here at our university. Here is German, but speaks fluent French. I was able to understand and contribute to our conversation about traveling. Learning a foreign language is awesome!
   The second thought that's been swimming around my head isn't a happy one: I'm having mixed feelings about going back home. Yes, of course I miss the people back home, but I'm pretty sure I've fallen head over heels for France. Is there some kind of process to go through before I leave so I just don't cry all the way back? I feel like the way of life here makes since: people buy fresh food at markets and it's cheaper than fast food, clothes are BEAUTIFUL here, and everything is closed on Sundays. But then again, I can see myself dressing in overalls everyday and wearing red, white, and blue because I really have missed the good old USA. Honestly, I'm afraid this whole experience will turn into a dream. It has been too good to believe that it's really true. This trip has shown me that I could live very happily in France, and that I'm going to have to visit again. This experience has also introduced me to traveling. I came across the perfect quote a few weeks ago: "I always wonder why birds choose to stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth, then I ask myself the same question" Harun Yahya. Traveling has taught me a lot about myself and has made me learn how to solve problems. I'm pretty positive I'm going to turn into a traveling-junkie and make little trips all over the US and save money so I can see more of the world. I know my goodbye to France is going to be full of tears, so we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

   As for now, I feel like I have to do so much more discovering before I leave. I've got castles to see, rivers to canoe on, and fireworks to gaze at. I know I'm going to think about France everyday when I return and how I was the luckiest person alive to go there. I love France.