PASSPORTiche: Leaving on a Jetplane...

Yes,  call me cliche Clara if you want, as I just quoted the song that everyone in the world quotes when they are leaving, well, on a jetplane. But, it's almost 1 am in Paris, France, I must be up in 4 hours and I cannot think of a more obscure, profound song to quote. So, there you have it, and here we are folks. I have completed my 6 mths in France as an English assistant, and I will be going home!!!! ....back to my home country, home town, home everything.

 (source: Yeoh Gh)

(Photo source)

 (photo: "Freedom Loading" by devgupta)

 (map: luvtut)

(photo: Doug Dubois)

Where I will switch back to the green:

 (source: "Cash Rules Everything Around Me" )

...and I am super pumped and ready to get back; but before all of that, it will be a good-ole-fashioned miracle if I can get all my baggage through without being overweight.

(Picture: Pac(k)man by David Schwen

(photo: Michael Johansson)

...fingers crossed! Will update y'all with more later...See ya on the flip side. Central time. Toodle-loo.

Memorial Day

 

4 days after the liberation of Paris

 

Gail Halverson, the first Rosinenbomber (candy bomber) during the Berlin Airlift.

Halvorsen started by giving a few treats to children watching the planes from outside the Tempelhof base. Wanting to give more, he promised to drop more candy from his plane the next day. Because the planes would arrive every 90 seconds, the children naturally couldn't distinguish his aircraft from the others. However, Halvorsen promised to wiggle the wings to identify himself, which led to his nickname "Onkel Wackelflügel" ("Uncle Wiggly Wings"). A wave of public support led to donations which enabled Halvorsen and his crew to drop 850 pounds of candy. By the end of the airlift, around 25 plane crews had dropped 23 tons of chocolate, chewing gum, and other candies over various places in Berlin.--from Wikipedia

"This Time Tomorrow," I will be "Homeward Bound"

This time tomorrow I will be at home in Nashville, Tennessee after 7 months of living abroad. I have been so busy I haven't had time to be sad, which is good. I am currently in a hotel near Charles de Gaulle airport, the night before the flight. I had an amazing last week with my students and colleagues in Sarrebourg and a great weekend in Strasbourg with my German friends.

I am nervous and scared about reverse-culture shock among many things, but mainly I am excited to go back to America and go home and see my family and friends and dogs.