Au Revoir, not Goodbye.

So I am writing this as I wait for my parents to arrive in the car which will take me back to England in two days time, marking the end of my Year Abroad.

It's been a funny old week, making me want to go home at some times, and making me want to stay longer at others. Overall though, I believe that my future is holding even bigger and better things than what would ultimately remain for me in Romorantin, and I am full of optimism and eagerness to get stuck into the next phase of my life.

What made me want to go home:
1. Other people going home.

Blois girls + me! Well done Erin for closing your eyes
(to be fair, it was very sunny and bright, but still)

After getting back from Paris Saturday evening and a day full of sorting out and organising on Sunday, I set off to Blois on Monday. It was to be my last ever Blois trip to see American biffle Erin and Brits Harriet and Amy. Monday was relaxed, including 'helping' Harriet pack (in reality, I just sat on her bed reading Winnie the Pooh), discovering an awesome series called 'the Bachelorette', having Subway for lunch and Dominoes for supper (while watching Bring It On), then having random late night conversations with a Brazilian and two Colombian guys! On Tuesday, it was Harriet's 21st and we celebrated with a fancy lunch out (beef carpraccio was my order, if anyone was interested) before it was time for me take the bus back to Romorantin for the final time.
In seeing Harriet ready to go home and packing up, I was incredible jealous, and I wanted to be doing the same and going back to my family, my friends and my dog!

2. On se tourne les pouces (twiddling my thumbs).
Saturday just gone was so boring. It was that in between stage of having done all I could do for the moment and not being able to pack or organise any more because I still had need of all the junk around me. And there is very little in this town. I have done almost everything to do here, save the museum. It's at least an excuse to return (briefly!).  Eight months here was lovely, but I am ready to move on to bigger and better things in life. Let's just say lots of Disney films were watched.

What will I miss:
1. Dinner with people. 
On Thursday, I had dinner with a teacher from the college at her house. The food wasn't anything special, but I loved discussing home in comparison to France, for better or for worse, and generally being complimented on my French!

2. My friends at the MAJO.

My MAJO friends (missing Sylvain)

On Sunday evening, I hosted a 'dinner party' for my favourite MAJO friends. There was me, Kyann (my
housemate), Carine, Juliette, Morgan, Baptiste, Julien and Sylvain. I love them all, and will miss them I am sure. They have shown me such hospitality, kindness, patience and love. I just wish that if I am in the situation of hosting a foreigner that I can show such admirable qualities. We ate raclette and chatted and took silly photos. Carine gave me a tea-strainer and a porceline thing for putting used tea bags on. Juliette gave me a wooden mask from Tahiti (where her mother's from). My memories of all our shared experiences will stay with me forever.

3. My Church. 
I love the people, and they've been incredibly kind to me, but I will also miss the physical reminder that God's family is worldwide and crosses all frontiers, geographical or otherwise.

4. My housemate Kyann and our random conversations, which are sometimes helpful for linguistic improvement, and sometimes just plain ridiculous...

Listen in for a brief summary...
I would not have come to France if the Year Abroad wasn't obligatory with my degree. I wouldn't be doing my current degree if it wasn't for my fantastic French teacher at GCSE and then A Level. It's funny how past experiences shape our futures, and just like my old French teacher has done, I am sure that the last seven months will go on to shape what is next lined up for me in life post-degree. I am not going to boast about everything that this year has taught me. I am just going to say that the Year Abroad was one of the best experiences of my life to date.

P.S.
Here are the Year Abroad goals that I set myself in my second blog post, plus my amendments according to my success in each goal:
1. Join a library and read all the French classics (I did indeed join the library, although perhaps not ALL the classics were read...)
2. Read an entire newspaper or magazine a week, note down all new vocabulary, learn (Er.... no. Bit ambitious, looking back)
3. Join a sports society (Yes - I joined a badminton club)
4. Get a second job (I did English tutoring)
5. Go to Nantes and eat moules et frites (Sadly not achieved, although I did eat moules in Bordeaux)
6. Visit as many of the Loire's chateaux as possible (I saw Chaumont, Cheverny, Chenonceau, Chambord, Blois, Amboise, Versailles and Langeais. Not too shabby.)
7. Sit in on a church service (and not make a fool of myself) and hopefully find some nice church family who will take me in and feed me in return for some rent and me babysitting occasionally. (I found my lovely, welcoming church, and I was fed by four church families.)
So, I think we can say that this gives even more reason to consider my Year Abroad a success!