I would like to apologize for the delay, for the clicks onto the site with no reward, for the anticipation that just ended up getting deflated. It's not fair, I am aware. Life is hard.
I have been absent, with no other good reason except that I didn't want to write because I have been in a funk. It has been more internal this time around, I am not as obviously in a funk as earlier in the semester. Change is about to happen. Big time. In two weeks from tomorrow I wilI be packing up and heading home. I am not worried about reverse culture shock, or relearning which direction to look when crossing the road, or even not being able to drink in public (just for three months though!!!), because well I have lived like that much longer than the three months here. I just get worried about all the unknowns. I am excited to go home, nervous to go back to school. Where will I live, who will I live with (hopefully Kelsey and Savannah in the new apartments, hint hint nudge nudge to those in charge at Guilford)? Many of my friends have been abroad this semester, what kind of changes have they been through? How will it show? What about the people that stayed? Will we be able to meet on the same level? Oh, and it will feel like I am in a new school because there have been so many physical changes to campus, old news now, but I still haven't seen it.
I don't think these are outrageous concerns. I am sure everyone who transitions wonders the same thing, it is just hitting me pretty hard. I am really having to separate the two locations, I am still here, now, and I will be there, then. Treat it like that. Stay present here, enjoy my last two weeks, even though dynamics have already begun to change. I am okay. Just need to remind myself that.
Okay, just needed to get that out. Moving on. Today is going to be an excellent day. Kelsey Walter and I are going to check out Portabello Market, (clea - I am going back for that cute dress we saw...because now I have boots to wear with it) eat at on of our favorite pubs, head over to Foyles, because who doesn't love a massive book store, and then finally after three months here we are going to the Tate Modern. This is the one museum that I have most wanted to go to, but never found the perfect time to go, I believe that time is today. It is sunny right now, so hopefully we can go before the rain starts.
Paris was fantastic. So, so much fun. I will tell you in brief what I did. Took the train over, highly recommend that form of transportation, met up with Tara (Dan's fiance) and we walked. Walked all over, stumbled upon a massive market that had lots of antique things, and many stamps, apparently that is in, precarved stamps. We also found a market that serves a variety of ethnic foods and so we enjoyed some Lebanese cuisine. Very tasty indeed. Oh, I speak no french, besides hello and thank you, other than that I just smile and nod, but Tara is fluent, phew. Oh. I bought a pair of red sneakers, they are adorable I must say. Met up with Dan that evening, ate at a traditional French Bistro, had a steak and pomme frites. yum yum yum. Ended up meeting Bruno, a colleague of Dan's as we went out for drinks later that night. I passed out. Pretty sure I slept for 12 hours or just about. So nice to sleep in a bed that isn't bunked. Saturday we ventured to the biggest wine tasting in all of France. Hundreds of wines, thousands of people in this big arena venue. I think I tried about 15, mostly reds, Bruno said it was better for the stomach to start with red and move to white. Okay Bruno. It was a lot of fun. Except for the whole language barrier, I pretty much just stuck my glass out and they filled it. It worked. I also had a duck fois gras baguette which was mighty tasty. After about four hours there, we headed over to Bruno's apartment where we ate a traditional French meal, fromage (cheese) and bread, with pate, and sausage. Oh. My. God. I was in heaven. Now, my stomach cannot do dairy, it is a bit finicky like that, but it wanted this meal, and said please feed me more. I fell in love. It was all good, nothing I didn't like. Found a new goat's cheese that I love, hopefully we can find it in the states. I have pictures of everything. yum yum yum. Sunday we played it cool, slept for a really long time, went out to breakfast/lunch, then Dan peaced out because Tara and I were shopping, we found a Salon de The. It must be one of the oldest tea salon's in Paris. Imaging just a bar of melted milk chocolate, that was our hot chocolate. So thick, so creamy, so delicious. I also has some sort of rasberry tart with custard and passion fruit, also hit the spot. Sunday night we ate at their favorite falafel place, I didn't know falafels could be so good. Headed home Monday morning, back in time for class.
I could not have asked for a better weekend in Paris. I really appreciate Dan and Tara's generosity and am grateful that we were able to share such a wonderful weekend.
Work is going really well. Yesterday I felt useful, I put together some statistics and made a chart, Frances approved, so all is good. Went to Galop yesterday, an organization that helps fight gay hate crime, people can call and report abuse, harassment, crimes, and then Galop deals with it. Great organization, made me excited again as to why I am at not only London Friend, but in small organizations that are really helping society. Without these places, then a lot of people would suffer. It is always good to be reminded of that.
Hmmm.. Oh. seeing Eddie Izzard on Monday!!! he is so funny. Shauna got extra tickets so I am going with her.
See these posts get so long when I haven't updated in a while, I suppose that is good motive to write more often. We shall see.
Have a good weekend everyone, be safe, have fun, smile.
Take care dear ones.
