I came to France feeling I had life figured out. I knew what I wanted, where I was headed and how I was gonna get there. Now, it's a complete turn around. I feel like such a child, a baby in this life...I'm an old soul having a totally new experience.
If there's one thing I've learned it's that one may never totally have life figured out, maybe for a few moments but roads get blocked, new ones are built, some bridges are burned and some rebuilt...Life is a new experience everyday, this is nothing you don't know. But I have to remind myself of this fairly regularly.
I think sometimes the BEST decision is to be still and wait for God. I know I gave a friend that same advice once upon a time and now I give the same advice to myself. Be Still and wait.
It's rainy in Amiens today. All of the American students had to meet today with our host ISEP coordinator to discuss getting our notes despite the situation with the strikes and the University block. I think it should be all good.
Our biggest frustration is that we paid BEAUCOUP bucks to be here to be TAUGHT not to have an independent study experience. Many of us would very much like to be compensated for a portion of what we paid because technically the contract wasn't completely fulfilled.
I have learned so much here, about the culture, the language and most importantly, about myself.
I understand why we pay so much to get a good education in the States and that is because we actually get one. We are given every opportunity to succeed. Here it is much more difficult. French students are pretty much on their own for much of the time. They don't get the array of advisors that we (Americans) do. You can expect that an American university will have state-of-the-art learning materials, computer labs, learning labs, the works...Here, this is not the case.
Anyway. I'm thankful. I'm thankful for all that I have and thankful for this experience.
I'm going to rest for a bit and then study for a translation final that I have tomorrow.
Got some video coming your way so stay tuned...
Be Well,
R
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I hope you get some money back, the school part of your experience has sounded horrible. Problem is, would you not have come if you knew it was going to be like this?
ReplyDeleteI was wonderin if you really did know, would the journey be worth it anymore. One thing that I have discovered is that when Erika Badu said, "The man that knows something knows that he knows nothing at all" is the truth. The more I am introduced to the reality of things, I wonder with me knowing this with whom can I reveal these things who will understand, how many people are really seeking the truth. Ignorance is bliss for some, and reality is an illusion for others. I mean whose reality do we live in anyway?
ReplyDeleteRasmo, good question. and that's the kicker. Perhaps I would have chosen another University? Perhaps not. to say that is to say that I also would not have had the experiences here that I've had...and wouldn't change that. So???
ReplyDeleteNicnak, dang girl, you getting deep! Can't wait to have some of that deep convo with you!