You Know You're in France When...

You know you're in France when you see someone shoveling his snow-filled driveway with a garden shovel.

You know you're in France when the next day you see that same person sweeping newly fallen snow away with a broom.

You know you're in France when you see "Joyeux Noel" on the buses. (Assuming they are running of course.)

You know you're in France when they tell you the train you are waiting for is delayed by 20 minutes and you end up leaving 2 hours later.

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I can hardly believe it, but tomorrow I will see my family for the first time in 117 days!!!!

France has been SUCH an amazing experience, and everything has gone above and beyond my expectations of the study abroad experience.

I finished my exams last Thursday, and these past days have been filled with packing, visits to Rouen, and lots of snow. In fact, a white Christmas is rare in France, so people everywhere are whipping out their cameras to document this historic event....aka SNOW. Of course the buses have been sparse, but there is no short supply of holiday cheer. Everywhere you look, a friendly snowman is there to greet you, and cries of happy children fill the air. I feel like I'm writing the beginning of a children's holiday story. Ok back to my personal life....there have been so many goodbyes with friends I might never see again, and it's a bit saddening. I will definitely keep in touch with the friends I've met, but it's not the same. My professor said we are living in the parentheses of our lives here in Rouen, and it's weird to think that the parentheses is coming to an end.

I will have another post with further comments....so for now I will leave you with a few key phrases:

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Happy New Year!

Most importantly, SEE YOU ALL SOON!!!!!!