A bientot!

See you soon!

I have fallen in love with Paris despite myself. Or should I say, despite Paris. Despite its street schemes and bad smells and crowds and terrible expense, I found myself sad to come in this evening after a celebratory farewell dinner on Montmartre. Maybe it's just leaving France, and Paris happens to be where I am.

I was telling Zack earlier that even though America has all my loved ones and my preferred cultural bases, its cities and towns just can't compare with the beauty and simplicity of those in France. And that's all right, really, I'd hate it if the world was the same all over, and the U.S. has a whole lot to offer in the way of natural beauty and extremes.

I hadn't thought much of leaving France when all my friends in Angers were, because while they were soon leaving for home, I was only leaving for Scotland, which is about as close to France, time-wise, as North Carolina is to Georgia. I am not so unhappy to be finally leaving, but to be so far away. There aren't any trains from Raleigh to Nantes, I'm afraid, or cheap Ryanair Flights.

It's not a total loss, however, as I'm trading one beauty for another-- history and towns, easy transportation and lovely restaurants, for the hugs of friends and family, the comforts of the South and of hot summers. I also think that the travel bug has finally been cured from me. I would have never, ever, ever jamais believed myself, but I think that maybe travelling and seeing the world is not the be-all end-all of living or of my goals.

As wonderful as it's been to be in Europe, being an impermanent resident and full-time tourist is too transitory; I see all these wonderful places, and leave absolutely no impact. That's not much of a legacy, and frankly it's a bit un-Christian. If my new life with Zachary calls me to be tied to one place for a while, it'll be a blessing, and not a burden.

So, as I prepare to turn in for a final night in France, I bid you all adieu and I thank you for your support since January. I also ask for your prayers for my gentle return home tomorrow, patience for my family. I hope I've kept you amused on this website, and I hope that I've been able to share with you just a bit of a secret view of France and her people, as well as what it's like to be a stranger in a welcoming, if at times unusual, land.

Adieu!