seeing as I’ve done the whole living in France thing once before (& I’ve done a decent amount of travelling), I’ve been pretty good about the homesickness & culture shock aspects of being in a different country for a prolonged period. I mean, I’m online all the time. I send countless messages to people. I’m always checking facebook, skype, gmail…all methodes of communication. but, I think that’s fairly normal. & I think that i have a good outlook on most things. I don’t let the little things get to me (for the most part-PMS always brings out that side of my a little bit.). I haven’t had an “I hate France, I’m booking a flight home now” moment at all. I’ve been around people who’ve had them & actually stood up for France, which surprised me. It shouldn’t, seeing as I knew what I was getting into when I came over here & still decided to go & put up with the sometimes ridiculous bureaucracy. But I’ve learned to laugh it off & to think: “It could always be worse. It was my choice to come here. I could be back in Calgary with not much to show for my year off”.
Anyways, that being said, I’m not immune to homesick moments. They just seem to be short & more nostalgic than upsetting. I was sitting on tram (the wrong tram) yesterday on my way to Rachel’s, listening to my ipod, when a song came on that reminded me of Margaux. & all of a sudden I realized how much I’d been missing her. She’s one of those people who has always been a really good friend. & we’ve stayed close even when we’ve been at opposite ends of the country or in different countries. Our friendship is one of the few that really hasn’t seemed to waver through the years. & sometimes I forget to be grateful for that. 
It’s times like those that I know it’s time for an email or a skype date or a text.