Last week was kind of a weirdly busy week combined with an inordinate amount of laziness. Not a good combo. Needless to say, this blog kind of feel by the wayside as I was trying to figure out my housing situation for next quarter at DU.
Good news is, I think we have finally found a place. So I won't be homeless.
Bad news is, there was no post. But luckily, you really didn't miss much. I haven't left Aix since I returned from Paris and it looks like I won't be leaving again until I head to Nice with my family right before Christmas.
Anyway, onto the subject of this week's post.
It's Thanksgiving Eve and I have to wake up for class tomorrow...WAIT, WHAT? Yeah, it's a very weird feeling and I don't think I like it. The good news is, it's a one-time thing.
Seeing as it is that holiday that causes a lot of people to reflect on the things in their lives for which they are grateful, I thought I'd jump on that bandwagon this week and share my thanks with you. Sit tight. I am thankful for many, many things. Makes sense, though, right?
1. First and foremost, I want to thank you. Yes, you. If you're reading this, I want to let you know that you mean a lot to me.
Some of you have shared with me the joy my blog posts have brought to you and others have told my mom that you read my blog, so thought it is kind of incomplete, I have an idea as to who my audience is.
So why be thankful for you? It's simple. You have given me a reason to chronicle my adventures in Europe. But more importantly, by reading this, you have shown that you care about me and what I am doing.
What more could someone ask for? This blog has been a pretty important part of my life abroad and you all are a part of that. So, thank you for caring.
2. I am thankful for Christmas music. Yes, I realize Thanksgiving hasn't made it yet, but hey, I'm in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, so I think I have permission to listen to it this early.
But why am I thankful for it? Well, Christmas music is fun to listen to, no matter what. But beyond that, it has kept me company this past week (it's keeping me company right now) while I've been working on papers and perusing Facebook.
3. I can't talk about what I'm thankful for and fail to mention the city where I currently live. I am Aixtremely (get it?) thankful for this city, especially right now.
Aix is one of the most gorgeous cities I've ever seen during Christmastime and every time I venture downtown, be it for class or for a night on the town, I get to see the GORGEOUS Christmas lights on trees, buildings, strung across roads, and on the big fountain in the center of town. Yes, they have a very elaborate Christmas light display on a fountain. And we all LOVE it.
But more importantly, Aix has been a catalyst for my process of learning to see the world in a different way. As I've explained in previous posts, Aix is a gorgeous, older city. It is like nothing you'll find anywhere in the USA and I don't think my abroad experience would have been the same or as good as it has been if I had gone somewhere else.
So, for that, I am extremely thankful.
4. I would be remiss to not mention the people I have met since coming here.
I cannot begin to tell you how incredible my peers here are. They come from all over the world (not just my classmates) and have given me an entirely new perspective on what being "worldly" is all about.
I have friends from all over Europe and Canada. These are people that have transformed my study abroad experience into a truly international experience. I have been learning about Italian, French, Canadian, German, British, and Swedish cultures since getting here. And that's only scratching the surface as far as my truly international experience goes.
It's hard to believe that a white, upper middle class kid from an extremely conservative small town in the middle of Colorado has had such profound experiences and met such a diverse group of people.
5. I am so thankful for my French teacher and classmates from Junior and Senior years of high school. Madame Capp taught me more about the French language and culture in those two years than my French professor at DU could.
To be completely honest, had it not been for Madame Capp, I know I would not be studying in France, much less be able to get myself around the country.
I cannot even imagine what living here without that foundation would have been like.
Those two years of French class are the reason why I've had such a successful semester. So Madame Capp, if you're reading this, thank you so much for everything you taught us in those classes.
6. I am so thankful and grateful for my host-mother, Camille Jore. She does not speak a word of English and that is by far, the greatest thing about our relationship. Because of that, I have been forced to take chances with the French language.
It has definitely been a bumpy ride with my very limited vocabulary, but because of the closing of the language gap, our relationship has become so great.
She has, in a way, become my French grandmother.
There are times when I wish she spoke English, and it gets very frustrating because of the fact that I'm not fluent, but I could not imagine my experience here being any better because of her.
7. I am so thankful for the University of Denver and its study abroad programs. Study abroad is one of the most appealing things about my school and they make it so easy to spend a semester abroad almost anywhere in the world.
Had I gone to any of the other schools I applied to, I don't think I would be in the south of France right now.
It says a lot about a university when roughly 75% of its undergraduate students study abroad at one point during their time there.
DU encourages all students to study abroad if they can fit it in their schedule and it is even a requirement in the business school (it can be avoided by taking an international business class on campus).
DU has been the best decision I've made in my life. It wasn't my first choice when I was applying, but I can't imagine going to school anywhere else.
8. While I'm on the topic of schools, I should also mention that I am so thankful for Lewis-Palmer District 38 in Monument, CO and its AMAZING teachers.
Throughout my 13 years in the district, I received the best education and the best educators the country could provide, in my opinion.
At the risk of being redundant, I know that I would not be where I am today, literally and figuratively, without that foundation.
The teachers aren't there just to teach a subject and then head home at 3 o'clock. These people invest their personal time in their students. They believe that education goes well-beyond just the classroom. These teachers aren't just teachers, they're mentors.
In my 3 years at Palmer Ridge High School, I didn't have a single teacher who didn't care deeply about me and my peers. Sure, there were some students that were more frustrating than others, but they cared about all of us equally. They wanted us to succeed not just in their classes, but in life. At every sporting event that I either attended or participated in, I always saw multiple teachers in the crowd. The same can be said for all concerts and performing arts shows.
So, Mr. and Mrs. Eversole, Mrs. Raphael, Mrs. Troy, Ms. Howard (I know you're reading this from heaven), Mrs. Mann, Mr. Dall, Mr. Gabel, Mr. Ewig, Madame Capp, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Gutowski and every other teacher I have had since kindergarten, THANK YOU. You have no idea (OK, well you probably have some kind of idea) how much all of your mentor-ship means to me and my fellow PRHS graduates.
9. Last, and certainly not least, I am extremely grateful and forever indebted to my family. Mom, Dad, and Julia, you guys are the greatest people in the entire world. You are my rock and the most supportive people in my life.
The last 20 years and 11ish months have been full of ups and downs, successes and failures, fights and celebrations, but the bottom line is, I can't imagine a better group of people to grow up with.
As I get older and realize that I'm becoming more independent and our relationship transforms as necessary, I've been able to reflect on my childhood and my entry into adulthood. The more reflecting I do, the clearer it becomes that you have done an amazing job raising me into the man I am becoming.
I know it hasn't been perfect and it definitely has not been fun 100% of the time, but you guys (well, we) have never tried to be the perfect family, and I think that is what makes us so perfect.
The couple of months leading up to my departure from the states to come here were extremely turbulent and stressful for all of us. I was going through a lot and through it all, you three were there for me at every step of the way.
Sure, you can say that's what family is for, but it goes beyond that. You three are not just my family, but you're my three best friends.
You can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends. I would pick you guys every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
To say that I would not be where I am today without you and your guidance would be the understatement of the year. Simply put, I am here BECAUSE of you and your guidance.
Dad, think back to when we were looking at potential study abroad locations. At first, I was entertaining the idea of going to Sweden, the UK, Australia, or even Canada to study abroad.
Through your help and guidance, we stumbled upon this program in Aix with IAU. We talked about the pros and cons of all of the possible locations and we both decided that Aix was the best location for what I wanted to get out of my study abroad experience.
I miss you guys so much and I absolutely cannot wait until December 19th when you get here. It's right around the corner!
Well, there you have it. There's my list of things I'm thankful for in November of 2013. It is by no means a complete list, but these are the things that immediately came to mind while I was writing this post.
It is a strange feeling being out of the USA for this holiday and having classes this week. That's part of adapting to a new culture, though. I would not have it any other way.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Eat lots and lots of turkey, toss around the pigskin, watch some American football (yeah, I kind of have to call it that now), and enjoy your time with your family.
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