T- 2 Weeks!

It is surreal that in 2 weeks I will be getting on a plane to London, and then France! I haven't started packing yet, and really have no idea how I am going to get everything I need for the next four and a half months into 1 suitcase and a carry-on. Anyone who knows me knows that packing lightly is not my strong-suit. This will be my first challenge to overcome as I begin a semester that I'm sure will have many challenges, good and bad.

This website seems pretty helpful for the packing department:
 http://www.wsaeurope.com/resources/packing/

Last night I received my roommate and housing information, so that definitely makes everything seem more real. My roommate is from Colorado and studies at Gettysburg College, so it is comforting to know that she is coming from an environment similar to Marietta. She doesn't speak any French, so hopefully that will force me to really communicate with our mom in French and get some legitimate language practice in.

The picture below is the general location of my homestay in Aix en Provence!

I also have my official class list, assuming nothing gets cancelled between now and the first day of classes:

ART 232- Survey History of Western Art: Renaissance to Present
FRE 202- Intermediate French
HIS 303- France and Europe in the Cold War
PSY 304- Human Development in Cultural Contexts
WS 303- European Wine Regions

As my final 2 weeks at home are winding down, my focus will be preparing myself with basic knowledge of French history, the history and culture of Aix en Provence, and current political issues. As an International Leadership Studies major I want to incorporate the theories and concepts I have learned in my leadership classes thus far to ease my transition.