Last week, I completed the last real, legal step in preparing for France: picking up my visa! I did not realize the picture they took of me at my initial appointment was going to be placed on the visa, and it is fairly entertaining though not nearly as embarrassing as the photo on my driver's license (to this day, I have not found any one person who, after seeing it, has objected to naming it the worst driver's license photo ever taken of anyone. Ever.). It is so relieving to finally have all of the documents I need to go abroad in my possession.
Yesterday, Devan and I also booked our plane tickets to Ireland. CIEE gives us three weeks off: one week at the end of February/ beginning of March, and two weeks in April around Easter. We have decided to spend the first week in Ireland visiting Fairfield friends in Galway, and the second two weeks in Italy and Greece, respectively. In Italy, we also have friends studying in a couple of different cities; we don't know anyone studying in Greece, but we plan on staying in Athens and Mykenos. The round trip flight to Ireland cost about 60 euros. One of the perks to studying in Europe, as I have been told, is that it is so easy and relatively cheap to travel to so many different countries. We plan on taking full advantage of this, and my carefully managed budget definitely does not mind that 60 euro plane ticket. I do have to say though, it was a little weird booking a trip to leave Paris when I have not even left the United States yet.
The only things I have left to do now are last minute errands and packing. The nerves still have not appeared; there is only excitement (well, truth be told my mother is nervous enough for the both of us anyway). Currently, my dog is lying on my bed with me, sleeping in his Christmas sweater that my sister gave him. I am going to miss this, but I know that the moments that await me in Paris will be worth leaving him for a while. For now, I just cannot wait to get there.
À la prochaine fois!
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