Sunday, November 23, 2008

Breaking News....

Going to London yesterday pretty much wiped me out - I slept until noon today. And unless it starts snowing - which it may, the weather forecast said it might - I don't plan on going out today. I'm just going to stay in and rest. I've actually had my heater on all day for the first time since I've been here. So I've just been blogging and starting to organize things for the return trip on Wednesday - you know, figuring out what to bring back, what to leave here, etc.

Oh, didn't I mention that after Thanksgiving I'm coming back to Paris for another 3 weeks? Oops! Must have slipped my mind ;-)

So about a week or so ago I was in French class and things were really starting to click. Meanwhile I was running around like crazy trying to see and do everything I want to see and do before my trip was over. And then a thought entered my mind... I began to wonder about the possibility of coming back for a few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So I asked Parisian Home (the apartment rental agency) if this apartment was available so that I could just extend my stay for another month and not have to move or anything, and they said yes. So.... after a lot of thought (and a few emergency calls to some of you for advice), I decided to do it.

After all, I'm already here. I'm already settled into the apartment. I really want to continue the French language instruction. I have the frequent flyer miles so the airfare is free, and I really want to be here now that the city is starting to deck itself out for Christmas.

In the end, it came down to the fact that I am lucky enough right now to be able to do this and may not ever have this chance again.

So I am coming back to Florida this Wednesday as planned and will be home for a week to check on my house, visit with people, stuff myself with yummy Thanksgiving fixins that you CAN'T get in Paris, put up my Christmas tree(s), indulge in some mindless television (remember, all I get here in English is CNBC, SkyNews and Aljazeera), set up my Mom's new computer (and get her on Skype), celebrate my birthday with my Mom and nieces and buy some much needed warmer clothes at the day-after-thanksgiving sales! Then, the following Tuesday, Dec 2nd, I will be returning to Paris.

I will be able to complete 2 more full weeks of intensive French classes at the Alliance Francaise. That will give me a total of 4 weeks (or 80 hours of intensive instruction), which will be really good since you really need to know French and English to work at UNESCO - you know, the place I hope to work someday ;-) And I also plan on doing a little more traveling around Europe during December while I am here since it is so easy - definitely Brussels, possibly Prague or another city that has a traditional Christmas Market.

And then I will be returning to Florida on Sunday, December 21st in time for Christmas.

What can I say.... I love Paris :-)

p.s. If anyone wants to come to Paris for a few days in December, I'm an excellent tour guide. And I have a cot! LOL

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