Another realization

February 8^th, 2011

Chantepie, France

I have officially booked flights, hostels and train tickets for my trip to Paris and Italy for spring break. It’s going to just be Lushuana and I, but I am so excited for this journey! We will be staying in each place for two days in going from Paris to Milan to Rome and then to Pisa. We couldn’t be more excited.

The class schedule here is weird and thus I had two French classes yesterday and no courses at all for the rest of the week. It’s nice to be able to have time to collect my thoughts and finish important tasks such as for new job positions, portfolios and paperwork in general. I am able to work, complete my homework ahead of time and eat a healthy diet all while getting sufficient exercise and seeing my friends. What an amazing life I have here! Everything I love in life is here; the only thing missing is the people that I love whom I left behind. 

Tonight, everyone is out at the salsa club again and, even though they claimed that they would come home around midnight, I just did not feel like going out. I had already bought coke for tonight and have a cute dress to wear, I’m not tired and I don’t have class tomorrow; I honestly just don’t want to go out. It’s a strange phenomenon to realize that I have all of the freedom in the world and yet I am able to decide solely on my own terms how I want to live my life. No, I don’t want to hold back your hair tonight and take time tomorrow to recount all of the things that you forgot from last night. In fact, I want to read my book, get a solid night’s sleep in my own bed and get up early to have breakfast in the morning sunlight of the living room. Then, I want to get up and go into the town center to run my errands, process my paperwork and then do some exploring during the daytime. Then, I want to go to choir practice and then home for dinner and a quiet evening. I will go out on Thursday night and Irene’s birthday party is Friday night, so it’s not truly as if I’m missing out on something and I honestly am becoming sick of those who cannot have fun without alcohol involved. That’s where my friends from choir, trips, home and the adults I know here come into play. I can have a two hour conversation with my housemate, Sylvie, about religion and politics here in France while having tea and crepes instead of following some of my dear friends, though drunk, around Rennes in the winter cold at 3 am? Ok, I'll try that!

Your sober sister,

Bethany