{Where to Start?}

My goal for the summer was to post more often-

to chronicle all the fun things that summer is all about... 

but of course I was busy doing all those fun things and not at my computer typing away! Well, now is the time to catch up while I have a bit of time before my next big adventure. 

Where to start? 

I suppose I should start at the beginning of the summer, but I feel that I should really start at this moment, actually, yesterday seems like a good place to start. 

Then I will work my way through to the start of summer, 

a bit out of order, but oh well. 

Stay tuned! 

...

Yesterday morning, literally at the crack of dawn, 

Mom and Dad {and Dash, too!} sent me off from SFO. 

I flew to Washington D.C. so I can visit our beloved Aunt Mary for a few days, 

then I am off to Lyon, France for the year. 

for. the. year.

I can't believe it! 

I have so many emotions about the whole thing rolling around in me that I don't know how to sort through them to really understand how I am feeling. 

I really don't like change, so of course I am a bit anxious about 

everything that comes with change: 

change of scenery, meeting new people, a new university, etc. 

I was also so sad to have to say goodbye to my family- the longest I have been away from home and my family was about 9 weeks! 

Having to say goodbye to André the night before, and to my parents at the airport as I rushed through security early yesterday morning was hard. 

But I did it. 

And of course I am so excited for the things/adventures/opportunities to come! 

I get to meet new people, see and learn new things, have new experiences!

Preparing for my Junior year abroad has been in the works for the last year: 

deciding where to go, 

applying {twice...Vito, the advisor, getting angry with me...

that's a whole other story! yikes!}, 

and then all the paper work- including applying for my 12-month visa. 

{I did have a great conversation with the Congolese guard of the French Consulate, he gave me a brief history lesson about Arabic and Swahili!} 

But really I have to admit that this whole thing really has been in the works for years: 

I grew up with stories of my mom's Junior year abroad in France and Germany and I always felt that it was a mandatory step for my personal education and growth, my dad grew up living in Paris and going to school in Switzerland and ever since living in Paris for a year of high school, I have been anxious to move back to France.

So in a way I have been expecting this for a while now, 

but it seems crazy that the day has now come 

and  here I am on the eve of my next great adventure: 

living in Lyon!

Thought I would share my collection of passport photos...haha.

Now, I hope that I can squeeze in posts about what I have been up to this summer before I head off to France!