5/12/11
The first entry started on my plane to Paris, and this is coming from the plane on the way to Philly. Leaving was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Grace got me upset since she left first. Then having to wait for my shuttle took forever. I played backgammon with Henri, and I’m definitely going to miss them. They really made my home stay and even my time abroad what it was. I got really lucky, both with the family and with the location of where I lived.
The last few days I did everything I didn’t get to do yet. I went to St. Chapelle and it was the prettiest church ever, I want to look into getting married there. I got souvenirs, I saw the Manet exhibit again, got falafel. Last night we had our dinner cruise and it was amazing. We had great seats. My table was Alisha, Rachel M., Carlos and Deb. After the main meal we went to the deck and saw the Eiffel tower sparkle and it was amazing. Seeing that every night really hit me that I don’t know when I will see it again. After the cruise, we went to the Champs de Mars and pre-gamed the club. Its gonna suck for 6 days that I cant go out, but whatever. There, Tina, Ana, Hannah, other Rachel and Erin were there. After midnight, to see the old lady sparkle one more time, we went to queen. My first club in paris, and my last. It was so so much fun and I stayed until 3.30 am. I walked home and that’s when it really hit me. I had trouble going to sleep because it was the last time I would wake up with the Eiffel tower in my window.
Studying abroad was seriously the best decision I ever made. It was definitely hard at times, but the things I learned, both about the culture and myself, out way every hardship I had. I’m really nervous to see how I act when I get home. I’m going to miss it so much, I definitely think I want to move back here. I just hope that I don’t obsess over how I much I miss it or how much things are better over there.
Im going to my miss my family. The food. Ana, Alisha, Rachel Chax, Helen, and so many others. I’m also going to miss the Orsay and just seeing the Eiffel tower everyday. I think I will continue to type down my feelings of missing Paris, my reverse-culture shock and anything else that I feel about being at home after living a semester in France. Once again, the best decision I’ve ever made and I would do it all over in a heart beat. I LOVE YOU PARIS. I LOVE YOU FRANCE. I LOVE THE LAINERS. I LOVE EUROPE.
This is one of many posts from my journal I wrote during my semester abroad in 2011. I will not change anything in the post unless noted here.
*Grace was my roommate who left a few hours before me