I have no great words of wisdom for my readers, as many others who have studied abroad seem to have when it is time to close this particular chapter of their lives.
All I have is a shattering sentiment of emptiness, as if something very precious from me has been stolen.
The funny thing is, though, that nothing has been stolen from me. To the contrary, I have been given so very much. The ability to feel such loss is proof, in and of itself, that this past year, I have loved and lived as much as I am capable.
I guess that all I can say is that I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to study in France, to discover Europe for the year, to have met Antoine in the university residence kitchen my very first day in Rennes, and to have loving family and friends who will be there for me when it is all finally over and I have arrived in Denver.
I know in my heart that this is far from being one of my last voyages — I have come to find that I have itchy feet, and that I thrive on change and the foreign. While my last year at university will certainly not be the same as study abroad, I expect it to be the preparation I need to lead the life I desire: one in which I can constantly learn, challenge myself, discover, and be an active participant in this world while I still have time in it.
And so I finish the last few pages of this adventure with a rather short epilogue, of which the last three words are:
To be continued.
Dani
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| Antoine and I after scuba diving next to the îles Cerbicales in Corsica, June 7th. |
You are an amazing and capable intelligent woman. And yes, you have itchy feet and are a free spirit who loves meeting new people, having new experiences, living life with courage and exploring this wonderful Mother Earth. I agree with you last comment. You are an To Be Continued Woman who has her whole life to live on your own terms and with all your education and world experiences, you will create positive change. So happy that you had such a life changing experience but you are just at the starting line of your life and your loving family will always be cheering you on and waiting with open arms when you come home. There is a saying, "The world is your oyster". This is you my Dani. So keep spreading those wings, remember where you came from and with every place you go, leave it a little better than when you arrived.
ReplyDeleteYour dad and I could not be prouder or more impressed with your life choices. You have chosen wisely and will continue to do so because your passion for life and making this world a better place is just what we see you accomplishing.
Love and well done our daughter,
Mom and Dad