Sunday, April 29, 2012

Au revoir et bonjour!

Goodbye France, hello Canada!
Well, here it is. My last full day in this beautiful country. It is incredibly hard to believe that it was eight months ago that I was getting on a plane to come here... even more incredible to think about all that I have done this year!
This morning, I went to church here for the last time and it was a really good service. I talked to a man that I usually talk to, and he promised to keep in touch. He is in his mid-50s and moving to the USA at the end of May for a year, and hopefully more, he says. It was always nice to have someone who wanted to chat with you after church! He often talked with the Americans and I and was always interested in how we were finding France. The speaker today was also really good. He was 82 years-old, just a regular member of the congregation, and he just spoke about who he thinks Jesus is. The best part though was when he compared how joyful he was on liberation day after WWII was over and how we should be 100 times more joyful because of our liberation in Jesus. He spoke a bit about what it was like living during the occupation, and it was so amazing to listen to. We just don't have that kind of memory in Canada! Overall, it was a great final service.
And now, I wait! My host family is going to pick me up and take me to their house for the night, before bringing me to the airport tomorrow. I'm just not sure what time they will be back from wherever they are, so until then I will just wait and chill in my room. Pretty exciting!!
As much as I would love to stay in France, I think I am ready to go home. I mean, it definitely helps that now basically all my friends are gone. The incessant April showers that have been continuing for over a week also don't hurt! But really, I love France. I know I will be back, but I don't know when. Someday! It has been an amazing year, and I have learned so much. I am so thankful that I had this experience!
The nice thing about saying goodbye to one thing means that I get to say hello to many others. When I get back, I have a staff training weekend for my summer camp, a 15-day placement at my old public school, a bridal shower and wedding for my friend, a summer full of new adventures at camp, and then fourth year at Trent! So as sad as it is to leave France, I have so much to look forward to. I won't have time to miss it! Well, that's not true, I will miss it, but I will be so busy it won't really be too bad. Like I said earlier in a post, the people who made this year so amazing will be back in Canada with me, so that is going to make the transition easier I think. Plus, no matter where I am, what I see, or what I do, I always love coming home.
So I suppose I will write one more blog post when I am home to close off the year... but until then, have a great weekend and start to the week!

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