The beginning

Well, here it comes.

After years of dreaming about going France, it finally looks like there's a real chance it could happen.

A Francophile's Dream
I like France. A lot. And through some strange kindness/generosity of my mom, I'm going to be able to go study there. I'm going through Cultural Experiences Abroad and will be studying the French language in Aix-en-Provence. Aix-en-Provence, not to be confused with the billion other Aixes, can be found in Southern France near the Mediterranean. Nicknamed the "City of a Thousand Fountains," it holds a medium-sized population and a bustling student population.

I'll be attending Université Aix-Marseille III - Paul Cézanne, named for the Impressionist painter.

Tiny Steps
I may not be leaving until May, but the journey starts now. Endless paperwork awaits me.

Today, my mother and I found some handsome airfares from NYC to Marseille under $1k! Yay! Soon, I'll start the official application process...and then collect information for visas and roommate information and all that jazz. A tad overwhelming, but completely worth it.

Bold Plans
I'll be in Aix from late May to the end of June, and in Paris from early July to July 17. I plan on traveling to nearby places while I'm there. School will probably limit my travel to the immediate surrounding areas (I don't want to miss too many classes ;), but once I'm done studying, I'm a free bird! Hopefully, I'll get to see a lot of France, some Switzerland, Italy and maybe some Germany if I feel like it.

Hmmm. This should be interesting. The updates will be sparse since I'm in the beginning of the process. As more action comes, I'll blog more often. Check back for updates, and eventually, OODLES UPON OODLES of pictures and strange foreign stories.