Waste of Internet Space

Well, I've decided that I should probably utilize this blog space that I've ignored so well for the past year. I suppose an update is in order as well.

I'll start at the beginningish: My sejour in France was absolutely perfect. I stayed from January through to the end of July and loved every single moment of it. A part of me (a very large part of me actually) would love to go back and live/work there someday but...leaving the people I love behind in such a seemingly permanent fashion is a bit frightening. And I can't lie, Camilo may play a role in that particular decision making process. But France will always have a piece of my heart. Words cannot begin to describe how much I miss my little village of Aix. Actually, words can describe it...I'd almost forgotten I made this list...

Things I'll miss about France:
street vendor crêpes, the abundance of Nutella, amazing fresh fruits and vegetables, small children speaking French, the boulangeries and pattiseries (tartalettes framboises!), the flower market, people saying "oo la la", everyone wearing boots, my huge window in the apartment, the way people greet each other, walking through narrow streets dodging mopeds, good Moroccan food, sitting at cafes, cheapness of wine, eXpresso, the market on Tuesdays, the blueness of the sky, the Mediterranean, real functioning shutters, people actually dancing at bars, looking nice everyday without people asking "why are you so dressed up today?", being able to walk everywhere in the city, being able to get to other cities with cheap public transportation, the centre ville, freshly rinsed cobblestone streets, the fountains, not smelling like an ashtray after a night out at the bar, tiled roofs, courtyards, Paris, the Metro, art museums, the French language, the cost of medical care without insurance, spring in Provence, sunny days and rainy nights, Les Calanques, smoking Hookah with the Frenchies, the boys of ENSAM, le bisous, Remy's place on the Corniche, 365+ different kinds of fromage (real Camembert!), Jérôme Belloche

As it turns out, the last item of that list turned out to be, at the time, the most painful thing to leave behind. But I guess time heals everything and can even make you forget. So, as hard as I tried to hold onto the beautiful memories we had together, it wasn't enough to keep us together in the long run. It was a nice dream but nothing more than that I guess. These days I'm dating my Bolivian Camilo instead, and it's nice to finally have someone who doesn't seem imaginary.

Study Abroad Program in France: $10,000
Plane ticket: $800
Side trip to Italy: $400
6 pairs of French shoes: €200

Realizing that long-distance relationships don't work out: ....$700

Lesson learned.