Au revoir Lyon.
A few days ago my mom and I left with a few huge suitcases for Paris and this leaving marked the end of my time in Lyon. I have written in many previous posts that I love Lyon or that I am going to feel torn apart by this strange ending (see: L'approche de la fin). However, this is a big life experience so I am going to milk it for all it's worth. No, but really, Lyon has made the hugest impression on my heart. I think writing about something—an experience, a sentiment, a loved one, even yourself—helps you to solidify that thing in your mind and better understand it. The words, when reread, are like a song that you can replay, causing you to refeel the experience that created them. Sometimes, this process results in a sort of hazy romanticization of a moment that is not always faithful to reality. The memory sounds surprisingly sweet when it was, in actuality, quite painful. Or vice versa. Thus, I have decided to compose a list of moments that stand-out to me and that embody Lyon. Hopefully, I will be able to throw some good and bad ones in there for you all. Nevertheless, Lyon is something that I don't mind romanticizing just a little bit.
Lyon List:
1. view from Fourvière or various parks around Croix-Rousse
2. views of the Rhone in the early morning before classes (even when it was freezing and before 8 am)
3. taking the T1 all the way to Bron with a million other students and people (some who were a little smelly)
4. eating pasta carbonara and clementines everyday for lunch in the cafeteria with Alexis and Jason and Sara and everyone else who saw me eat the same thing every day
5. Les Berges du Rhone-the college kid hotspot (when it was still warm)
6. a dozen Americans scream-singing Happy Birthday to me in front of a bar of confused French people
7. studying at favorite cafés (La Bicyclettrie or Le Boîte à Café)
8. CISL (how can we ever forget?)
9. dinner times with my host family
and so much more.
I have now been home in California for about a week and a half. I made this blog post when I was back in Paris with Mom. There are so many things I could add to my list, but I just wanted to post this last one to wrap up the study abroad bonanza. Merci mille fois, Lyon. Je reviendrai.
