240 hours. 14,400 minutes. 864,000 seconds. That's all the time that is left on my Paris adventure. I'm not sure if I'm ready for it to be over. How can 16 months have passed so quickly? Am I ready to come back home?

The answer is yes. I am ready to get back to my family and friends, to my house, to drive my car, and eat good old fashioned American food. And Mexican food. And sushi. There have been a lot of things that I've missed. But am I ready to give up everything here in Paris?

The answer is no. I love this city, its people, its food culture, its historic and beautiful buildings, its parks, its cafes. I could go on and on. There are places that you visit in your life where you feel comfortable and at home. Paris is one of those places for me.

I certainly don't feel like this is my last adventure in Paris. In fact I've already planned another trip for September to take more classes. When I spent this past New Year's Eve on a plane straddled between the two countries, I had a premonition that it was a metaphor for my life to come. Oregon will always be home, but my desire to taste, see and explore new places will keep me earning the frequent flier miles.

In the mean time, I'm trying to live in the now and enjoy each moment. Sitting on the metro listening to the accordion player. Sipping tea with milk in a local cafe. Glimpsing the Eiffel Tower every day. Reveling in the early morning light as Fabrice and I are in the state between dreams and being awake. Perusing the summer fruits at the market. All these things that perhaps I've taken for granted in the last month, I'm stopping to really enjoy. But the seconds are running like sand through my fingers no matter how hard I press them together.

14,380 minutes to go....

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