100 Jours – Am I Going Home or Leaving Home?

With the time passing so fast, I was stunned when I received the email from North Penn asking about my return date; I couldn’t help but to think, “What? Already? Why are we worrying about this now?”

However, whether I wanted to or not, preparations for next year took place, and I had to do all my course selections for senior year, book my return ticket, and figure out my plans for this summer.

Dreading the date, yet at the same time anxiously anticipating it, I’ll be on American soil once again in June, less than 100 days from now.

My host family is traveling to North Penn to see their oldest son receive his diploma. Wanting to travel with them, June was the only option, but because of confusion and difficulties with airlines, I’m actually arriving in Philadelphia two days before them.  It’s nice though because that gives me a good 48 hours with my family before I run off with friends and once again meet up with my host family.

In addition, instead of heading back off to France again right away, my host brother is staying with me for a few weeks this summer. So now the tables will be turned: we’ll be in America, living in my house, where the majority of people speak strictly English. I’m so excited. There’s so much I want to show him, for one, Costco. I’m pretty sure he’ll die when he sees the mass distribution of packaged food as every Saturday in France we go out and buy our fruits, vegetables, and meats fresh from the different vendors.

Plus I get to celebrate my real brother and my host brother’s birthdays since they are both Cancer the Crab.  We will have to do something very special.

I have to admit, I am really excited to be heading home. I didn’t realize how much I missed my family, and getting back to my somewhat original life will be good, however so much has changed, and nothing will be the same. The readjustment will be hard and there will always be a part of me longing for France.

As excited as I am, I’m distraught that I have less than 100 days left.  I feel like it’s all going by way too fast. But I have a lot to still look forward to in the next few months, so I’ll still be living it up, taking full advantage of my short time left here.

The weekends have been full of parties, lunches, and outings with friends.  This past weekend, I took a train to the Pyrénées with a few friends and we snowboarded.  Next weekend, I will attend a formal party hosted by parents of classmates at a nearby country club.  In France, they don’t have dances or proms at the school, instead formal parties (they are called rallies) are arranged by parents and usually include dinner and dancing.  I will tell you more about rallies next time after I get to experience one firsthand.

I never really liked spring in Pennsylvania, spring always seemed to be rainy, pale, and cold (although I heard it is quite mild at home). In Toulouse, it’s already getting warmer, feeling like spring, deep blue skies and absolutely gorgeous.  I am starting back with my rowing club now, as I took a few months off when the weather had turned cold and snowy.

And even though we’ve only been back in school for two weeks, in four weeks it is vacation again, where I will celebrate Easter with my host family and then re-visit Paris for a week.  (You really can’t be in France for a year and only go to Paris once.)

My first week back in school after the February break was rather easy, however the first day I took the Bac Blanc which is the mock exam for the Bac. The Bac is a test that the students in grade 11 and 12 take that is similar to the SATs but it is four hours of French and four hours of History and Geography. I have to admit, it was rather hard, and I really need to read directions as I did all three subjects for the French when we were supposed to choose only one to elaborate on.  And after taking the practice Bac, I have to admit, I am so happy I’m not taking the real Bac in June.

June… It is hard to believe that the sun is setting on my time here.