Au revoir. Not Adieu.

(For an explanation on the difference between au revoir and adieu, see Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The French version is better, but the English version will do. If you already know the difference, you should read it anyway.)

I’m back here. Back in the United States of America. I’m proud. I’m happy. But I’m sad too. I miss my friends. I miss France.

The return journey was as long as anticipated. After all was said and done, I arrived in Chicago 24 hours after leaving Angers. I’d say I slept about 2 of them.

Customs and security were nothing like the media hyped it up to be (long lines, angry tourists, and even angrier customs agents). The customs guy was really nice, made small talk, and stamped my passport. Only one of those happened in France. I’ll let you guess which.

My parents met me at O’Hare. It was great to see them. In America. It was great.

My luggage did not meet me at O’Hare. That was not so great. After some confusion over a certain flight from JKF to O’Hare that I booked back in January, I switched planes and my luggage didn’t. No matter. It met me about 40 minutes later when my original flight landed.

And so here I am, more than a week back in the U.S. and quietly reflecting on my time in Europe. It’s nostalgic really. And I’m not sure I like it.

That is not to say my feelings on the U.S. probably being the best place in the world have changed. Pas de tout. In fact, if my stay in Europe taught me anything (other than how to open a bottle of wine with and without a corkscrew), it’s that America is pretty great. Awesome even. But I miss some things. And some things I though I liked about the U.S., I’m not so sure anymore.

Things I miss about France:

~Bakeries – You read my last post (if you haven’t, Go to Jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200 (or is that Euros?) and/or read it now). America just doesn’t have boulangeries or patisseries or viennoiseries like France. It’s sad. It’s true. Let’s just move on.

~French – I miss speaking French. I miss hearing French on the streets, in stores, on TV, etc. It’s strange, almost uncomfortable, to here English everywhere. I did bring some French books home, but don’t tell anyone because I didn’t claim them at customs. Does that make me an international book embezzler?

~The pictures that litter this blog. (All from Angers)

Enough said.

Things I though I liked about the U.S. but now I’m not so sure:

~The small talk – Before France, I loved small talk. I loved the “How are you?” you ask the cashier at the checkout of Meijer (or even the police man before he gives you a ticket), the “How about that weather we’re having?,” and the, “What about those (insert sports team here)?” And I admit that I complained about the French being a cold people (absolute zero has nothing on the French). But the small talk and constant politesse seems too automatic and not genuine. And maybe it isn’t even that. Maybe it just annoys me now. It’s probably the latter.

~Starbucks – I loved a good Frappuccino (registered trademark of the Starbarks Corporation) or americano or latté or what have you. But now, I’m not sure I like the Starbucks atmosphere. It’s not at all like the cafés in France that I miss. And the coffee is no good. I’m still going to go there, but I’m not going to like it.

There’s a good list to get us started, but I don’t want to be a Dennis Downer (even though I often revel in that). There are some good things that I get to take away from this experience, too: great food, unforgettable travels, new friends, delicious food, over 2000 pictures, even more delicious food, and memories I’ll have forever.

Studying abroad was easily the best decision I’ve ever made. Thanks to everyone who made it possible: Dad and Mom, Notre Dame, and SUNDEF 44.

And thanks to you for reading my adventures. I hope that you enjoyed the ride as much as I did. If you feel so compelled, you could go ahead and send my blog to newspapers, book publishers, English teachers, food critics, etc. I wouldn’t mind being paid to do this the next time around.

This is the last post for Angers Management. You can keep checking back, but if you do that, it may be time to consider therapy (and/or online dating). Should you want more of my arid sarcasm and witty banter, I have a twitter. I’m not even a little bit ashamed of that. Or if you want to contact me, e-mail me at dennis.j.goebel@gmail.com.

It has been quite the four months. Quite the four months, indeed. And so I bid you and France, au revoir. Or perhaps, more familiarly, à plus (tard). But not adieu (seriously read Le Petit Prince).

~Dennis