A favorite french saying----
"Joie de Vivre-
can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do… And joie de vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy of life. Robert's Dictionnaire says joie is sentiment exaltant ressenti par toute la conscience, that is, involves one's whole being."
It's finally happening.
Just a mere three weeks until I embark on my own journey towards la "joie de vivre." An adventure that I’ve been dreaming about partaking in since I was a young girl.
I will uproot from my comfortable American life, board a plane for a 24-hour flight, and land in a completely foreign country that will become my home for the following month... Come June I will be living in France for IAU’s Summer in Aix program.
Yes, Aix. As in Aix-en-Provence. A city nestled in the south of France, known for its art-inspiring beauty. For its array of the freshest, finest foods from world-class provincial markets. A wild night-life fueled by the abundant student population and, of course, its unrivaled good weather.
In other words, the ideal location to study abroad. Something that I’ve been talking about doing since long before I was even in college. My mother is a French professor, so growing up I was always being reminded of the importance of experiencing other cultures. Especially French culture.
I’ve visited France before, but always with her. This will be the first time I’ll be abroad on my own terms- choosing where I want to go, what I want to do and navigating the all the excitement (and difficulties) that come with being in another country by myself.
A little nerve-racking? Absolutely. Luckily, I do have experience on my side. Growing up in a tiny town in northern Arizona called Flagstaff made me antsy. It gave that itch to get out, to travel, to see the world.
So any chance I could get, I did.
I moved hours away from home to attend the University of Arizona. I’ve gone to cities from coast to coast, visited other countries and even recently moved to Boston, where I knew no-one, for a semester long internship.
But… they speak English in Boston. I lived on my own. And it’s America. This time it’s another country, living in a native family’s house, eating their food, adopting their customs, and following their rules- a total immersion.
A challenge that I couldn’t be more excited to accept.
Of course, my mind has been flooded with new concerns with every day that passes leading up to that departure date. Did I fill everything out? What should I pack? Is my French good enough? What will the host family will be like? Will they be okay with my vegetarianism? Will I like their food? What sites should I see? Do I have time to travel? What will the other students be like? Will this really be a life changing experience for me? And of course… how am I going to pack all of these shoes??
I guess only time will tell what the answers to these questions will be… And I’ll be documenting them all right here…
Cheers to the anticipation and ciao for now.
Bisous,
Tatiana
"Joie de Vivre-
can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do… And joie de vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy of life. Robert's Dictionnaire says joie is sentiment exaltant ressenti par toute la conscience, that is, involves one's whole being."
It's finally happening.
Just a mere three weeks until I embark on my own journey towards la "joie de vivre." An adventure that I’ve been dreaming about partaking in since I was a young girl.
I will uproot from my comfortable American life, board a plane for a 24-hour flight, and land in a completely foreign country that will become my home for the following month... Come June I will be living in France for IAU’s Summer in Aix program.
Yes, Aix. As in Aix-en-Provence. A city nestled in the south of France, known for its art-inspiring beauty. For its array of the freshest, finest foods from world-class provincial markets. A wild night-life fueled by the abundant student population and, of course, its unrivaled good weather.
In other words, the ideal location to study abroad. Something that I’ve been talking about doing since long before I was even in college. My mother is a French professor, so growing up I was always being reminded of the importance of experiencing other cultures. Especially French culture.
I’ve visited France before, but always with her. This will be the first time I’ll be abroad on my own terms- choosing where I want to go, what I want to do and navigating the all the excitement (and difficulties) that come with being in another country by myself.
A little nerve-racking? Absolutely. Luckily, I do have experience on my side. Growing up in a tiny town in northern Arizona called Flagstaff made me antsy. It gave that itch to get out, to travel, to see the world.
So any chance I could get, I did.
I moved hours away from home to attend the University of Arizona. I’ve gone to cities from coast to coast, visited other countries and even recently moved to Boston, where I knew no-one, for a semester long internship.
But… they speak English in Boston. I lived on my own. And it’s America. This time it’s another country, living in a native family’s house, eating their food, adopting their customs, and following their rules- a total immersion.
A challenge that I couldn’t be more excited to accept.
Of course, my mind has been flooded with new concerns with every day that passes leading up to that departure date. Did I fill everything out? What should I pack? Is my French good enough? What will the host family will be like? Will they be okay with my vegetarianism? Will I like their food? What sites should I see? Do I have time to travel? What will the other students be like? Will this really be a life changing experience for me? And of course… how am I going to pack all of these shoes??
I guess only time will tell what the answers to these questions will be… And I’ll be documenting them all right here…
Cheers to the anticipation and ciao for now.
Bisous,
Tatiana