Tick-tock. Time doesn't stop.

I can't believe that it's already January 21st!!! Where did all the time go? When I think about flying home next week, I experience all kinds of mixed emotions. First is sadness. I've truly grown to love Paris and have become so accustomed to the lifestyle here. I love the convenience of taking the metro or walking everywhere. I love all the boulangeries. It's perfect to walk down the street, buy a fresh baguette and munch on it as you wander around. Oh, how I'll miss these boulangeries... I love the French buildings and how EVERYTHING in Paris is tiny. I love walking around on a beautiful day and feeling impressed by everything I see. Sometimes I forget where I am. Then I see the incandescent glow of the sun as it sets across the city and have a moment of beautiful silence. Yes, the city can be dirty and sometimes smell really bad but it's still so beautiful and charming. I really think I could spend the rest of my life here.
Then I begin to think about going home and seeing my friends, family, grandparents, two beautiful nephews- who have grown so much since I've been gone! - and I get excited! Between my Alaska and Paris adventures, I only had a week at home. So it feels like it has been ages since I've spent time with everyone. Being away has made me appreciate the little comforts of life. I'm looking forward to understanding what people are saying wherever I go, eating Mexican food, drinking horchata and being back to the American dollar. :-)
This experience has been amazing and has changed my life forever. These last four months have been a journey. I've met some amazing people along the way and can't imagine my life without them. I've learned so much about myself and have truly grown from being forced out of my comfort zone. I've had it pointed out to me that I'm a very impatient person by someone besides my mom. (Thanks Jason! haha) But I also feel that I've learned to embrace and love myself in a whole new way. I don't feel ready for this experience to end but are we ever really ready to let a good thing go? I guess it's all about closing one chapter and opening another. With only nine days left in this chapter, I'm doing everything I can to make sure it has the best ending possible.