The Result of Many Minor Airport Delays

Today is my last day in the United States for almost three months. I can’t believe it. Honestly, I didn’t think I would ever actually be going to France. Up until now, France seemed like an indistinct, distant place, one of those destinations you talk about when there’s a lull in conversation. But here I am in the Cleveland airport, waiting to board a flight that will take me to Newark Airport and, eventually, France. Going through security was shockingly painless, contributing to my sense of suspended reality.

Part of me wants to believe that France will be all bottles of wine, sunny cafés, and deliciously fattening meals. However, the pessimistic, and slightly more realistic, side of me expects to meet a cold, unsympathetic France where my feeble attempts at the language are scorned.

In reality, I’ll probably encounter something in the middle. During the three months I spend in Avignon, I hope to become a regular at a café. But to accomplish this, I’ll need to actually speak French with the owner. Unlike the easy romance or the pure hostility that I half expect to encounter, this is real. I will have some beautiful experiences in France, but I also know that there will be times when I’ll just want to hide in English speaking England until it’s time to come home.

I think that the trick will be living in reality. Not expecting France to be all accordion music and lavender but also not completely shutting down after failed attempts at French. My French is abysmal, but that’s why I’m here, to improve.

Despite my sense of disbelief, I am going to be in Paris in less than 24 hours, and France will be real.

Later on the flight to Newark…

While I’m on the flight to Newark, in order to distract myself from all the inconvenient songs involving falling down that I have stuck in my head, I suppose I could describe what I’m actually going to France for. Technically, I will be in France to improve my language skills. While this is very true and they need much improvement, I’m actually more interested in learning about the French culture, or French “patterns” if you are an Anthropology professor. How the people act, their history, how they’re different from Americans.

To help me actually learn while I’m in France, I’ll be taking 18 credits at the Universitie d’Avignon. I hope to make French friends and learn about France itself. Language will be a vital tool in accomplishing this, Therefore, I have to at least make an effort and collect many interesting mishaps and victories along the way and I will try to share as many as my dignity can handle. Until France, mes amis.