BAH DA BUM BUM BAH DUH DUM DUM DUM
IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Here I am on my last full Sunday in Aix. Next Sunday around this time I'll be heading to the TGV station to make my way up to Paris to catch a flight the next day. It's unreal. Time has flown while I've been here. It seems I was just arriving, trying to find my other suitcase, getting lost on my walk home, and being totally overwhelmed by French. Now I'll be starting finals week, trying to put everything back in suitcases, starting to say goodbye to the people I've met and places I've gone, and worrying about how much I'm going to struggle speaking in English all the time. (thank you, French syntax)
My friend and I were talking this morning that it's very weird to think of going home. Being here used to feel like a dream and our real life was back in the US. Now it's the other way around. This is our real life and back in the US seems like a dream. I just still can't wrap my brain around the fact that I will be leaving here and going home. That I'll be leaving this beautiful place and all these wonderful people. I can count down everything on two hands now. Seven days in Aix, eight days until I'm home. Seven more dinners with my host family, one more load of laundry. One more day of classes, four more days of school.
But this past week was a wonderful one. Friday and Saturday were super hot, up in the 80s with no cloud cover and I realized that I actually forgot what it felt like to be so hot. Aix does not ease you in, it goes from pleasant in the mid 60s one day to scorching upper 80s the next. I don't know how I handle summer back home.
However, the hot weather meant that out came the shorts, skirts, dresses and color! Our French teacher told us that French people don't really wear shorts unless it's hot or if the girls are trying to be sexy. For most of the students in my program, 65/70 was hot enough for shorts. But apparently not until 80ish are shorts acceptable for the Aixois. And the color. I've gotten so used to the neutrals that when they were walking around sporting bright colors and sundresses (!) I was shocked. Thank goodness they finally think it's hot.
Yesterday we went to the market for what might have been the last time. Stocked up on Provencal things like lavender, herbes, and tiny pottery with sunshines on it. Last night my friends and I cooked a meal at their house. We managed to make a sort of eggplant Parmesan, chicken Parmesan, and spaghetti with homemade sauce. It was a great way to spend our last Friday night all together. Since some people are leaving super early Saturday, it was really our last Friday night. I'm so glad that most of the people I have met live close enough to me that I can go visit them on weekends and keep in touch. (Although I think it's hilarious that my host mom thinks a three hour car drive is far. For me that's pretty close!)
And now I have to go start working/studying. Five finals in the next five days and one paper. I am not used to this much work anymore.
IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Here I am on my last full Sunday in Aix. Next Sunday around this time I'll be heading to the TGV station to make my way up to Paris to catch a flight the next day. It's unreal. Time has flown while I've been here. It seems I was just arriving, trying to find my other suitcase, getting lost on my walk home, and being totally overwhelmed by French. Now I'll be starting finals week, trying to put everything back in suitcases, starting to say goodbye to the people I've met and places I've gone, and worrying about how much I'm going to struggle speaking in English all the time. (thank you, French syntax)
My friend and I were talking this morning that it's very weird to think of going home. Being here used to feel like a dream and our real life was back in the US. Now it's the other way around. This is our real life and back in the US seems like a dream. I just still can't wrap my brain around the fact that I will be leaving here and going home. That I'll be leaving this beautiful place and all these wonderful people. I can count down everything on two hands now. Seven days in Aix, eight days until I'm home. Seven more dinners with my host family, one more load of laundry. One more day of classes, four more days of school.
But this past week was a wonderful one. Friday and Saturday were super hot, up in the 80s with no cloud cover and I realized that I actually forgot what it felt like to be so hot. Aix does not ease you in, it goes from pleasant in the mid 60s one day to scorching upper 80s the next. I don't know how I handle summer back home.
However, the hot weather meant that out came the shorts, skirts, dresses and color! Our French teacher told us that French people don't really wear shorts unless it's hot or if the girls are trying to be sexy. For most of the students in my program, 65/70 was hot enough for shorts. But apparently not until 80ish are shorts acceptable for the Aixois. And the color. I've gotten so used to the neutrals that when they were walking around sporting bright colors and sundresses (!) I was shocked. Thank goodness they finally think it's hot.
Yesterday we went to the market for what might have been the last time. Stocked up on Provencal things like lavender, herbes, and tiny pottery with sunshines on it. Last night my friends and I cooked a meal at their house. We managed to make a sort of eggplant Parmesan, chicken Parmesan, and spaghetti with homemade sauce. It was a great way to spend our last Friday night all together. Since some people are leaving super early Saturday, it was really our last Friday night. I'm so glad that most of the people I have met live close enough to me that I can go visit them on weekends and keep in touch. (Although I think it's hilarious that my host mom thinks a three hour car drive is far. For me that's pretty close!)
And now I have to go start working/studying. Five finals in the next five days and one paper. I am not used to this much work anymore.
I reached for your Seville mug this morning, and Daniel and I said at the same time, "1 more week". It was bizarre, but he is SO waiting for you to come home!
ReplyDeleteAww, I can't wait to see you both! So weird that I'll be home in a week.
DeleteEnjoy your last week there! I am sure you will have the opportunity to go back someday soon. I know you will miss it there, but you will be back home with all your family and friends that missed you so much!
ReplyDelete