I'm not sure what sparked the following thought process, but I've recently been thinking about how I will be different upon returning to the United States.
There are the obvious, exterior changes: longer hair, a larger stomach (thanks to the delicious French cuisine), and the blisters always present on my heels from the constant walking...
Then there are the interior changes, those that will help me to figure out the kind of person I am and the kind of person I want to be. A sense of independence is one change that I am frequently reminded of. I felt I was a pretty independent person before coming here, but until I was emmersed in a foreign language and forced to make a life in a completely unfamiliar place, I really didn't understand the meaning of the word. Traveling both to and from Malta, and also within Malta itself was a great test of this independence. Being able to get myself from one place to another (by means of trains, buses, airplanes and the occasional taxi) and learning to truly depend on myself to do what I needed to do was quite the experience. In Nantes, school is also a more nagging source of independence, especially at the University, where the strike continues and we are expected to keep working outside of class... even at IES I get the feeling that we are supposed to be studying every night even if we don't have official homework, an idea that is completely unfamiliar to me :) I'm pretty sure by now that the motto for the French education system is that you only get out of it what you put into it, which holds true everywhere, but in France, I feel as if more is expected of you outside of class than in the United States where both sides pan out fairly evenly. Thus, my study habits have been put to the test these last couple of months. Being in France is a constant reminder of the fact that there is life after college, a life where I will have to buy groceries and pay rent and be a grown up. Oh man, I can already feel the stress.
Other changes - the desire to discover new places, everywhere. Not only here in Europe. I'm talking, United States, South America, India, you name it. I am loving the adventuring here and trying new things. C'est geniale (awesome). Along with being adventurous I would say that I'm also discovering my love of spontaneity, at least when it comes to traveling. Thus, the two together are making for an excellent time abroad.
As it comes closer to going home, I will come back to this whole idea of change and how this place has impacted my life.
Some big news - Dad's coming to visit! Woo! We'll do a little exploring in France over my break in April for 2 weeks. I'm excited!!
Also, spring is here. It's not quite the 70 degrees it was a week ago, but the weather is nice, and the flowers are starting to bloom - everywhere. They are so pretty, I can't wait for April when everything will be in full swing! I'm excited to see all the trees get their leaves back. They have some really weird, ugly looking trees here, so I'm hoping they looking better with leaves...haha. Do you see what I mean about unappealing?
Ok i'm off to make banana bread...the bananas are almost too brown...ah! I hope you all have good weeks!
Kelsey
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