Unbelievable. I'm 23 years old, May is almost over, and I have 50 days left in France. The past few weeks have been fairly low-key, "business as usual," yet fun all the same. Many of you know that my birthday was last Monday, (thanks again to everyone for my birthday wishes, cards, and gifts!) and though this was not my first birthday spent away from home (last year it fell the day before my graduation, so we celebrated in Winston) or abroad and away from immediate family (the year before, my 21st, I was in Italy with my Aunt Betty and a tour group), it was still hard to be away from friends and family on my special day. Fortunately, I celebrated with friends on Sunday with a nice lunch and movie in Paris, and then had a delicious duck dinner and incredible chocolate cake with the family on my birthday! I'm so grateful to everyone here, as well as to many friends and family at home, for caring so much to make my birthday special.
Within the past few weeks, the weather in France has finally made it to spring mode! Of course both yesterday and the day before were more like sweltering summer days, but overall, we're now averaging in the 60s and 70s, and I couldn't be more relieved. It's so nice being able to have picnic lunches and sit outside at cafes! I've mostly spent my free time outside with my friends these past weeks, with the exception of our movie theater crawl with last week's 3 Euro movie deal. We saw Easy Virtue (loved most of the actors, Jessica Biel was awful), Good Morning England (called The Boat that Rocked in English versions...this movie was so hilarious and so much fun!! Loved it), and Star Trek (yes, we did, and I actually really liked it!). This weekend, Janelle, Helena, and I went back to the Bois de Boulogne, and after a two-hour trek and quest for food, we had our picnic and collapsed under some trees by the lake for a much-needed rest (and in Helena's case, a true nap). I didn't get burned in Sunday's heatwave, but I surely look like a lobster after spending much of yesterday in the sun!
The family is now in the midst of searching for their next au pair. I remember how exciting that process was - speaking with new families daily, wondering where you'll end up, what's in store for you. I remember the thrill of interviewing with various families around the world, getting closer and closer to finding the right amazing experience. It seems like I was just talking with the family's previous au pairs, getting even more excited and in disbelief at my life's whimsical, adventurous path. I love that I now get the chance to speak with the family's au pair candidates - I enjoy playing the "mentor" role. But is it really that time already?! Incroyable! I just can't believe how the time has flown. Wake Forest held its graduation on my birthday, and it's just baffling to me that an entire school year has come and gone since I've been in France! The class below me has now graduated. I'm no longer the recent grad...scary. Elise is halfway through college, Erica will be a senior in high school, and my friends have jobs and established lives! Unlike Dorothy and Alice, I'll return from my Wonderland and life will have changed...perhaps tremendously? Perhaps I'll have changed tremendously. I wonder how much reverse culture shock I'll experience once I'm home again...I'm sure I'll be in disbelief that my French au pairing experience will have ended. Man, I'm already in disbelief! Ok, no more of this...back to the present and enjoying la vie française while I can!
Not too much else to report... I'm just living life, taking in as much of France as possible, and looking forward to being reunited with friends and family back home! July 15 will certainly be a bittersweet day. Much love to all!
Within the past few weeks, the weather in France has finally made it to spring mode! Of course both yesterday and the day before were more like sweltering summer days, but overall, we're now averaging in the 60s and 70s, and I couldn't be more relieved. It's so nice being able to have picnic lunches and sit outside at cafes! I've mostly spent my free time outside with my friends these past weeks, with the exception of our movie theater crawl with last week's 3 Euro movie deal. We saw Easy Virtue (loved most of the actors, Jessica Biel was awful), Good Morning England (called The Boat that Rocked in English versions...this movie was so hilarious and so much fun!! Loved it), and Star Trek (yes, we did, and I actually really liked it!). This weekend, Janelle, Helena, and I went back to the Bois de Boulogne, and after a two-hour trek and quest for food, we had our picnic and collapsed under some trees by the lake for a much-needed rest (and in Helena's case, a true nap). I didn't get burned in Sunday's heatwave, but I surely look like a lobster after spending much of yesterday in the sun!
The family is now in the midst of searching for their next au pair. I remember how exciting that process was - speaking with new families daily, wondering where you'll end up, what's in store for you. I remember the thrill of interviewing with various families around the world, getting closer and closer to finding the right amazing experience. It seems like I was just talking with the family's previous au pairs, getting even more excited and in disbelief at my life's whimsical, adventurous path. I love that I now get the chance to speak with the family's au pair candidates - I enjoy playing the "mentor" role. But is it really that time already?! Incroyable! I just can't believe how the time has flown. Wake Forest held its graduation on my birthday, and it's just baffling to me that an entire school year has come and gone since I've been in France! The class below me has now graduated. I'm no longer the recent grad...scary. Elise is halfway through college, Erica will be a senior in high school, and my friends have jobs and established lives! Unlike Dorothy and Alice, I'll return from my Wonderland and life will have changed...perhaps tremendously? Perhaps I'll have changed tremendously. I wonder how much reverse culture shock I'll experience once I'm home again...I'm sure I'll be in disbelief that my French au pairing experience will have ended. Man, I'm already in disbelief! Ok, no more of this...back to the present and enjoying la vie française while I can!
Not too much else to report... I'm just living life, taking in as much of France as possible, and looking forward to being reunited with friends and family back home! July 15 will certainly be a bittersweet day. Much love to all!
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