Half Way

Hard to believe that I have already been in Lyon for over two months.  It is moving fast and Robyn will be here in about six weeks.  I have made progress on my projects and I have been able to travel to new places and meet new people.  But it also makes me think about the amount of work I still need to achieve in the remaining two months.

The experience is one I will never forget.  I have never been this alone for this long in my life.  Here I am responsible for everything, and at the same time, responsible to no one.  My time is my own.  But then my own company has proved to be boring and I long to have someone to talk with, to argue with, and to explore with.

I have discovered that I do not like being all alone all the time.  I need my partner with me to share in my adventures.  I don't mind being alone, together.   If it wasn't for Skype, I would have been lost, alone, and lonely.

I have been able to visit three countries - France, Germany, and Belgium, or four if you count the time spent waiting at Heathrow Airport in London.  Robyn will join me in about 40 more days and we will get to visit one more country during our vacation in Italy.

I have discovered that I will not pick up a new language unless I can completely immerse myself in speaking only that language. I have also discovered the image other countries and cultures have of the US and how our culture is grossly misrepresented by its portrayal in TV and movies.  I have also found a new hobby in sketching that only requires time, dedication, and a scene to draw.

My goals for the rest of my time here are to concentrate on finishing the projects I have started thus far, focusing my free time on these projects, and enjoying myself on a real holiday with Robyn in Rome, Florence and Paris.  I am still planning on graduating at the end of the year, which will require a dedicated and herculean effort to write papers and a dissertation by October.