Salut

Salut c'est moi. I found my phone. Well it was returned to me anyways (Mimi, I have only lost it one time in four months so you can quit shaking your head). 

Lots has happened ofcourse. 

So, much to say. 

My favorite parts of the last few weeks has been the sunshine. And the great weather. Maddie, Marcie, John, and Romane have all ventured out here to the beach multiple times thus far. It's always a good time. Those days consist of lots of food, volleyball, walking, phase 10 and piano playing. 

I love going to our bible group each Tuesday. I loathed it at first because, well, I don't speak French. And it was and still is sometimes awkward. But the people are great. I am awful with names. So I can't exactly describe each individual in detail. But they are all awesome. That's all there is to know. The actual study is great too. They aren't allowed to hold a religious meeting so it's more of a discussion which makes it a million times more intellectual than what I am used to. There is no "because that's the way it is" explanations. We look up references, Greek translations, dig deep into human understanding for a meaning. 

I have learned a lot about relationships on this trip (far more than I expected). It's amazing and so fun for me to see who is placed in my life and how they contribute. I have learned patience, courage, maturity, flexibility, how to be a hard worker, how not to act in front of a professor, who to be afraid of, who needs love, and how tender my own heart is all from the array of people I have come to know here. 

It's apparently culturally correct to ask perfectly random strangers for cigarettes here. I can't count how many times this has happened. In fact, that is one conversation in French I have most definitely gotten down.

Classes are going well. Good grades. Good teachers. Yesterday I gave a presentation in Troncy's class who the absolute most French woman I know. And she gave me the second best compliment I have received to date. She said my pronunciation was very close to a native French speaker. 

My time here is almost up. This makes me so sad. I want to see everyone back home but I don't want to see this adventure end. 

I can't imagine how I would have been if I hadn't taken this risk. I can't imagine being in high school right now. This trip will serve as a permanent reminder to always take the road less travelled. It's harder and more stressful and sometimes I think I took a wrong turn and got lost. But it's more like living. 

And it doesn't have to be another country. I'm excited for college in the fall. I'm excited to get a job this summer. I'm excited to be an adult.