Hello, hello, hello!
Tomorrow, I leave for Paris for a whole year of incredible adventures, challenges and new experiences.
I actually don’t know how I’m feeling about all of this. It’s funny – every trip is unique and every trip carries its own mysteries and surprises. During the same day, I go through completely different feelings, sometimes the excitement of going to Paris simply takes over me and all I can think of it is the day of my departure. However, other days I find myself tearing up because I have to say good-bye to friends whom I am quite close to. Although I know most of them will be here when I return, there are some who will be far, far away from Canada.
Sometimes it’s seems like nothing is working out the way it should be and that I will never be able to figure everything out in time. However, at the end, everything comes together and I realize that it’s all under control.
Last week I found out that since I’m arriving in Paris on a Sunday night, the residence office is not open. Therefore I can’t get my keys which means I don’t have a place to stay the first night and I have a French placement test at my university the very next day. So, after my little freak-out moment, I decided to make good use of my network “Mr.facebook” and contacted a friend of mine who lives in Paris. Now she is picking me up at the airport and I will spend the first night at her apartment. How lucky is that?
We'll see how it goes on Sunday, and you don’t have to worry because I will let you know how it all went.
Since this exchange to Paris is actually the second exchange in my life, I’ve decided to make a quite ambitious goal list for this coming year:
1. Make a new friend every day.
2. Not speak English nor Portuguese at all, except if I'm in trouble.
3. Go exploring the city at least once a week.
4. Not be afraid of talking to strangers.
5. Volunteer for a European organization.
6. Get to know other cities in France.
7. Visit Portugal, England, Spain, Greece, Italy, Germany, Czech-republic, Finland and if possible, Egypt.
8. Get a part-time job.
9. Return to Canada FLUENT in French.
10. Participate in the International Rotary Convention in Lisbon.
Okie dokie, I hope I have everything needed for tomorrow! If not, I will just put on a big smile and carry on, because "EVERYBODY SMILES IN THE SAME LANGUAGE"
I will talk to you soon!