9 Posts in 9 Days - Post #2. Kind of.

Well, I would forget about my promise to write 9 posts in 9 days in honor of the 9 months I have been here and the 9 days I have left (blah blah blah), on the very first day of those 9 days, wouldn't I? Woops.

Luckily, I am the Queen of this blog (bwahahaaa) and if I say I wrote a blog post yesterday, I wrote a blog post yesterday, dammit! So, that said, on to Blost Post #2.... =D

Anyone who has lived outside of their native country for an extended period of time, cannot deny a certain "mental list," that buzzes around the back (and sometimes smack dab in the front) of our mind throughout a prolonged foreign adventure. Subconsciously, this list begins to unfold the moment we step off the plane (or train or boat..depending on Iceland's mood), and remains in the subconscious until we hit our first bout of homesickness (usually about 2-3 months in). At this point, the list comes rushing forward like an eager child. "Go away!" I told mine back in November. "You're too early!" Unfortunately, it's not that easy. The list manages to creep back up on ya every few months, anyhow. Now that I am only a week away from going home, I'm allowing myself to embrace this list, and I thought I'd go ahead and share it with you, as well. I don't know about other peoples' lists, but my guy managed to present himself in two different categories: Things I Will Miss About France and Things I Will Most Certainly, Positively NOT Miss About France.

We might as well finish on a positive note, so I'll begin with...

20 Things I Will Most Certainly, Positively NOT Miss About France

1. The lack of Mexican food.
2. A trip to the French ATM meaning something much, much worse for your American bank account.
3. Needing to bring my wallet into the toilet.
4. The phrase: "Zu aar so bootiful. I love zu." Sure, doesn't sound so bad, until you realize the only people uttering the words are toothless construction workers.
5. Going for a morning run meaning lots of honking, lots of gawking, and lots of #4.
6. Playing hop scotch on the streets in order to avoid a doggy surprise.
7. The feeble attempts at gyms. Free weights? What are those? Who could possibly want to lift weights at a gym?
8. The danger of walking with heels on cobblestone streets.
9. The replacement of the "wait three days" rule with the "wait three hours" rule, and if she doesn't answer, try. Try again.
10. The unspoken time guideline, in which "on time" actually means 15 minutes late. Although, I do admit this can be helpful on 8 am Grammar mornings.
11. 1% milk (if you can find it) = 2% milk; 2% milk = almost whole milk; and whole milk = practically cheese.
12. The common "nothing is good enough" attitude among the French.
13. French bureaucracies.
14. The fact that it is just NOT possible to make it through a work day without a two-hour lunch break.
15. The infamous "grèves" (strikes) that seem to occur (probably on purpose) at the most inconvenient of times.
16. The non-existence of Nyquil, Dayquil, normal Chapstick, and peanut butter at a normal price.
17. 2 euro shots of vodka which I am still convinced are simply the juice from a melted Otter Pop.
18. My French landlady.
19. The only country in the EU who completely screws over RailPass holders.
20. The prospect of having a bus going TO somewhere, but not a bus coming BACK, being completely and utterly normal. "Bah..oui! C'est comme ca!" ...fabulous.

AND...

20 Things I Will Miss About France

1. The attitude of "flâner" - just stop, enjoy your cafe, and smell the lavender! Who cares about your engagements..they can wait.
2. 1,50 euro bottles of wine.
3. Fresh baguettes.
4. Just like a day without a 2-hour lunch break is absurd, so is going to school for longer than 3 weeks at a time.
5. Pain au chocolate
6. Little streets and colorful shutters.
7. The aroma of the morning markets.
8. The willingness of French people to help you out.
9. Not being ID'd.
10. The gorgeous French landscape.
11. How safe I feel here.
12. Hearing/speaking French everyday.
13. 20-minute "smoke/coffee/run to the store" breaks in the middle of class.
14. The general open-mindedness of the French. Not a lot is "taboo" around these areas.
15. My roommates and all the lasting friendships I have made here.
16. Babushka. Long story.
17. Late nights (or should I say mornings) at IPN.
18. Not driving!
19. The quality of life.
20. And all the wonderful people I have met and not met. I'm going to miss everyone from the staff at the corner store down the street, to the smiling man who sells paninis across from school, to the people I see most often walking through town, but have never actually spoken to. Without even realizing it, these strangers have become such a huge part of my daily life in Aix, that when I think of the overall portrait of what my life in Aix has been, they are what makes it what it is. They add the color, the vibrancy, the texture. It is the portrait they have created, that I will miss the most.

A demain (I swear this time!)

-T-