Je vais aller en France... ce vendredi.

In case you don't speak French... that means I'm leaving for France this Friday. How do I feel? I don't even know where to begin. I'm extremely excited and terribly scared all at once. It's finally hit me that I will be away from everyone and everything I love. Not that it means I can't encounter new experiences to grow fond of. I am excited - very excited. But the fear of the unexpected is slowly getting to me.

I have 4 full days with my family until I leave - yes, 4 days. I'm planning to make the most out of them, and spend as much time as possible with them - with my mother, especially. My mom and I have gotten so close to each other this summer. I guess I just never fully realized what a wonderful woman she is. She tells me everything, and we do EVERYTHING together. I couldn't imagine having a better friend than her.

I'm going to miss waking up every morning and brewing her coffee and making pancakes for her; I'm going to miss her singing in the car, shouting at the top of her lungs the Spanish version of every classic rock song that plays on the radio. I'm gonna miss running errands around town with her - buying our fruits and veggies, going around the grocery stores and feeding off all the food samples we could find. I'm going to miss her wonderful cooking - her delicious black beans, her vegan adaptations of traditional Latin dishes, and her great appetite and passion for food. I'm going to miss those lazy summer afternoons, just simply sitting in our living room, eating caramelos and watching whatever movie was on Lifetime at that time. I'm going to miss her wonderful sense of humor, all her jokes, and her hearty laugh. Our weekend walks and outdoor trips, and all those random drives around Connecticut. Her many bits of advice, her many superstitions, and all her spiritual books which I so often make fun of. I'm going to miss her tucking me in every night, shaking my blanket over me like she used to do when I was little. I'll miss my insomniac buddy who'd be the only one keeping me company late at night and early in the morning, for she too couldn't sleep at all.

My sister, that wonderful little devil who sometimes just understands the little things my mom doesn't - Yes, we may not always get along, and we often have our differences. But I love my sister, and I know I will miss her dearly.

Oh, and my Othello. The cat that in so many ways is the feline version of myself. A mysterious personality, with both sweet and naughty sides. Oh, kitty.

This battery is about to die...