Skip to main content

France 2012 - Final Reflections

By
Our time in France has been delightful, and Habibi and I will never forget our first international trip together as a couple.  As I write this final entry from my cramped seat on the plane ride home, I feel contemplative and rather introspective.  For the past six and a half years, I have been searching for ways to move and work abroad.  While I would still love to do so, I currently find myself ready to return home to my Midwestern city where everything makes sense to me.  I love the French and have a profound appreciation for their language and culture, but I also feel very strongly that it is in learning about other languages and cultures that we can come to appreciate our own.  As many similarities as there are between the populations of the U.S. and of Europe, I have come to realize that I will always be a foreigner here - an outsider.  Please don't misunderstand me, however; this is not necessarily a bad thing!  It is simply a fact.

 As I consider all the faux pas Habibi and I have committed on this trip (linguistic, cultural, social, financial, logistic, technical...shall I continue?) I have to laugh a little in spite of myself.  As much education as I have had in this field (well, a B.A.'s worth is all, I suppose) I'm very humbled every time I converse with a native speaker, or travel abroad.  I am one fine mess!  The more I learn, the more I realize how little I truly know.  On the other hand, throughout my travels, I have learned that acceptance of this fact makes the trip much more enjoyable and amusing for all involved.

 Habibi and I have been very blessed, not only to have been able to make this trip, but to have had perfect timing with nearly every detail from the weather to the last centime spent.  For the most part, we encountered kind and genuine people whose patience and enthusiasm is to be admired.

 I'm greatly looking forward to our next trip abroad - wherever and whenever that may be.  For now, however, I am glad to be returning home.
Alors, je vous remercie d'avoir lu tout ce que j'ai écrit ici. J'espère que vous en avez profité et que vous aurez l'occasion de voyager en France aussi, si vous ne l'avez pas encore fait. Bisous et bon voyage!

La Tour Eiffel is covered in thousands of little light bulbs.
Every hour on the hour after dark, these light bulbs twinkle for a few minutes.
This is the perfect way to end your visit to Paris, with a promise to return some day.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Comment if you wish. Or don't.

Popular posts from this blog

France 2012 - Carnac

By
le 2 novembre At around 7 a.m. this morning, Habibi and I set sail (sorry, I'll stop using nautical terms now) for the small, coastal town of Carnac, located in Bretagne  (Brittany).  Upon arriving at the small, cozy  H ô tel An Ti Gwenn  ( Breton  for "white house"), we were warmly received and led to our calm little slice of heaven.  Remember, we had just left our tiny, disgusting fish bowl of a room, so the pleasant smells and fresh, clean bedding were welcome! Exterior view of the  Hôtel An Ti Gwenn View of the back garden from one of our windows Peeking through the main window into the side garden Our clean, fresh salle de bains Notre chambre We stopped for a quick lunch at a local s alon de thé  before heading to the tourism office at the center of town.  The main square was adorned with a lovely old church (typical of just about every French community, regardless of the size), several small tourist shops, bars and  crêperies. A
Post a Comment
Read more

Mitt Romney: Problem Solver By A Fool's Standards

By
I know I bash politics a lot because, I'll just come right out and say it, I think they're silly.  My indifference to most things allows me the leisurely amusement of getting a rise out of people who are particularly hot on any given subject.  However, like most individuals who actually do give a shit, I also have a set of criteria on what I look for in a candidate and -republican or democrat- I will vote for whomever I feel best meets that criteria. But today, I find myself at a loss for words. http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/02/15/146929766/why-romneys-shaggy-dog-story-wont-die While I haven't exactly been a Romney fan up until this point, I am somewhat sympathetic to those under constant scrutiny.  I suppose he has faced his fair share.  But we do make our own beds, do we not?  This is positively inexcusable.  I would sooner vote for a chimp in a scuba suit than this imbecile.  Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see all such despicable cr
3 comments
Read more

The Joys of Fall and Eating Dinner

By
When I was just a little tike, I learned a song about Halloween.  The lyrics went something like this: Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern, You are such a pretty sight, As you sit there in the window, Looking out on the night! You were once a yellow pumpkin, Growing on a sturdy vine. Now you are a Jack-O-Lantern, See the candlelight shine! I know it isn't exactly Hemingway (thank goodness), but poor Habibi found me singing it to myself in the bathroom this morning as I was getting ready for the day.  (Oh, shut up.)  For your enjoyment (obviously) I've included the inspiration for my morning concert below: WE GOT TO CARVE OUR PUMPKIN LAST NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!! I love Halloween.  Every year around this time I start to get the jitters as though something terribly exciting and adventurous is about to happen.  I love the crunch of fall leaves, crispy mornings, eerie evenings and smoky nights.  Spooky stories, haunted houses, the smell of a campfire an
3 comments
Read more