October Homesickness

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My Favorite Month with a Different Feel

I've always liked the month of October. I like taking my dog on a walk and seeing how the haunted house is progressing. I like seeing people gradually put up their decorations. I like how the weather starts to get colder. And even though I hate the mess that all the leaves make when they are crunched, I love all the of colors of the fallen leaves. I like school because students start to get in the right rhythm, no longer clueless of the new class rules, but not yet burnt out. And then there is Halloween, which is always spent with my family. I think this is the second Halloween that I have missed in my whole life. So this last month, I got a little homesick.

Halloween in France just isn't the same. Or at least in Paris it isn't. A few shops put a pumpkin in the window the day before. The kids didn't dress up that much. In fact I made their costumes out of paper. Trick or Treating was a bust. At least the leaves have fallen. And since I didn't get my mom's chili and hot dogs, I settled with some sausages for my Halloween meal. Yea, traditions are a little different here. So I got homesick. Not homesick enough for me to be sad, but this is the most that I have missed my family and friends so far.

But October in Paris has been nice. Its colder now, and rain is a regular thing. The leaves have fallen from the trees and are scattered on the ground, or sometimes attack you when you come out of the metro with a heavy gust of wind. They are already putting up Christmas lights. I am more confident in Paris. I know which stores I like. I have a general sense of direction and time to get to places. And I have friends. I have figured out a rhythm with work and french classes, but I still feel like I'm always falling behind on life because I'm too busy seeing things or working. And I have definitely gotten in touch with French stereotype of complaining. If you haven't noticed October's posts, I have complained a lot. Maybe I got more homesick than I realized. Hmm... Oh well, after a week spent in Portugal and Spain, I have a fresh mindset and excited for the changing seasons.