fight the feeling

Besides the post title coming from a song (Ides of March, anyone?), it's actually something I'm going through right now. Not to sound too melodramatic, but I'd have to say the biggest challenge I've had to deal with is homesickness.

I'm coming off a great, great weekend in charming, Christmas-fied Aix-en-Provence with one of the most beautiful people in the world, my Momma. I couldn't have had more fun walking around the French city I call my home-away-from-home. Being with her for four happy days made me see Aix like I was seeing it for the first time: together, we'd sit in cafés and boulangeries, noticing all the small things that I typically overlook on my fast-paced walks back and forth between home and school. When the weather was pouty and the jet-lag kicked in, we'd retreat to our clean and cozy hotel room, where we slept in twin beds 'a côté de' each other and attempt to watch 30 Rock, Glee, and Parenthood on Megavideo and Itunes. We'd go out to restaurants I usually would overlook and discover why the two Georges–Castanza and Steinbrenner on Seinfeld– loved calzones so much. Seeing the joy reflecting in her eyes as she discovered Aix gave me inspiration and more joy than I could adequately put into words.

Now that she's safe and sound back at home, probably tucked in getting ready to watch "Parenthood" tonight, I have to get back to the real world of final papers, interviews, and the like. It was a dream to get to show off my beloved Aix-en-Provence this weekend, but now I'm trying to snap myself out of the homesick feeling that started to rise about 24 hours ago as I went to bed before my mom left before the sunrise this morning. It's tough knowing that my family's going to have their first Thanksgiving celebration, "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" and all, just like normal while I'm away.

I'm so fortunate to have had the opportunity to grow and explore abroad. I've learned so many things here, love so many things here, and will miss them, too, but nonetheless, I can't wait to go home. I'm living in the moment for now (which is very French, in case you didn't know!), but my American spirit can't help but imagine the joyous scene O'Hare will be in 4 short weeks–who knew I'd ever be excited to go to ORD?!

Happy Thanksgiving friends, make sure to put extra gravy on your rice potatoes for me:)

xoxo, c