An American Girl in Avignon

Well, I finally broke down and got a blog. Guess it's all that pressure from the Scripps School finally getting to me :), in addition to the fact that I want to document my trip, so I can look back and see how much I have changed since the start of it all...

So here I am: it's my last night in the United States until June, and I haven't slept well in days - well, more like weeks. I toss and turn at night thinking about what is ahead of me. I have no idea what adventures are awaiting me across the sea...and that's part of the fun of it all! My insomnia is not caused by "fear of the unknown;" it's more a felling of anticipation, constantly wondering what life has in store for me next.

If someone would have told me a year ago that I would be studying abroad my spring quarter (during FRESHMAN year), I would have laughed. Yet, here I am: a freshman moving to France for three months to live with complete strangers. I have been dreaming about going to France ever since I was a little girl, and tomorrow that dream is becoming reality. I feel as though this all isn't real - as if I am living someone else's life or in a fantasy world. Well if I'm dreaming, please don't pinch me, because I don't want to wake up! Tomorrow evening I will board a fueled-up 747 for an overnight flight across the Atlantic (which I guaranteed will not sleep on, due to all of the excitement). Thankfully, I will have some people I have grown close to over the past few months by my side every step of the way.

I guess I could say that my goodbye to America is bittersweet. I spent my last night at my new home I have made at Ohio University on Tuesday evening. It was strange saying "au revoir" to the people I have grown close to the past two quarters, knowing that I won't see some of them until next fall. Returning to college will be strange, because I will have changed as a result of my travels and everyone in Athens will have changed as well. I am sure there will be the initial feeling of reverse culture shock/serious catch-up, but I can't think about that now...I've got a whole boatload of culture shock waiting for me in Paris these next few days!!

They say the journey begins with a single step. Well, I am about to put my best foot forward in the hope of learning, growing, and exploring a culture beyond my own (not to mention figuring this whole French thing out). À bientôt! See you in Paris!