would you believe me if I told you I was moving to paris on monday and still don’t speak french? I wish I was being humble, but I somehow allowed three months to pass without learning much. it was slightly intentional when I decided awhile back that I wanted the most authentic french language immersion and that I would easily pick it up in france during my night classes. right??? that after all is what what I’m paying for.

I am going into a lot of this trip blindly. ignorant perhaps, but I prefer to call it naive. I wanted to have as little expectations as possible and allow my eyes and feet to lead me on constant adventures. I haven’t asked many questions because I haven’t wanted to relive other people’s experiences in paris-- I want my own. I wanted the thrill of the unknown and the frustration of getting lost down cobblestone streets and getting constantly mixed up at which arrondissement I need to be in. I wanted to get lost and I wanted to figure it out. more than anything, I think I wanted the stories.

I thought in my last week before I move to Paris I’d be a complete mess. I figured my mom and I would be bickering back and forth because we’d both be too sad to leave each other. I assumed my room and mark’s would be a complete disaster with all my clothes thrown everywhere (oh wait, they def are). I thought I’d cry at almost every mention of leaving. not because I’m not excited, but just because change makes me pretty emotional and I think this move truly finalizes that I am no longer a college student (there have been a few tears here and there).

but truthfully, I’ve never had such peace. when I got the first email from my family in january I told her I had been kicking my feet in the air for days because I was so excited. and I still feel that way. I’ve been wanting to be an au pair for two years and have known that I’d be working for this family since february, so I just finally feel very ready. this is exactly what I know I want to be doing. the Lord has blessed so much of this experience already and I am looking forward to what this next year of my life entails. 

hopefully this whole instant immersion thing people keep telling me about is a tested theory. I’ll let you know in a year.