bon chance

Good luck... for what reason? Well, my dears, I thought the translation was worth discussing. To look up luck in a English-French dictionary you'll find chance. Hm, we also have the word chance, meaning the absence of any cause of events that can be predicted, understood, or controlled.  And I've got to hand it to the French, I like that interpretation of luck a lot better. We get plenty of chances each day, some bring about the opportunity, or even better the ocasion, to change some aspect of our lives, and others simply redefine our life, but each choice we make is a chance. This chance dictates what happens next for the most part, and I'd like to think that the future is not solely based on some intangible stroke of luck, but by my own decisions. Every day brings more than opportunities, it brings occasions (English-French translation of opportunity) for us to take control of who we are and who we want to be. Think about it, take each chance, make a difference.

It is not by luck that I've been living abroad the past year, my university created an outstanding  program and I simply took the chance to experience it. It took preparation and hard work for sure, but it has also been one of the best decisions I've ever made. So very worth it. Ecuador and Chile marked the beginning of my personal metamorphosis, a continuous change of growth that has continued into my far to short months in Strasbourg, France. Along the way I've left some of myself in each country I've lived and visited with the people that I've become close to, and I've taken away the everlasting memories of the love and generosity of their  priceless relationships. 

My French host-mom has been one of those people that have touched my life in more ways than I think she will ever understand. She is making a last-minute trip with her niece and won't return before I leave Strasbourg for good, we only have 4 more days. I'm ridiculously upset about it, as I would expect my sentimental self to be, but all is not lost. I am thankful for having had the chance to live with her and get to know her so well and I know that we will be able to keep close contact in the future if I stand by my word. And why wouldn't I, if for nothing else just to thank her for helping me get better... by making the most bland and simple food delicious because she knew that it would make all the difference to me, for instance. Haha, that is one of many reasons, of course, I simply thought you'd like to know an example ;). Now that my entire body is back in tip-top condition breakfast was quite the exciting occasion. I had two mini-waffles with PB and Jelly and a bowl of homemade unsweetened rice pudding with banana slices and yellow raisins. Everything was delectable with my daily cup of green tea and now I'm looking forward to the play I'm going to see later this afternoon with my modern French drama class. Do I consider myself lucky? Yes I do, but I also know that it results from my own well doing and that of others whom I'm ever so thankful to know. There they are, my weekend musings, now go along and please have yourself an absolutely wonderful Sunday :).