As I was saying, packing was intense. I started at 12:30 am and went to bed at 4 am. Woke up at 8am to finish packing and I was out of my home stay apartment by 12:45pm to catch my train at 1:30. I went a little kookoo on Linda and Joann because I was stressing that I wasn't gonna make it on time and miss my train. Hehe thanks for bearing with me! I said my quick goodbye to Madame Marie Antoinette and off to Lyon I was.
Even though I had my many crabby moments about this lady, I realized it's not her spite-ing (is what a word??) me but it's just the French culture. Hahah. Yes, they are quite dirty...sad face. But, all in all, it was a good learning experience. How am I to be a servant of God and to the world without learning how to live like a princess and a baby (even though I'm not..Angela!!). I've learned to be mission-minded and I try to stay humble with everything I do. Please please please let me carry these habits over to the states!! Please!!!
I really thought that when I finally got onto the train, I would just sit and explode into tears because of my tiredness and sadness and overwhelmedness...but I didn't. And I still haven't.
After two hours, I finally got to Lyon to be greeted by my aunt and uncle. My aunt took me to Olivia's school where she had her Christmas performance but we were late.
But biensur, she is still cute as a button. Her bffl right next to her.
It's so nice to be in Lyon. Hot shower. Check. Nice bed. Check. Good food. Check. Cute cousins. Check! Good family. Check check check. All I've been doing is relaxing and just watching movies with my cousin and talking to my auntie about life and it's just so freaking nice. I've realized that by the end of my Paris trip, I was just so tired of living and knowing that this is not my real home. I felt like I couldn't put my feet down all the way and I was just moving and hopping around everywhere. Even though I'm still not home, I feel so much more comfortable here. It's nice (for the third time in a row).
And now, I just sit here and I think. My body is sore from the craziness in moving my luggage. My hands are swollen from pulling my luggage up and down the million stairs in the metro. Yeah, I really have that much stuff. I'm still super, duper tired. Hence, four cankersores. I've been eating like mad crazy as my aunt has an unlimited supply of Granola, BN, ChocoSprits, Yogurt, Nutella, and you name it bud! And yes, I just sit here. I don't know if it's because I'm not home home yet that it hasn't hit me big time that I'm not in Paris anymore. I feel like I'm a little numb or something. Or maybe I'm not letting myself feel anything because then I won't know what to do with those feelings. It's so odd. Because really, I love Paris with all my heart and this has been the best experience of my lifetime (other than missions - though this was like a mission as well)...but yeah. It's so weird. I don't feel anything. I'm a numb zombie, maybe.
But I'm still happy and still trying to soak in every moment of me being on European soil.
I've learned that everything has its time and place. Even the bad things. They come...but they also go. Glory hallelujah for that. For example, sometimes people are just so mean and so disappointing and I just want to give up hope for all man kind. But seriously, people are also so inspiring. Seriously inspiring. And then, they give me hope to keep on keepin' on and inspire me to be like them. So even though I get shot down and put down...I will keep going!! Whoo!! But again, even good things come to an end. Such as this trip. But I'm excited for whatever else I'm gonna face back at home. I can't wait to see my family (+++++), friends, start school (pattern making holla!), worship with Kum Ran, bake, cook, stop shopping (maybe?), move into my new apartment, and just start everything fresh and new.
Before all of that is a Christmas lunch with my uncle's side of the family (legit French meal holla!!) and then it's Christmas in the French Alps (holla times ten!!) and then yes...it's HOME SWEET HOME!
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I really don't know how to sum my whole experience and my trip into one blog post. I think that's why I split up my last couple of days/memories into a few, jotting down whatever I felt. This last post doesn't do justice either. It's all over the place. I didn't even try knowing that I can't do it. I guess you and I are gonna have to grab (if I didn't proofread this, it would've said "crap". Told you I'm tired.) a cup of...BOBA (oh, how I miss it) and chitchat our lives away.
I am ending this nonsense............now.
Goodbye and have a nice day.
