The End of the Road

Just a quick wrap up for everyone...

So I had a safe trip home. I hate airplane travel. If I had to rank my least favorite things in the world airplane travel would probably rank second under Global Warming. I still have slight panic attacks thinking of the next plane I will have to travel on, until I remember that I don't have any plane travel in my foreseeable future. Then I breathe easy.

Compiling all of my photos is a herculean task. I have finally finished and have made a bunch of kick ass slideshows. I will bring them to Louisiana this fall, and anyone else who wants to see them, send me a message and I will make a DVD for you.

During our last meeting together, the woman at our center warned us that the US would seem really different when we got back. As a friend mentioned, maybe I studied abroad "wrong" because I didn't feel much culture shock when I returned. Sure things were different, but I was in a different place. I was home.

Thinking back on all of my experiences, I can count myself lucky in that I really didn't have any bad experiences. No robbing, losing credit cards, passports, missing trains, etc. Maybe I am just an outstanding planner, or, more likely, I am just incredibly lucky. More often than not, I got treated great wherever I went. On a taxi ride home from eating out on one of our last nights in Paris a bunch of crazy 70s music came on the radio, including "Night Fever" and I started dancing like crazy in the back seat, and Allie and Andrea, being good sports, starting dancing too. The taxi driver must have thought we were crazy, but he turned up the volume all the way regardless, and told Allie she was a good dancer. That was one taxi ride he and we will never forget.

Most of the time this is the way all of my encounters went, people laughed good naturedly at me, but were very kind and helpful. There was really not that much anti-Americanism at all. Treat people with respect wherever you go and you will, more than likely, be returned the favor.

So, all in all, I encourage you to do it. Travel, interact, live life with courage. Don't listen to criticisms. More than likely, whatever you want to do, thousands of people have done it before you. Prepare, research, plan and then just do it! You'd be surprised what the world will give back to you when you act with zeal and enthusiasm.

And next time I plan another great adventure, you'll know where to look for the full account.

Love to all, thanks for staying with me,
Emily