This post comes notably late, which perhaps links to the whirlwind this week has proven to be. With only one full day left in this country, I have been mass distributing goodbyes. Every day now, I check the weather reports for Rennes, France to compare the differences from our current temperature. I’ve given up trying to sleep at normal hours, as inevitably my bodily clock will need to make a 6 hour shift. I ponder the idiosyncrasies of life in France. Are there truly fundamental differences between the cultural climate of America, specifically my little corner of the southeast, and the nation of France? Is southern hospitality a real thing? When I arrive at my final destination, will I find the version Rennes offers to be similar? Soon, I will be entirely reliant on the language that up until now has been a hobby, a supplement to all the indispensable elements of the life, something that feasibly could deteriorate with the end of my school experience if not for this major deviation from my most probable course. When 12pm rolls around on the clocks of Rennes, France , I’ll have landed in the land of love and wonder and croissants. Perhaps this sentiment is a bit melodramatic, but up until now the movies I’ve seen, a hodgepodge of news articles, and French Youtubers have served as my primary source of information. In a few days I’ll have no filter or other person delivering their insights to me. I’ll have the opportunity create my own perception. If I were to concisely characterize this week, I would define it as a blessing. I had the opportunity to go on the radio and publicize my blog and journey. I got to see all of the family and many of the friends that have seen me mature over the years, and who for once will not be privy to my every development. I was touched to realize that the number of people who care dearly for me far outnumbers what I imagined, and I found myself rekindling connections that seemed to be dying but in actuality were just in hibernation. Tomorrow night I intend to stay awake into the wee hours with my family, as it is the last night that I will spend with them for the next 8 ½ months and the night immediately after will be with a new family who I will love with my all.
2 Comments
Danielle
9/3/2015 06:06:41 pm
Hi Jolisa!
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Jolisa Brown
9/6/2015 09:00:16 pm
Hi Danielle!! I would love to help you in any way I can. :) One of my hopes when I started writing was that people who are interested in studying French and perhaps even in visiting a Francophone would realize that it's by not at all unattainable. My email is [email protected] . Just send me any questions or curiosities you have.
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May 2016
AuthorJolisa Brown hails from Atlanta, Georgia. This is her first attempt at a blog, but she hopes everyone enjoys reading it as much as she enjoys writing it. Categories |