My visa is on the way! With a few minor hiccups, the visa process is finally complete and was put in the mail to hopefully arrive tomorrow so I can begin the next part of this journey.
I have spent about a bajillion hours researching flights, looking at options, different airlines, times, dates, so much so that my head feels like it's about to explode.
The family wants me to arrive on a weekend because it is easier for them to come pick me up, it seems to be about a hundred dollars cheaper to fly in the middle of the week. I have to work until Thursday, they want me there Thursday, then when that won't work they want me there during this next weekend. I haven't even begun to pack. Can someone please tell me how you fit your entire life into ONE CHECKED BAG (THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH AMERICAN AIRLINES) Suffice it to say, I will be paying the extra charge to check more than one.
There is no way in god's green that I will be able to be there by this weekend. So, we have narrowed it down to driving to Chicago tuesday night and seeing family, flying out wednesday evening and arriving in Paris thursday morning OR driving to Chicago thursday night and seeing family, flying out friday and arriving in Paris saturday morning.
Now, since I have already landed at CDG (Charles de Gaulle Airport) and taken the train into Paris once, I would not be concerned about landing date or time; however, knowing myself and my inability to pack like a normal human being, I know that I will have LOTS of suitcases, and they will be heavy. I have about a million pairs of shoes and even more clothes and I haven't even begun to think about how to pack other things I may need like pictures, decorations and the commercial-sized steamer I bought in college (something I think my roommates used more than I did, but worth it, never the less. If you're ever at Bed Bath and Beyond with X amount of dollars to spend on something you probably don't actually need, I would suggest this steamer. I also say X because I don't want to admit what I paid even though I used a 20% off coupon.)
With all of this actual stuff to do, I have begun planning my going away party. (Avoidance is something that I am SUPER talented at) Obviously. I won a party at howl at the moon for me and 100 friends so this Friday should be really fun!
I will also take 2.5 seconds to discuss how legitimately terrified I am to be going on this adventure. I am having anxiety about every single aspect. What if the family is annoyed by my inability to pick a flight, what if I am not in the United States to vote for Phillip Phillips on American Idol and he loses by 1 vote, what if I get lost, what if my parents repaint my room a color that I hate, what if by moving to Paris I am ruining some other amazing opportunity that is in my near Indianapolis future, what if I forget how to speak English, what if I can't figure out how to get back into the airport off the train and no one is there to help me (OH WAIT ALLIE AND I DID THAT ALREADY) what if I hate it, what if I get the flu and I can't lay around and watch Say Yes to the Dress all day? These are my main concerns. Just kidding, half of those are serious and the other half are only mildly serious. But really. I have never lived out of the state of Indiana. Even when I did move out of my parents house, I moved into a house with 200 other people where someone cooked for me and when I moved out of that house I moved into a house with 7 other idiots and all we did was eat hot dogs for an entire year. (soooo skinny)
I know life is what you make it and that I will be okay. I am 23 years old and it is time for me to grow up a little bit. I found a quote on stumbleupon the other day that I loved and it is going to be my mantra for my time in Paris and maybe for the rest of my life.
"Today is the oldest you have ever been and the youngest you will ever be again."
xoxox
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