"We are what we believe we are." - C.S. Lewis
Sometimes when I walk through the streets of France I have this moment when I realize that this place is living history. Yah, the United States has historical parts to it- but let's be serious. When asked by a French friend what was the oldest thing we could go visit, our only answer was the Constitution... A document in a glass case doesn't really scream "cool piece of history" to most. Here though, all the building are old. The streets look untouched from days past, and I can almost hear "Le Vie en Rose" when I walk down the cobblestone sidewalks.
Maybe not, but it paints a nice picture!
After a weekend spent visiting Provence and exploring the Pope's palace, a roman aqueduct and a vineyard, I begin to a see a glimpse of why people never want to leave here. It's an amazing place, and getting to say I come home to a house on the French Riviera is even more mind blowing to me. This whole experience has been a complete dream- and it's not even halfway over! For that I am extremely grateful.
Since being in France I've started to discover who I am. That's cliche to say I suppose, seeing as people are always seeming to make these declarations of "I found myself in Europe!" or something similar. It's true, though. You're thrown into a culture you don't know, and with people you don't know and you begin to see the true "you" emerge. In the inspired words of Kelly Clarkson- what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. But we play an important part in shaping the outcome of experiences, I think. If I believe that I cannot do something, more often than not I will fail. But here in France, I choose to believe that I can. France has shown me the confidence to speak in a language I don't know. It's taught me the confidence to be open, and real with new people. It's taught me to get out of my shell more than before, and to be open to new experiences. I believed I could, and I succeeded (not a home run all the time, but hey, I stumble through).
I have come to believe that I am unique, I am capable, and I am more courageous than I thought. As I walk down the streets of Antibes, I am not only amazed at the history in those buildings and sights, but at the meaning it gives to me. Through the history of a place, I begin to shape my own history. In France, I believe I am all the things I've begun to discover about myself... C.S. Lewis is a smart man.
Seeing as I haven't gone to bed before 3 a.m. this whole weekend, I'm not sure if this made much sense. Things tend to get lost in translation... much like when I attempt to ask a question in French and just get a blank stare in return. Each day is a new adventure, that's for sure!
Bonne journée!
