I will have been in Aix-en-Provence for three months and that still feels unreal to even believe I am in France. When thinking back to pre-departure and orientation I listed to all the many things we would be going and growing through during our time. Of course, it goes in one ear and out the other and is overshadowed with how excited you are to leave and be on this journey. However, now that I am halfway through, I can say they were right in more ways than one! It has been a rollercoaster to say the least! The first couple days were honestly filled with wide eyes. I was comparing everything to back home and pointing out the differences, and it was really cool to see just how different but similar things were. As the days carried on, homesickness set in and did not wanna leave! I have been incredibly thankful for my host family and friends because that has been such a blessing. I think what made my homesickness so bad was I felt like everything was a dream in a good and bad way. It felt unreal to be in France so it felt like I wasn’t going to go home – obviously this is untrue. What turned the tides for me was community. Its true – the more people the better. Specifically in my program in France I am with the Marshutz art program and the other students I am around with are in three out of five classes. So it has been so nice to get to know each of them on such a more personal level. The rollercoaster of emotions hasn’t stopped but that’s what made this whole experience so exciting. To really get to appreciate being in an entirely new surrounding. I miss so many aspects of home but being away has really made me thankful for all the little comforts back home. This entire trip so far has been an absolute joy to be on and any bad moment has always been followed up with a ten times happier one! I’m so excited to see where these next two months will lead me!
