Where I am at

The last five months have been the most memorable,amazing, difficult, fun, weird, bizarre, life changing, slow, cold, french, awkward, wonderful, learningful, time of my life. It started with a plane ride. It has not finished yet, and at times I wish it never would. Its foreign, yet not all that different. Its not my home, but it's where I belong.

I got to France, not knowing quite what to expect, apart from the harsh stereotypes that some millions of American tourist have established. I saw all the things that can be found in the countless tour guide books bought by countless clueless travelers. And while I can obviously say yes its just like in all the pictures, I can also say more. Not all the French are the same, there are huge variances between the families, just as is to be expected no matter where in the world you go. Some french people do smell distinctly horrible, but a lot more smell like a lovely bunch of flowers on a sunny spring day in a prairie in the beautiful country side (sorta). They are not the romantic lovers that 18th century french literature would like to make them out to be, even if they keep thinking this. They do not hate America, in fact, they love us, especially our television series, music, clothing, style, and even some of our food (not so much the peanut butter or Kraft Mac n' Cheese)-they can't get enough of Mcdonald's, even if they pronounce it wrong. Bread is important, so is cheese, and wine, and they are very proud of this. There are still open air markets, but there are also large grocery stores. The teachers still write on the chalk board. There is a massive network of highly efficient public transportation, something the US has a huge lacking. There is high quality health care for everyone. University is free. At the end of the day, the ocean separating these two countries is not very large, both face similar set backs.

In the last five months I have been in Audun-le-Tiche, Thionville, Metz, Nancy, Verdun, Ottange, Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg, Reims, Paris, Vittel, Langres, Brussels, Ostende, Berlin, Lyon, Monoblet, Arles, Montpellier, Millau, Uzès, Leuven, Anterwerp, The Hague, Coëtquidan, Dinan, Saint Malo, Mont Saint-Michel, Strasbourg, I have been in France, in Europe.