Il n'y pas lieu de s'inquiéter

***Warning, a lot of whining involved.

Il n'y pas lieu de s'inquiéter is what one need to tell themselves when it comes to the Visa process and the Campus France service. Up until this week, I have tried to remain calm and hope for the best. However, it is quite hard to have any patience when you're running out of time while dealing with the French Embassy. Especially when it is impossible to get ahold of someone for questions regarding your VISA! Campus France is "A service of the French Embassy to promote study in France to students and institutions in the United States." Well that sounds nice. You would think that a service like this would want to help you, not work against you. It is a tedious application process that one have to filter through in order to make an appointment with a french consulate to attain a visa. They prefer to be "reached" by email. It is almost impossible to locate a phone number to call. And if you're lucky enough to find the number, make sure to call between the hours of 8:00am-12:30pm because they stop working after 12:30pm. It's quite obnoxious.

I submitted my application about three weeks ago, and still have not heard anything back. You can check your progress by logging in to the website. There's a bar that shows where you are in the process. Mine shows that they have received my application fee two weeks ago... TWO WEEKS AGO. Now when I wake up every morning, it is the first thing I check. It's been a disappointment every time. I know I will be jumping for joy when that progress bar reach the "Application Completed" mark. How soon until I can jump for joy?

Now here is my second problem. In order to complete the visa process, I must make an appointment at one of the french consulates to be "interviewed." However, before I could make an appointment, I must wait for the completion email from Campus France. If I make the appointment without the letter, they will cancel my appointment. How ruthless. Well, that doesn't sound to bad right? Hmm... it is bad when the appointments are getting filled up and the soonest appointment is 3 weeks out. My flight is on December 31st, my current appointment (hoping I would get the completion letter and hoping my appointment doesn't get canceled) is on the 17th. It is recommended to have your appointment at least 2 weeks before your travel date. Now with the holidays in between these, I for sure have less than 2 weeks to attain a visa. This is if everything is right on schedule and my appointment does not get canceled.

It is very frustrating because it is something way beyond my control. You're probably wondering why I didn't get this process started sooner... well, in order to begin the Campus France application, one must receive an acceptance letter into the study abroad program. I did not receive that letter until late November. So now all I can do is sit and wait and hope for the best. There's no magic wand that I can wave to speed up the process. Nothing. Absolutely nothing I can do. But I am hopeful. It's a hopeless situation, but I am extremely hopeful. I know things will always work out if I can have a positive outlook on things. I think this is the most whining I have ever done publicly. But it is a part of the process. A part of the path I have to take. I'll be okay. Just kind of annoyed.

xoxo

31 Days

http://www.maxisciences.com/paris/wallpaper

I am moving to Paris y'all. Yes, Paris, France. After many years of dreaming it, I am finally making the big move. This is it. It is finally happening. I bought a one-way ticket and there is no turning back now. As I am entering my last semester of my undergrad career, and with only 2 french classes left in order to attain my International Business, French concentration bachelor degree, I decided to spend my last semester in La Ville-Lumière. What could be a better way to finish up my education and to better my french than living in France? I don't think anything else could beat this upcoming adventure!

Throughout the 22 years of my young life, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do many wonderful things. What I've learned is that if there's something I want, I must act upon it in order to achieve it. Something I refer to as "eyes on the prize". It's my drive, my motivation. And that goes for almost anything I do. Whenever I want something, I get it. Although my success rate with this mindset isn't 100%, but I do give it 100% always. I can't even describe my excitement the day I received my acceptance letter into the MICEFA program in Paris. It felt like everything froze around me. I couldn't stop thinking "Wow this is really happening." After keeping my mouth hush hush for many months about my possible adventure (I was afraid of jinxing it), I could finally tell all of my loved ones about Paris! Not just my loved ones actually, but the excitement in me wanted to burst out of my 5'4" frame and fill everyone around me with this new joy of mine.

I have always been unconventional and love changes. Heck, I can't even stand being in the same bedroom for more than a few months. I have always felt the need to change the layout or the decor every few months. Even though this change is very grand compared to a bedroom, I am very excited. Am I nervous? Not so much. One thing I am afraid of though? The temperature. I have never been a fan of weather. When it's too cold (cold, as a California girl, is 70 degrees Fahrenheit), I complain. When it's too hot, I complain. My perfect temperature is a perfect sunny 75 degrees Fahrenheit. How ideal is that? Despise this minor issue, I cannot wait for my big move. I fly out on December 31st. The thought of spending New Years Eve on a plane doesn't bother me much because the thought of being in Paris for the new year overshadow that on so many levels. I have 31 days left in the states to spend with everyone I care about. I have 31 days left to do as many awesome things as I can. 31 days, man that just sound so surreal. Well, here's 31 days until new beginnings! Cheers!

xoxo
Ly

Ain't Nobody's Problem

This. This is my all time fave. 

What if the reason we're living is just to die happy?

I like to have a lot of "me" time. And when I do my mind wanders. So this was a thought that ran across my young brain. What if we were all put on this earth just to find ways to die happy? What if that was our life goal? To accomplish as many fulfilling goals just to lead up to that big one, to die content. Has anyone thought about that? Our lives were tailored differently for each of us, but we all get to have the same goal. Even though we all have different ways to work towards that goal, that goal binds us all together.

Everyone has their own way of interpreting "happiness." But if we look at the big picture, happiness & sadness are black and white, no gray area in between. Happiness to me is the feeling of contentment, a feeling that makes you feel like you're above the clouds and no worries in the world could stop you. You get crazy amount of butterflies in your tummy when you're happy. That genuine smile from cheek to cheek, that's happiness. Think of a roller coaster ride. That moment of slowly going up the rail...waiting for the big drop, that's your whole life. The feeling you get from that drop is death (yes, this sounds awful...but keep reading). Think about that feeling. That light fluttery feeling. That tickle in your stomach. The sensation you can never experience by just "living." It feels like everything in your body is flying. That feeling. It's a good feeling. Death should be a good feeling. If you don't feel that when you die, I think you've been living your life all wrong. Even when you are dying from sickness and you are hurting everywhere on or in your body, you should be able to feel content.

Death is a scary thought for some. For others, it's expected. We all will die. Unless of course some mad scientist can discover some magical potion that will let us all live forever. Then my "happy death" theory will be false and my whole life will just be a life. But I don't want to live forever. I want to be traditional: born, live, and die. Whenever and however I die, I want to know that I have done so much in my life that I am content. I want to die with the largest smile on my face. I want to die knowing that I have touched many lives whether it be in the smallest way or the biggest way. I want to die knowing that all of the sub-goals that I have set for myself have been accomplished. I want to die with butterflies. I want to die with the feeling of a roller coaster drop.

Basically, do things that will make you happy. Do things that will make you die happy. Life is way too short to not be good to others and yourself. Take a second and think about everything that you have been doing. Will you die happy knowing that you have been treating yourself and others wrongly? Change your routine. Change your actions. Change your attitude. Be positive. Be happy. You're still on that roller coaster and the drop awaits. So be excited when it comes. Let's all plan a great death.

xoxo

Y'all, I've fallen in love

The most beautiful creature I have ever laid my eyes on, I am so madly in love. I have never seen anything that has such a big heart with so much to offer, not only to me, but to the world. I never thought I was capable of love, especially this young and this fast, but you've shown me the ability to love through the goods and the bads. You've changed who I am and allowed me to grow into something so much more. You've shown me the light at the end of the tunnel when I thought I was completely lost and had no where to go. You make me so happy, even when there's absolutely nothing to be happy about. You allowed me to share that happiness with others around me without any jealousy. You are so selfless, you try to help as many people as you could, and yet still have time for me. You are so amazing. You inspire me to try and be just as amazing. You're so funny. You have a way about you. You taught me to believe and always hope for the best. You gave me the idea that "everything will always be alright." Every time I think about you, I get the biggest smile on my face. Every time I think about how great you are, I get little butterflies in my stomach. I am so blessed. I wake up everyday knowing that I have made it to another day with you. Without you, I would be nothing. You are always on my mind. Even when you are mean to me. But you always find ways to make it up to me. We've made so many memories together in such a short period of time and I can't wait to make more awesome memories for many years to come. I love you so much Life. I am so grateful to be living. No, not just living, but to be able to live you to the fullest, always.

xoxo

20th Reflect

As my 20th year is coming to an end, I feel kind of bittersweet. Today is the day. The last day of my 20th. Man, I have been waiting to turn 21 for so long. However, as the days were approaching, all I wanted was for time to slow down. The excitement that I have had for the last few months, even years (since I was 18), while waiting for the arrival of this day have slowly come to a halt. I can't tell if it's because I loved my 20th so much, or I'm just scared. People have said, it's all down hill after 21! But knowing me, I never look at the negative side of things. I think it'll still be amazing. I don't think it's more of me being scared, but more so about leaving such a great year behind. This year was so beautiful. Every year has been so beautiful, but this year topped it all.

I wanted to go on a big hike today to celebrate my last day and just to reflect back the past 20 years of life. I wanted to do so much to send off my 20th year. But doing homework and prepping for school for my upcoming weekend in Vegas is much more important. Haha, I sound so lame but I have no choice, all of my professors decided to celebrate my birthday with midterm exams. So this is how I am going to spend my last day. Actually, I'm really excited for the gym later on. The only non-work thing I'll be doing!

Alright, so let me explain a little bit about why I kept on bragging about my 20th year. I learned so much about life. It was the year that I fell madly infatuated with a guy and it was all so new to me. I haven't liked any one this much since Music. I learned how much somebody could hurt me yet make me feel so happy. I learned how to be vulnerable and express my emotions a little more. I thought I fell in love... hahah let's be real, love does not exist here, or allowed. When I like a guy, I would pick at his flaws until I am absolutely disgusted with him and then I run away, but this can be another entry for another day. I went on so many adventures that fueled my love for mother nature and for the world even more! I got a promotion at work.  I went to Coachella! I gained a couple of bridesmaids. I went to Hawaii for the first time ever! I was elected to be the Philanthropy Director in my sorority. I became less shallow (this was such a breakthrough for me). I fell in love with my sorority all over again. I voted for the first time ever! I got a breast augmentation. I had the best summer. I think the most important thing was that I learned how to appreciate, embrace, and enhance life a little more. Man, it was an awesome year. Whoever said that your 20th year is the worst year because you're stuck waiting for your 21st was so wrong. It's all about how you choose to live it. And I think I chose wisely.

Dear 20 year old me, I'm going to miss you.

Dear 21 year old me, I hope you're going to be as cool as your 20 year old self, don't get to wild and I hope you'll still have morals. I hope that you'll still continue to make your life meaningful, not just to yourself but to the rest of the world.

I hope I will survive the bars tonight.

Oh and I hope you'll start using your FlipCam again.

xoxo.

Song Saturday

The Summit- Skrillex