Nearing the end

This is my last free weekend in France. Unfortunately, I'm spending it studying not doing something super fun, but I guess this experience is called "Study Abroad." A week from today my exams start. I dont know what kind of school has exams on Saturday's but it doesn't sound like fun.

Tuesday is our last official day of school. Wednesday I'm going to Paris to pick up my friend Audra who will be studying in Clermont this summer. We're going to spend a few nights in Paris before going back to Clermont. That will truly be the end of the 5 month holiday that I've taken. I'm looking forward to seeing her and seeing her excitement because her experience will just be starting.

Yesterday we bought our train tickets from Clermont to Paris CDG for our last night in France. Larissa, Loviisa and I are staying at an airport hotel that last night before we all depart on June 6th. It was sort of bittersweet buying our one way tickets to Paris. It seems like ages ago that I first arrived in France not knowing anything, but it also seems like I have spent no time here at all. 5 months is not a long time in reality. Not enough time to do and see everything you want. Not enough time to learn everything there is to be learnt. But, when given the choice between 5 short months abroad or no time, I'd take 5 months.

Don't get me wrong, I am very excited to go home. I miss my family and my friends. I miss being able to get french fries at 11pm. I miss being able to do things on Sundays. But I will miss baguettes for .33¢ and the pace of life, and speaking in French and not having to do anything on Sundays.

I'm preparing myself for the reverse culture shock. My parents have been rearranging and painting our  house, so it won't be the same. My brother and sister-in-law just graduated college so they wont be back at OU with me in the fall, my little brother will be at OU in the fall, I wont be back at Hallmark with all my friends, I'm moving into my own apartment not just the dorm, I'm getting married. Nothing will be the same as I left it in January. But, it's exciting. I dont think I could come back from this experience and step back into the way my life was. I'm excited to be making steps forward to a new phase in my life.