the night before the night before

So the past few days have been filled errands, good byes and skype practice sessions (with my mom, where upstairs represents France and downstairs is home). The past few days have also been filled with strange but also good emotions. Am I nervous? Yes. Am I excited? Yes. Right now it is all a mix of nerves and excitement, and I am trying to keep straight in my head everything there is to do. Normally I am a big list maker... but so far I have only made one list, and it was far from complete and I forgot to do have the stuff on it anyway. I also forgot to go to my lunch date with Mark Fellows today... sorry Mark, I am glad dinner worked out though.

I heard from Marie yesterday, and she seems excited to meet me, which is comforting and it gives me a friendly face to look forward to! Right now I think the thing I am most worried about is lugging two huge suitcases across the city from the airport to where she lives! That could be quite the trek, but I simply think that a cab will be way too expensive. Plus that will be a good way to help myself get accustomed to living in the city right? Because let's face it. The move from rural Greencastle IN to Paris France could not be a bigger change- french culture shock or not, I am going to have urban life shock I think! That will be cool I know, but still a big change for me.

I think all of the laundry is done now, and most of my friends are either already abroad or back at school, so I will soon join them. I have had a wonderful break with my family. Mirandy and I have gotten along really well, and my mom too. We have had so many nice dinners together, just the three of us, and with family friends. I have missed getting to see Mamaw a lot, but know that mom and Mamaw might come visit is cool. It is also weird to think that our family will all be together at the same time less in the next year (especially if Mirandy spends the summer in TX) and so all the time we have now is really important to enjoy. I have really had an awesome break, and I am sad to see it pass by so quickly, but now on to bigger things, much farther away from home.

I have dreamed since I was 7 years old (and first became interested in things having to do with France and French) of studying abroad for a semester in college: and here it is. On thursday I will jump on a plane and go into the exciting (and borderline terrifying) unknown. I can do it, I know I can. Nerves or no nerves I am on my way!

(also I can't wait to look back in 6 months and think about how nervous I was...)