Nerves..

Nerves are a funny thing.. they can make you feel sick but they can also give you an edge to perform better. It's almost like they're a necessary evil.. ok so they're not evil but sometimes they seem unbearable! Needless to say, I am leaving in just about three weeks and I'm feeling it. It is kinda ridiculous- I am moving to one of the most loved cities in the world and yet I am reminding myself why I should be excited! I am excited- truly and completely! I love traveling and I love exploring.. love meeting new people, experiencing new cultures.. this is pretty much a better set up than I would have dreamed :) but this is about that time where those darned nerves start to kick in.. Although I'm finding it helps to channel those nerves into butterflies of excitement by remembering God has a plan for my life in France! He already has placed me in a wonderful host home in an amazing neighborhood (I am living less than 2 miles from the eiffel tower!) and I can't wait to experience all that He has in store for me! This year will truly be life changing. 

OLYMPICS!

Tonight was the opening ceremony for the olympics in Beijing- pretty amazing. First of all,  China spent a crazy amount of money on it- 100 million was a low estimate I heard! There were over 15,000 performers with 91,000 spectators present. Incredibly each performance carried a personal, political and cultural meaning. But it wasn't just amazing because of how Beijing did it in particular- but simply because it is the Olympics. There is something about it that is just so inspiring! The Olympics represent so many ideals we strive for- not as just Americans, or as any nationality- but as humans. Its a model of dedication, hard work, team work and hope. I cant help but be enthralled in the olympics every time they come around.. watching others see their dreams realized- or crushed- makes me want to work even harder to achieve mine. 

*Also, I cant wait to watch the triathlon! My sister and I recently decided that we want to complete one! She is going to start training for next summer but I most likely wont start training until I return from Paris. Although I have heard of some pretty cool running groups I could join while in the city of light :) We'll see what happens. 

Wow. We've got a first-timer.

Wow. My first post.. my first blog. Kind of exciting and kind of awkward- just like a lot of other firsts :) How appropriate, I thought, for my first blog to be about so many firsts in my life. I am moving to Paris in exactly four weeks from tomorrow. Crazy, I know, right? Right now I still feel like its just a dream- or a joke. Either way it doesn't seem real! I decided to blog mostly for staying in touch with family and friends and to give myself an outlet in what will be the most frustrating and exhilarating time of my life so far- but also for the random lovers of Paris out there that find me. I know this past year preparing for my study abroad I checked out countless sites that came up when I googled things relating to paris - I would be delighted to know that my blog helped someone else get excited about their adventures yet to come, as so many did for me. 

And the journey begins..