Live Long and Prosper

I watched Star Trek with Sara the other night. Why isn't Star Fleet real? I would totally enlist. And with my anticipated B.A. in International Studies, I would be completely in sync with their "peace-keeping armada." Besides, I've heard that the Laurentian System is quite beautiful this time of year.



AHHH IT'S STARTED.

Like I said in the last post, I can still remember getting here like it was yesterday. It feels like I haven't been here long, but then I think of all of the excursions and trips I've taken and tests I've taken and it's kind of surprising. I did go through some pretty hard acculturative stress that I honestly haven't gotten over, but I've made some great friends, had some interesting experiences, and have had a lot of time to think. My French has gotten better, which is obvious when one lives in another country for an extended period of time. I've eaten amazing food, and have gotten used to saying "meet me by the castle" and "we're eating in front of the cathedral." I've been to a wine tasting, I've paid my respects to American soldiers in Normandy (Memorial Day came early for me, ha), and climbed to the top of one of the most famous monastaries in Europe. I've dealt with train strikes and volcanoes, and I've soaked up the sun in the South of France and lake-side in Angers. I've made stupid mistakes, and had a few drinks too many here and there. I haven't done nearly enough shopping, but I've eaten more than enough food. I didn't do as much traveling as I had hoped, but I saved more money than I had expected. I've found that I'm obsessed with Granny Smith apples and that I actually don't like pasta all that much. Even though the peanut butter doesn't taste the same, Nutella is a pretty good substitute. I've eaten way too much chocolate and not enough crepes, too much yogurt and not enough ratatouille. I haven't made french friends, but I met some pretty cool international students and I'm planning on keeping in touch.

But now it's time to leave. And apparently Mary Poppins left her never-ending carpetbag in my room because my little suitcase can fit a lot more than I expected. Hopefully I can say the same for my larger suitcase, because Inga bought some cherry liqueur that I'd really like to pick up, and H&M has some awesome tank tops that I want to snag on my way out. I've already talked in my first Paris post that I've been fairly underwhelmed with French fashion, but H&M and Zara never fail me.

It's been really therepeutic to finish exams and come back to the foyer and recycle all the class papers and textbooks that I'm not taking back home. I ditched both exercise books today. Ahhhh. I'm 2/3 of the way through with exams...just two left. I can't wait to be done. We're having a wine and cheese to celebrate on Thursday afternoon.

So now I'm starting to clear up my room and I'm pulling stuff off my walls and so on. My shelves look empty and my walls are looking bare again. It's weird to not have my map up. It's looking more generic here now, like how it was when I got here. I forgot it looked this depressing without my collages and maps and photos. I have all of this food though. And some stuff I don't know how to get rid of. I think I'm going to hide some of this stuff like mini surprise gifts for the nuns. Like my lamp. I'll leave it in the cleaning closet. And my blanket that I got from Casa (where I saw the cah-yutest elephant teapot today) I'll just tuck in with my other blankets. And the food I may just leave in the kitchen cabinets. Bon appetit, les filles! I bet that old nun who didn't know I wasn't French will hear me rummaging and will creep up on me again. She's got amazing ears. I don't even know where she comes from, but all of a sudden she just pops up in the kitchen and shifts towels and trashcans around while talking to us in indiscernable spanish-french. She's like the kitchen fairy. I think I'll miss her.

Trying to get my luggage to the airport will be interesting.

I can't wait to buy my first legal drink in USA. I wonder if I can buy an American flag in Houston. Or one of those stickers for my face. And I want to wander around WalMart at 2 AM on Sunday. And not have hooligans yelling in the street at midnight on a weeknight.

Knowing how many hours I have to travel is intimidating. Whatever. It's worth it. I'm taking my eye mask and I'm going to attempt to sleep a bit. Gaga's Alejandro video comes out Monday, and the Glee finale is Tuesday. It's like America is welcoming me home. It's a sign.

I just hope that the Powers that Be realize that I've been dealing with train strikes and volcanoes and ice storms anytime I've ever had to go ANYWHERE and will let me get on my plane and off the ground at the scheduled time.