Seven days ago I whispered goodbye to my family and friends back home while I shouted hello to Français, the euro and good public transportation. Perhaps even more important than finally returning to France after all these years was being able to reunite with some of my former exchange students who live there.
From drinking too many glasses of wine at Charles's birthday party with him, Simon and Émilien, to exploring Mont-Saint-Michel and downtown Rennes with Vincent, this first week here has been great, thanks to my friends and their families. But today I spent a lot of time by myself. And as I walked around Rennes in the rain, I realized that for many of the days to follow, I will be on my own.
Sure I'll never be "alone," but as I prepare to move to Paris tomorrow, my excitement can't help but be tainted by a bit of reluctance. I'm going to miss Rennes. I'm going to miss the safety net of spending time with Vincent and Émilien. And I'm really going to miss living in a house with a dog once I say goodbye to Émilien's pooch, Femto.
From drinking too many glasses of wine at Charles's birthday party with him, Simon and Émilien, to exploring Mont-Saint-Michel and downtown Rennes with Vincent, this first week here has been great, thanks to my friends and their families. But today I spent a lot of time by myself. And as I walked around Rennes in the rain, I realized that for many of the days to follow, I will be on my own.
Sure I'll never be "alone," but as I prepare to move to Paris tomorrow, my excitement can't help but be tainted by a bit of reluctance. I'm going to miss Rennes. I'm going to miss the safety net of spending time with Vincent and Émilien. And I'm really going to miss living in a house with a dog once I say goodbye to Émilien's pooch, Femto.
But I have a lot to look forward to, like meeting new friends in Paris while continuing to see a few from the past along the way. I'm anxiously awaiting for my family and friends to come visit throughout the semester and any/every opportunity I have to travel. I also have school to look forward to, but I still have a couple of weeks to relax before I cross that bridge ...
So I guess it's time to pack up my bags, take a shower and eat my last dinner with Émilien's family – at least for this portion of my trip. Despite this somewhat-sappy post, I'm excited to see what's next. Here are some of my predictions for the next month:
So I guess it's time to pack up my bags, take a shower and eat my last dinner with Émilien's family – at least for this portion of my trip. Despite this somewhat-sappy post, I'm excited to see what's next. Here are some of my predictions for the next month:
- I'll get really, really lost in Paris and then cry about it.
- I'll struggle immensely to learn the Paris bus system.
- I'll regret taking my classes in French instead of English.
Now, I'm ready to go and prove myself wrong as I do the exact opposite of each of those things. If you don't hear from me soon, prediction #1 has probably occurred (I can't make any promises).