Cold Night Thoughts

As you can see, I haven’t been as diligent with writing on my blog as of late. I guess I just haven’t been in the mood to write as much as I usually do.  I am not sure why exactly, but I feel like I need to write today in order to express myself.  First of all, I attached some photos of my class.  Not everyone is there, but mostly.  I have really grown to love the other students I spend my days learning french with. We are all from different countries, but we all have a really great relationship and we help each other. I will miss them!  (Most of them! haha) 

Nantes

My class 

Toomy having his first taste of rice krispie squares

Hil and Chloe 

It’s a cold Saturday night, the internet isn’t working at all for some reason which frustrates me, and I realized that I only have one week left here in Nantes.  I have been wrapped up tight in a wool blanket, the kind my mom used to put on my bed when I was young that I hated because it was scratchy, because it is the only thing besides a hot fire that will keep you warm in such a cold environment!  Now, I have opted for the hot fire and I am sitting in the living room on a cold tile floor leaned up against the fireplace.  Madame Garon is sitting next to me correcting her students work and there is a small decorated Christmas tree next to me. It’s funny, Nantes has put up Christmas lights, the stores are covered in Christmas decorations and yet the feeling of Christmas is not here with me.  I tried to listen to Christmas music, enjoy the lights, but nothing is working for me. It doesn’t feel like Christmas at all to me.  I am usually the type of person that is listening to Christmas music in September, anticipating the first snowfall and the taste of cinnamon.  This year…I am in France and the spirit of Christmas ceases to exist for me.  I hope that as the days leading up to Christmas grow closer I will start to feel the wonderful spirit of Christmas.  It is so easy to get caught up in giving gifts, making treats and decorating the house, but this year I have the wonderful opportunity to let go of all those things and just focus on the Savior and my relationship with him.  I will not be flying back to Canada until December 23, just in time to be reunited with my family and spend Christmas at home.  As my time here has started to come to a close, I am thinking more and more about what I have learned here, and what I can take home with me as a result of this experience.