Sunday, September 8, 2013

Awaiting my flight to Paris

I am sitting at Logan Airport in Boston awaiting my 6:45pm flight to Paris (which arrives tomorrow morning at 7:35 am - yay red eyes! ). It's only been 3 weeks since I last landed on US soil, but I am about to depart on another adventure abroad, this time for 3 and a half months. If my two months in China are any indication of what is to come, I am sure that my time in Paris, France will surpass all of my expectations and I'll be speaking like a real  quasi-native Parisian in no time.

However, ever since visiting Yale for a few days at the end of August, I have been feeling a strong attachment to my school and all my friends. Even though I have been told countless times that I will have an amazing time in France and that no one has ever regretted taking a semester abroad, I still can't help but to feel a little bittersweet about the whole ordeal. As I watched all of my groups and clubs being excited about recruiting in coming freshmen or planning classes together and talking about the Halloween Show, Fall Break, The Game, and other special events that happen in fall semester, I felt like I was going to missing out on so much. Hearing some of my closest friends ask me
"Why are you leaving meeeee???? Why can't you stay?"
made me realize how much I did hate leaving them and think about all of the reason why it would be better to stay at Yale, rather than go live and study in an unfamiliar place with people who I don't know. As the icing on top, I am now very unsure of my major and how I could possibly take all the necessary classes to finish any major in my remaining three semesters at Yale. 

Most of all, I will be missing my boyfriend Ike. We've been going out for 7 and a half months, but only really together (in proximity) for half that time due to my constant travels. I cannot begin to tell him how much I appreciated him visiting me in Upstate NY before he had to start school and how accommodating he was of me and my brother when we were at Yale. I've already felt the strains of a long distance relationship freshman year, and it is quite hilarious to me that I am putting myself back in the same situation. But as they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder. Not to mention, a special something came in the mail a few days ago and I now have this guy to cuddle with when I am missing my bf.

On the flip side I'M GOING TO PARIS OMG!!! In 7th grade when I chose French for my foreign language, I was determined to study abroad in France for some period of time. It is the city of lights, the city of love, and the center of gastronomy. With the generous Yale scholarship that I was able to transfer over to CUPA, my study program in Paris, this is definitely the opportunity of a lifetime. Everyone who knows me knows that I am a complete worrywart and most of the time, unnecessarily so. Nothing will change when I am abroad, my friends and family aren't going anywhere soon and I can figure out my major later (who cares about graduating? psh). 

And to be honest, there are Yalies everywhere! I am bound to happened upon one at any given moment. As an added bonus, one of my suite mates from last year, Mary Mussman, is going to be in the same program as me. Not to mention, the lovely Megan Phelan is just a train ride away in Madrid, Spain, also studying abroad for the semester. We're taking our suite love international y'all!

There is only half an hour to go until boarding and I am trying to keep myself from over-thinking things. I am genuinely excited to meet my host family. My host father, M. Frederic Bouhon is an artist and he and his wife have a daughter who is slightly older than me. Just this morning, he sent me a cute email assuring me that he would meet me at the airport and that he would be holding a sign saying "CUPA/Cici" so I could easily find him. He even sent me a picture of his outfit with a black felt fedora and purple sunglasses. He is beyond adorable! I hope that the clothes I brought will be able to fit in with the beyond chic Paris. 

That's it for now. If my flight is on time, I'll get to Paris just 2 hours before orientation starts so it'll be a busy day. I'll let you know how everything goes, and if I even remember how to speak French! Yikes!

À la prochaine
Cici

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