First off, how do I write a blog? I’ve never done this before, aside from class projects but those don’t count, so I don’t really know what to write about. The prompts? Am I excited? Yes. Nervous? Definitely, I have next to no traveling experience. I have never been outside of the country except for a weekend or two in Vancouver, B.C. And since I grew up in Seattle, this just felt like staying in a northern and more polite version of Seattle. But now I’m going to France. What am I doing? I took Spanish in high school, shouldn’t I be going to Mexico or something? I guess not. I speak some French. I started about a year ago (pretty much on a whim) by taking an intensive French class at my university (the University of San Francisco) and loved it. Now, just about a year later, I’m tutoring for that same level of French. That said I still sometimes wonder why I’m not in Spanish.
There is some growing nervousness. Some of the thoughts that dance around my head include many stupid things like what happens if I get stuck in Iceland (my 4 hour layover)? Do they speak Icelandic there, or did I just make that up? When I land in Paris, how do I find my train to Aix? Will I freeze up and forget all of my French?
But I try to put these thoughts out of my head, as worst-case scenarios are exactly that, worst-case scenarios. They never happen… right?
Anyways, someone much smarter than me once said, “apprehension and excitement are opposite sides of the same emotion”. This reigns true regarding my nervousness about France. While there is a bit of apprehension, I am also extremely excited. I look forward to seeing how the culture of Southern France differs from our own. What is their pace of life like? What do they value? What can I learn from them? And what teachings can I bring back with me?
As someone who takes great pleasure in food and cooking, I’m very interested in seeing the famed French cuisine. Especially when it is mixed with Mediterranean ingredients (some of the best in the world), as it will be in Aix.
I am also eager to improve my French as well. Doing so will help me understand the French culture better as well as help me converse with a totally foreign culture. As a non-fluent French speaker, I will definitely be outside of my comfort zone. Which brings me to what I am most excited about, my chance to grow as a person. I expect my boundaries to be pushed in Aix. In fact I’m hoping to shatter my comfort zone. Only then will I be able to walk outside of it, expanding my personal horizons to hopefully become a more understanding and culturally aware individual.
There is some growing nervousness. Some of the thoughts that dance around my head include many stupid things like what happens if I get stuck in Iceland (my 4 hour layover)? Do they speak Icelandic there, or did I just make that up? When I land in Paris, how do I find my train to Aix? Will I freeze up and forget all of my French?
But I try to put these thoughts out of my head, as worst-case scenarios are exactly that, worst-case scenarios. They never happen… right?
Anyways, someone much smarter than me once said, “apprehension and excitement are opposite sides of the same emotion”. This reigns true regarding my nervousness about France. While there is a bit of apprehension, I am also extremely excited. I look forward to seeing how the culture of Southern France differs from our own. What is their pace of life like? What do they value? What can I learn from them? And what teachings can I bring back with me?
As someone who takes great pleasure in food and cooking, I’m very interested in seeing the famed French cuisine. Especially when it is mixed with Mediterranean ingredients (some of the best in the world), as it will be in Aix.
I am also eager to improve my French as well. Doing so will help me understand the French culture better as well as help me converse with a totally foreign culture. As a non-fluent French speaker, I will definitely be outside of my comfort zone. Which brings me to what I am most excited about, my chance to grow as a person. I expect my boundaries to be pushed in Aix. In fact I’m hoping to shatter my comfort zone. Only then will I be able to walk outside of it, expanding my personal horizons to hopefully become a more understanding and culturally aware individual.
My home in three weeks, (thanks google images).