Last night

I originally wanted to name this "Last Day." But that's wrong.

I mean, it's my last full day, but I still spend one more day in France after this—the next morning when I leave for my flight.

So, to avoid a fact error (minus 50), we'll just stick with night. Though, to clarify, I'm talking about the whole day.

So, how did I spend my last full day in France?

Well, classes were over, the weight's been lifted off my shoulders...

I hopped on the metro.

Really, I was still on the search for presents. My older brother wanted me to bring back hot sauce, and well, when I asked my host mom where I should go she was like, huh?

France is not known for spicy food.

At all.

But hey, I had one day left to find Richie some hot sauce, so what are ya gonna do?

Anyways, I just decided to hop on the metro and just randomly get off at a stop, any stop.

I just love riding it. I think that might be the first thing I'd do if I went back right now. I'd just hop on the metro and go anywhere, everywhere. I'd just keep going, and get off at whatever stop called to me. I'd explore, find another metro, and keep going again...

Oh man, sort of like that dude in "Before Sunrise."

Anyways, I found this store and

Oh yeah!

Very important update!

Remember how I mentioned to you guys I hadn't heard a certain stereotypical French exclamation?

Well I finally did!

I was at this store, buying Richie's hot sauce (which was not hot at all—shocker) when all of sudden I saw these two adorable little kids in the line to my left.

I think it was a sister and a brother maybe, but I just remember the little girl going "Oh là là" (maybe at something her brother did) and it made my day.

But that's how I spent my morning. Last minute shopping around France. Man, I could take the metro forever...

Anyways, that night was our end-of-the-program dinner. It was at La Bastide Odeon, if this now-ancient itinerary is correct.

Real talk: They like, don't eat chicken over there. Not that I mind at all, cuz I get enough of that over here anyways.

My last dinner in France was the first time I had it during my whole trip. Oh man, that restaurant was good too. Crème brûlée was on point.

And there was this little chocalate-cake like thing.

Omg delicieux, you guys.

Anyways, we all ignored the "Casual dress code" designation on the itinerary and decided to dress nice, cuz I mean, it's our last night in France, why not? Many pictures were taken and such.

Me, balancing wine on my head!

Just kidding. See? #cameramagic #hashtag

My face is cut off, but here's some of the crew!

All of the crew :)

Soon, we were all back at our respective homes/apartments. Some of us had a long flight ahead of us. I reached back to that now-familiar house in Malakoff to find my host mom's daughter talking with a friend she had over. Soon, I joined them and a couple of more friends arrived and the flurry of French conversations began and I tried to understand everything that was going on, but that was not happening. Oh man, it makes me laugh now.

And alas, back to circle theory. I'm sort of in love with it, and it seems to be in love with me too.

Somehow, my last night in France was much like my first. It ended with me, Alice and Kyril talking around a table while sipping wine. It's weird—that the simplest of moments you end up missing the most. Good conversation while sipping wine around a table is one of my petite plaisirs (just like how Amélie had her whole sticking her hand in sacks of grain thing).

Anyways, Alice and Kyril are the best, and they even helped me lug my suitcase down the stairs so I could weigh it and make sure it wasn't over.

That is, after we did a quick metric conversion. I knew the limit was 50 lbs, but uh, that's meaningless in Europe.

Then, they showed me the best way to get to the airport the next day. It would be a journey, but this time one involving public transportation. I had to take a taxi to get to Malakoff the first time, remember?

But anyways, all good things must come to an end, and soon it was the end of the last night.

So eventually, I go back up to my room and close my eyes for the last time in France.











P.S.

In the words of my old high school principal, "It's not over til it's over." Stay here folks, I still have a post or two left in me to finish the story.