All of Europe in a less than a year?

Le 21 décembre 2004.
Why would anyone want to rush through something as great as Europe? That’s the question that’s been running through my head today- as emotional and stressed a day as it’s been. It’s also a question I’ve had to ask myself. After speaking with Kim, her astute and valuable advice as always calming, I realized that I’ve been wanting to do exactly that. Certain things in my life I could have lived without this year, for instance my computer or my camera, but I find that they were both important investments that are as equally useful this year. If I didn’t have these things I know that I might have been able to travel more, but we all live with our decisions. It’s just that this holiday season, my decision has been to try and save money, so in the long term I can visit Prague, which is where I really want to go. The main idea being that I will be able to return to Europe from time to time throughout my life to visit new places, including some day, Sevilla, Madrid, and Lisbon. So decidedly less panicky, more emotionally exhausted, yet enough contented, my day has ended for the best. Someday I’ll see all of Europe, this year I’ll just see what I can.


Le 22 décembre 2004.
So for an explanation, I decided against going to Madrid and Lisbon, about at the last minute. Living on such a mizerly salary as I currently do, it's difficult enough to make all the ends meet at the end of the month as is. Also thanks to some wonderful clear-headedness of Kim, in St. Julien, I realised that there are other places in Europe more important to me than Madrid and Lisbon, and also that I have the rest of my life to keep coming back. I realise that the chances of making it to those locations become slimmer by the fact that I'll probably not be living in Europe, but at least knowing I want to see them eventually is enough to keep me determined to come back someday. I might not even make it to Glasgow for New Year's but I'm living with that one also... again, some day. Right now, I'm just going to stay geared up for Prague in the spring and maybe Toulouse or Cologne before that. Hopefully though, St. Julien and Geneva for sure before April.

I'm also remembering that for me, Christmas is just another day in the long run. I always enjoy it but truly it's only more special by being together with my family, so in the end it doesn't feel any different from any other day. But I have to say it will still be nice to be with Kim and Thanh Ly's family this upcoming 25th.

My dad and I talked again today. It's so nice to just chat with my parents when I get the chance. He told me that we might try and go to Dallas/Ft. Worth to visit my brother after we all leave France in May. I hope we do get to, because I would love to see Dallas again. He also told me that he and mom both think that this year working in France is very good for me. It's always nice to hear things like that and especially to know that they wouldn't say it if they didn't mean it. I think it's been a really good decision too, though difficult to live with at various moments.

In ending, can I just add how much I love French health care. Even if the system is becoming a victim of itself, it's great for the moment, especiall for me! I had to go in and see a doctor the other afternoon, and after I paid and left, I realised that for the same thing in the US I would have paid at least $100 or more, and instead, I paid 35 euros and went on my merry way. I've also received my provisionary sécurite sociale number, thanks to M. Zakey, so now I can send in the bill and try to be reimburse on top of it all!

Tonight will be nice, as I'm meeting another aunt and uncle of Kim's and Thanh Ly's for coffee. It's always nice to have a pleasant setting in which to practice my french! And I might go, if I have time, to see Coupe de Foutre à Bollywood- I forget what the english title would be- but it's done by the director of Bend It Like Beckham and is an Indian/British version of Pride and Prejudice!

So hope all is well with everyone, and you're getting ready for a nice holiday or a nice break depending on your life views! Either way, by the way, it's snowing in Metz! Our second snow in my book, as it's the first one that's happened during the day and I got to see it! A White Christmas after all!