Last night in BDX.

My trip to Bordeaux wasn't a choice for me. It was something I absolutely knew that I had to do, and without thinking about the end result I found myself going through all of the motions. Honestly, before I came here I was burnt out. In the past few years I've experienced a lot of tragedy but I never, ever stopped working/studying. Toward the end I felt like I was running on empty, like if I didn't saturate myself in the joys of life I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything more. I had reached my limit. It was a bizarre sensation, but it got me here. Before I arrived, I looked at my new little city on google maps & got teary eyed. I was in absolute amazement when I first arrived here -- despite the fact that I was completely alone and lost with all of my belongings at night, I wanted to stop at stare at all the buildings and allow my heart to just explode.

Coming to this city gave me exactly 100% what I needed, and I'm leaving motivated and ready to improve myself in every way possible and knowing that anything that I truly wish to do - I CAN. I'm also really motivated to eat Mexican food again. I've traveled a bit here but I know that of all the cities I've been to, Bordeaux is actually my favorite. It's the perfect amount of lively, the perfect amount of busy and it's less touristy than Paris so it's more authentic culture.

Two nights ago I ate fancy chocolate and drank "champagne" (really cheap bubbly stuff) with some girlfriends on Place de La Bourse. Because it's warmer now, groups of friends are always spread out around the river having picnics, drinking beer and just enjoying la ville parfaite. Because it was the end of the Fete Le Fleuve, all of the locals were spread around both sides of the river and over La Pont de Pierre.

 

I really don't want to say that I went out with a bang, but I have to.

And I also have to say that reaching your dreams is so, so much easier than it seems. No matter where you go, you will make friends. You will figure out how to order your meals. You will find all of the opportunities that you open yourself to. You will figure out how to flush weird foreign toilets. You will learn how capable you are of making your life exactly what you want it to be. Ready, set, go.

Now to spend my last 10 days tranquille in La Campagne, stuffing myself full of as much cheese & wine before my departure!