The Final Week in Lyon :(

This week was the last week in Lyon. It was really emotional and sad as people started to leave and we realised that it was so close to the end of the semester.

On Monday, I had another exam and then after that, there was a certificate ceremony for the IBP. We got certificates saying we were part of the program and they called us up with the other students from our universities to get our certificates. After they finished handing them out, there was a slide show of pictures from throughout the semester. They had asked us to send in pictures for it, so I went through my tagged pictures on Facebook and pulled out about 70 to send to the head of the program. I figured that she would either a) not use all of the pictures I sent or b) mix them up with pictures that other people submitted. But nope, all 70 of mine were in a row so it was hilarious and kind of embarrassing because it was 70 pictures in a row with me in them! After the ceremony, there was free food! Later on was the last night at Cosmo. And the night was also my 21st birthday celebration! (I turned 21 at midnight). Before going to Cosmo, I was talking to Ben and jokingly said I was going for 21 "slices" that night. Then he said that if I did, he would buy me a birthday cake, so that became my mission for the night! (Basically, I had to kiss 21 guys haha.) Unfortunately I don't think I came close to achieving that mission. At the bar, it was so crazy and some of the guys kept buying me birthday shots! Of course I danced on the table one last time and then as we were walking home, both Bobby and Juni carried me for a little while since I was the birthday girl :) It was a fun and crazy night and a good final Cosmo.

last Cosmo night with Bobby, Sandra, Kristina, Erin, and Antonio

with Virginia, Ciela, and Kirsten

with Ciela and Bobby

with Antonio and Kristina

having a fun last night at Cosmo!

getting carried home from Cosmo!

The next day, I had another exam and then I went to the Christmas market with Anna, Ben, and Kristina. I got some more of the German spätzle with bolognese sauce and it was delicious! Since my birthday celebration had been the night before, Tuesday was kind of a chill night and I just hung out in the dorm and studied for my last exam which was the next day.

My final exam went really well and it was a lot less difficult than I had expected! Then after the exam, I went to get lunch with Ben at a place that has really good and inexpensive food and I got pasta with curry chicken! After that, I went back to the school and just hung out with Virginia and Anna for a while while they studied so I wouldn't have to sit in my dorm and feel sad about it being the end of the semester. Then that night was the third and final Wine and Cheese night at Julie's. We had lots of different kinds of cheese with baguettes and crackers and wine. It was so much fun and so great to see everyone.

On Thursday, I had planned to start packing but it was too depressing, so I didn't. Later on, I met up with some people and we went for dinner in Vieux Lyon. We found a restaurant where everything was 30% off if you went before 7:30, so we got 3-course meals for 10€ each! For the starter, me and Virginia shared French onion soup and goat cheese salad, then I got a quenelle in lobster sauce, and a lemon cake. And then after that we all went to the final party of the semester. There was a farewell party for everyone in IBP that was free with an open bar. I had expected everyone to be really emotional, but instead we had a really good time! There was definitely something funky going on with the drinks they gave us, and me and Virginia were kind of convinced that they were drugged. So many people got sick on Thursday and then we all felt really weird on Friday. But whether or not we were actually drugged, it was a really fun night and a great way to see a lot of the people in the program for the last time. The group that I was with for most of the night were the last ones to leave at around 5AM. Toward the end of the party, Sandra said that me and Josh were both sleeping and that it was really cute haha. After the party, we walked back to Hotel de Ville to get the metro home, and during the walk I really bonded with Melanie who's one of the girls from the Philippines. We spent most of the walk imitating Amir's English accent and just saying the craziest things. It's a shame I didn't really get to know her until the last night. The night was so much fun (but it made me so sad afterward to think that I  will never see some of the people again) :(

at the IBP party

at the IBP party with Virginia

getting crazy on the walk to the metro station

metro-ing home after the IBP party

Today was really emotional because I had to say goodbye to so many people. The first to leave was Julie. I met up with her around noon because I had forgotten my sweater at her place on Wednesday and I wanted to get it back before she left to go to Barcelona. That was weird saying goodbye. Then I went back to Saint Bernard where a bunch of people were hanging out, and then we decided to go to McDonald's to get some food (I swear, once I'm back in the USA I don't think I will ever eat McDonald's again!) We were all starving and got huge meals. I got a Le Petit Wrap, cheeseburger, and fries haha. Then I went to another McDonald's to meet up with Virginia, Josh, Bobby, and Anna! (I didn't get anything at that one though.) Virginia and Anna were leaving to go to Berlin and Amsterdam for a few days and I once they get back to Lyon before going back to North America, I will already be in Germany visiting Vanessa. That was really sad because I was so close with both of them this semester and they really contributed to making my semester so awesome. Then the next goodbye was Bobby who left tonight to go to Paris. And then as I was getting back to Saint Bernard, I saw Ben as he was leaving to go to the airport, and that was another sad goodbye. Then I went back to the dorm to start packing and that was when it really hit me that I would be leaving the next morning and that I have no idea when I will next see my IBP friends, and there may be some people that I'll never see again which is such a weird thought. (I know that I will definitely be seeing the people that I got really close with, but it's weird that it may not be for a couple of years.) After doing a little bit of packing, I met up with Josh, Sandra, Ciela, and Kirsten to go to a bar in Vieux Lyon for the last time. I knew I'd be seeing Sandra and Ciela the next day and that I'll see Kirsten back at Elon, but it was so sad saying bye to Josh, who has basically become like my brother. When he was leaving the bar to go home and finish packing, I started to cry a little which then made Ciela and Kirsten tear up too! It was so sad. Finally, I saw Juni as we were walking back from the bar and had to say bye to him too. It was such an emotional and weird day but I was so happy to see my good friends again before leaving.

I finally got some pictures of my room before getting all packed:

I still can't believe that I am leaving tomorrow. The last four months have gone by way too fast and they were so amazing — definitely the best four months of my life. I have had so many amazing experiences and I met so many great friends who I know I will stay close with when I'm back in the USA. And even though it's so sad to be leaving each other now, I know there is still excitement ahead of us when we go to visit each other all over the world and plan trips together. I am so grateful that I was able to have this experience and the great memories I had will stay with me for life. <3