August 26

Yes, I'm alive! I didn't have a very great time in London and for that reason I'm going to say that I didn't like it very much. It was kind of weird though because London felt very familiar to me, almost as if I had lived there before or as if I wasn't even in Europe.

On Sunday I got to Paris...and thank the dear Lord that I liked it. I had a good time in Paris but it was still a little emotionally draining for me to be here in Europe alone. I've never traveled alone so it was definitely not easy.

I'm in Bordeaux now...it's a small and kind of tame city, but it has got to be one of the most beautiful places I have seen. My dorm sucks but all the other UC students are cool...I found a good group here.

Little Booboo Bear didn't get to travel with me on Saturday to the Eiffel Tower and he was very upset about that! My entire body was in pain from carrying around all that luggage and my left shoulder had swollen up and for a while I had a consistent shooting pain that made it impossible for me to carry even a light backpack with just Little Booboo Bear in it. But I woke up early on Sunday and took him to the Eiffel Tower and he loved it. We will be back to Paris in October to meet Ray and Virg...we can't wait!

Din Din

Before getting started, I wanted to thank everyone here at home before I left that came to my good-bye-see-you-next-year dinner party. Thanks Sylvie and Ashley for starting the night off right with finding WONU's long lost brother (if you don't know what that means that's just too bad)!!! Of course thanks to Val for preparing the authentic and appropriate French food and to Claudia for lending out a helpful hand even when asked not to do so. Many thanks to Don for his don (gift). I'm also glad that I could finally meet Chris...you and Don need to take care of Ray while I'm gone. Oh and Melanie you forgot your shades here! And last but not least, thank you Ray for setting this up... I'm going to miss you so damn much.

In five days I'll be off to London then Paris and eventually Bordeaux, where I'll live and study for four months. I hope everything goes well and that I get to update this blog frequently. I don't really know what to expect...so it should be interesting.

Be on the lookout for Little Booboo Bear...he's the traveling bear that's coming with me...and don't worry, he does have a passport (though I haven't gotten him his visa just yet)!