There had been a lot of tears today, and I swear I never cried this much in my life.
Today's the last AFS weekend I had with my exchanger friends and french friends, we got our yearbooks and started writing messages to each other.
I was trying to hold back my tears, stay strong, but still I can't help but crying when one of my friend came and gave me a big hug. He's leaving tomorrow, not the same time with the other exchangers, so today is the last time I'll ever see him again. And when I left, I cried so hard and it's so difficult for me to say goodbye to the others. Today is the last time I see some of them, and it's so hard to say "au revoir" or "à bientôt".
In this big group of family, some of us never really knew each other, and some I've only met today. Living in different cities but in the same region, the only time we could spend together is during these AFS weekends. We didn't had much time to spend together, only with those who stayed in the same city. But now here we are, altogether, writing our thoughts to each other. Yes we will still meet again next week at Paris. But that will be really a goodbye. God knows when will we meet again. It's not gonna be that easy anymore.
Even though I've knew all along that this day will come, I'm still not prepared to leave. I've got used to this city, every path and every road, every turns and every corner, I don't even knew my own town that well. This is my home, the one that's irreplaceable, the one that will always stay in my heart wherever I go.
The memories I had here, whether good or bad, happy or sad can't be replaced too. There are hard times, but there are good times too. I was here at January, excited and scared at the same time, to embrace the new life I will have for the next few months. And now here I am, at the end of June, not ready to go back, but I still have to because that's the way it's supposed to be, to once again embrace the life I had before. But, never will I be the same again.
With my friends here, we've been through a lot together. No one will ever understood what we have been through together, how we overcame the struggles with our new life here, the great moments we had shared together in this foreign country. What if, we never came here? What if, we never met? These questions are so scary that I didn't even dare to imagine the answer. Thanks to my friends here, always staying by my side.
And to my host family, who is willing to welcome me, a complete stranger to their house. My host family is really different, they are willng to open their arms and welcome student from all around the world to stay with them. Even during my 5 months here, I've already stayed with few students from different part of the world. Here, I thank them for accepting me as a family member to their house, not just some student who's staying here for a few months. They are willing to correct my faults, ask me to do chores just like a family would. Sometimes, I do feel lonely here but still I'm grateful to be here as well. I love them so much, and I couldn't ask for more. They are like my own family, my family in France. I will never ever ever forget them, ever.
My life here in France is coming to an end soon. I will leave my family and best friends and go back to my family and best friends. This is what being an exchange student is. I've grew up in the past few months, some part of me has changed, and some part of me will never leave here. Time passes by so quickly and everything will fade eventually, but I will never forget this life I've had in a whole new world, a totally foreign country that I never knew before, people that I've never met before who are now friends I will miss so much when I got back, a family that I have bonded with... This is not goodbye, and someday, hopefully, we'll meet again.
