Home Stretch

Welp, I'm leaving in an hour. My bags are packed, my suitcase is a beast, and my apartment is weirdly clean and empty--although even with a made bed, I still feel like it's mine. Right now, in some weird circularity, what began with oddly cold weather and light snow is ending with oddly cold weather and light rain. And I even got myself a pain au chocolat, just like that first day! Although it's not like getting pain au chocolat is out of the ordinary for me...I'm just getting nostalgic. I'm thinking about the next group of students to live here. Even though everyone else seemed to hate Auberge Cardinale, I absolutely loved it. It's the best apartment: cozy, traditional, with lots of character. It's also my first apartment ever, and I will definitely remember that. I want to write a note asking the next group to be kind to our Auberge, because it may not be swanky, but to me it became home.

Ugh ugh ugh I don't want to leave Aix!

Last night we had a little apéro chez Mme. Gigi (i.e. Professor Scott), where everyone brought drinks and food and gathered together one last time. It was fun, and kind of sad, especially because the group didn't begin to bond until just recently. In between glasses of wine and plates of food, I managed to get in my last goodbyes to everyone--even to Eliza and her little sister, who came before going off to a concert in Marseille. I also talked to Mme. Gigi, who said that I was "one of two people to think creatively," but that I couldn't express myself because of my atrocious grammar. Um...thanks? But seriously, it really meant a lot coming from her: she was totally one of the best professors I've ever had.

Oookay so it's about 10:30 right now and I want to call a cab (no way am I going to drag my ridiculous suitcase all the way to the bus) at 11:00, to be at the gare TGV for my 12:13 train. First stop Paris, and then tomorrow Copenhagen (oh god I'm going to Copenhagen tomorrow!), if the ash cloud doesn't get in my way. I don't want to go!


Question: how does one become an expatriate? I don't want to teach English, but I will if it means getting to live here. I don't want to leave!