Lists

I am, and have always been, obsessed with crossing things off of lists. I keep a ridiculously detailed planner for school and a wall calendar for other events at home. If I don't write it down, I write it down just so I can cross it off after I complete whatever task is at hand. It makes me feel that good.

The past two paychecks, I've crossed off depositing a rather large amount of money into my savings account for next fall. (So far it's still there!)

This past week, I've been able to cross off two tasks on my list of things to do before studying abroad: meet with the study abroad adviser, get a letter of recommendation. Upon meeting with the study abroad adviser, I picked up the course equivalency form that I will need in order to determine which classes I take in Caen will correspond with the classes offered here at Baylor. Today, I met with one of my favorite professors to ask him to write a letter of recommendation for me. He was more than happy to, and even more pleased that the deadline wasn't until April of 2010!

What can I say? I love getting things done (and crossing them off of my to-do list!).

Already Benefiting

Monday afternoon, I went up to Dr. Duran's office to be advised for the Spring 2010 semester (already?!). Being completely obsessed with my degree plan and making sure that I am able to fit in all of my requirements after having repeatedly changed my major, a wave of terror washed through my body when Dr. Duran had a worried look upon his face. He expressed that since I started French during my second semester at Baylor, I'm, for a lack of better words, "off." If I would've started French my first semester, I would have been able to start taking upper level classes this fall. Although I only have two Bachelor of Arts requirements remaining after I complete this semester, he claimed that he wasn't sure if enough upper level French classes would be offered each semester for me to be able to take 30 hours by the time I graduate in Spring 2011.

Oh no. No, no, no.

I immediately told him that I was planning on spending the Fall 2010 semester in Caen. Is there any way that would help?

A smile.

Okay, this is good.

He automatically seemed to be relieved. During my time in Caen, I will solely be taking French classes. With the two that I'll be in next semester, the five I'll be taking in Caen, and the three (or more) I'll be taking during my last semester at Baylor, I am in a great spot to graduate on time. What would I do without the lovely Université de Caen?

Vive la France?

Since becoming a student at Baylor University, I have repeatedly changed my major: psychology to nursing, nursing to psychology, psychology to psychology with a French minor, psychology with a French minor to... French.

At first, I felt a little anxious. I knew I absolutely loved the French language, but was I going to graduate feeling jipped as far as my education went? I spoke with multiple professors, my parents, and my friends, and now I am at the point in my education where I know for a fact that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Speak French. (The confirming factor was that I was supposed to enroll in Italian for four semesters, but all the sections were full so I was stuck taking French. Sign from God? I think so.) The awesome thing is that I can work with the French language in a ridiculous amount of settings: schools in America, schools in France, the Government, the Peace Corps, etc. The even more awesome thing is that I have recently come to the decision (with the help of my parents' input) to study abroad in Caen, France at l'Université de Caen Basse-Normandie for the fall semester of 2010.

I think back to over two years ago, when I was a new student at Baylor. There is no way that I saw this coming! Now, it's all that I can think about. Although there will be so much work that I'll have to put into this process in order to make it happen, it will be SO worth it when I return to Texas in December 2010, speaking French (hopefully) nearly fluently. In addition, I'll return home with an experience that I'll never forget. My parents were gracious enough to help me get over to England and Ireland during my junior year of high school (see posts London and Ireland). This time, things will be a bit different: instead of 8 days, I'll be gone 4 months; instead of going with 20 other students, I'll be going alone; instead of hearing English all of the time, I'll constantly be hearing French. I am so incredibly excited and nervous, and I know I wouldn't be able to make it through these next 10 or so months without the encouragement from my parents. The unconditional love and support that they constantly give me is the reason that children have parents. I am so incredibly blessed.

For more information about Caen, see the following links:
UdC's International Student Page (there's a little American Flag to click on that translates the website into English)
Map of UdC and the surrounding area (Caen is about 2hrs west of Paris)

So, here's to the start of an awesome new journey. Stay tuned.