So here I am just 2 days before I leave France to meet up with Trish and I have NEVER been so conflicted. I am SO EXCITED to see my family and friends in the US. After an academic year abroad, I know that it's been too long since I've been able to spend time with everyone and it'll be a relief to just be in the US for a while. But on the other end of it, I absolutely cannot imagine saying good bye to the people here and Rennes. I have a life here as weird as that sounds and I can't imagine not speaking French every day. I feel linguistically, emotionally, culturally and gastronomically unprepared to leave France!
These past few days have been all about preparation though. I had the majority of my exams last week with one left for tomorrow. Thursday we had a big party for all of the host families, students and a few previous students. I gave a little speech about how much of a family we've become and how much I love my host family, but I hadn't told them beforehand so they were completely unprepared. My host mom came up to me after, crying and kissing me telling me how much she loves me. I turned around and another friend was crying. Then there was a photo montage and we all felt it. It was an overwhelming feeling of unity between all of us.
Afterwards we all went out to the bar and hung out just chatting about the semester, trying not to think about this week.
Friday I had my 2 exams, then I came home just to prepare to go out again. We had a party for all of the international students at the university at a dance club which was crazy. We had a really great time and it was so good to see everyone in the same place.
We decided to leave around 3:30 so my friends and I took a cab. I didn't get to sleep until close to 4:30, and I didn't get up Saturday until 11:30. My friend Denise who I studied with in Morocco last semester and is studying in Paris this semester came to visit me and see Rennes so we went to all of the places that my friends and i always go to like Haricot Rouge for the BEST hot chocolate that i've ever had, a walk along the canal here in St Gregoire, sitting in Thabor (a garden in Rennes) and a cider at O'Connell's! We walked all over the place and had so much fun! My host parents had a couple friends over for a barbeque which was awesome and we had a great time until my host dad drove us to the train station. But luckily Denise is from NY so i should be able to see her again this summer.
Since then I've been slowly packing my stuff and trying to get myself ready for Thursday. I said good bye to Stacy, the assistant program director today which almost made me cry. I have just one more exam tomorrow afternoon and I'm done! Tonight is the birthday of 2 of the girls on the trip so naturally we're all going out, but before that I'm making my host mom (host dad is going to his sister's) breakfast for dinner. So my friend had found a place that sold bagels!! I mean they're obviously not from A&B Bagel or Bagel Market, but they get the job done! So i'm making a ham egg and cheese sandwich with pancakes... not sure if it's gonna be banana or apple cinnamon. It's gonna be great! I'm so excited.
These past few days have been all about preparation though. I had the majority of my exams last week with one left for tomorrow. Thursday we had a big party for all of the host families, students and a few previous students. I gave a little speech about how much of a family we've become and how much I love my host family, but I hadn't told them beforehand so they were completely unprepared. My host mom came up to me after, crying and kissing me telling me how much she loves me. I turned around and another friend was crying. Then there was a photo montage and we all felt it. It was an overwhelming feeling of unity between all of us.
Afterwards we all went out to the bar and hung out just chatting about the semester, trying not to think about this week.
Friday I had my 2 exams, then I came home just to prepare to go out again. We had a party for all of the international students at the university at a dance club which was crazy. We had a really great time and it was so good to see everyone in the same place.
We decided to leave around 3:30 so my friends and I took a cab. I didn't get to sleep until close to 4:30, and I didn't get up Saturday until 11:30. My friend Denise who I studied with in Morocco last semester and is studying in Paris this semester came to visit me and see Rennes so we went to all of the places that my friends and i always go to like Haricot Rouge for the BEST hot chocolate that i've ever had, a walk along the canal here in St Gregoire, sitting in Thabor (a garden in Rennes) and a cider at O'Connell's! We walked all over the place and had so much fun! My host parents had a couple friends over for a barbeque which was awesome and we had a great time until my host dad drove us to the train station. But luckily Denise is from NY so i should be able to see her again this summer.
Since then I've been slowly packing my stuff and trying to get myself ready for Thursday. I said good bye to Stacy, the assistant program director today which almost made me cry. I have just one more exam tomorrow afternoon and I'm done! Tonight is the birthday of 2 of the girls on the trip so naturally we're all going out, but before that I'm making my host mom (host dad is going to his sister's) breakfast for dinner. So my friend had found a place that sold bagels!! I mean they're obviously not from A&B Bagel or Bagel Market, but they get the job done! So i'm making a ham egg and cheese sandwich with pancakes... not sure if it's gonna be banana or apple cinnamon. It's gonna be great! I'm so excited.
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