Tomorrow's the big day!

Yes, that's right! For those of you wondering why I haven't written about my year abroad for a while, it's because I haven't started it yet, and I have other things happening in my life in good ol' little Wales.

But now, it's all going to be about the year abroad. Because tomorrow, at 3:30 in the morning, I leave for adventure in Brittany! So I'm going to write a quick post summarising my thoughts and feelings about going there. That's right kids, this is going to be an emo post.

I would make it REALLY emo, with some melodramatic music for you to read as I write this, such as Adagio in D Minor by John Murphy, but I appreciate that this trip is not a big deal for anyone else but me. But you can enjoy it anyway! Listening to this piece whilst doing something makes ANYTHING dramatic!

Seriously, tying up your shoe laces becomes a fight to protect your feet from malicious blisters, eating a sandwich becomes an explosion of flavour and subsistence, saving you from dying from starvation. Sending a text to a friend asking if they fancy a pint becomes 'I have life-changing news to share with you. The world may be bigger than we are, but we can still save it, one recycled Fosters can at a time'. I think you catch my drift.
But yeah, this imminent stay in France is a big deal for me. My gut feeling is that this is the year that will define the rest of my adulthood, and that's as melodramatic as that beautiful Murphy piece.

However, I also fear that I am over-hyping this year abroad (to be fair, you're probably thinking 'No shit! You just said you think it's going to change your life forever!'). Past experiences have told me not to over-hype events. The prom in my last year of school was supposed to be the biggest night EVER! I was thinking about it for no less than 8 months beforehand, and it turned out shit. To be fair, I did help to organise it, but that's not the point! It was so boring! Yay, we're in suits, and we look good! What now? Nothing. The food was overpriced, the music was standard dance shit, and I couldn't even get pissed because I was performing a few days later and needed my voice to be on top form. Overhyped = fail.


Living in Leamington last year - overhyped! Smack and Saints got boring after a few weeks, I had no money and the bus service to campus was crap. My business degree - overhyped! Christmas - overhyped! My A level results - overhyped! The birth of my first son - overhyped! If you build things up, they will only disappoint. That's the bad thing about having high expectations. If you meet them, there's no joy, just relief. If you don't meet them, then you'll be bitterly disappointed.

I don't want to overhype this year abroad. I know that some of it will disappoint, and there will be bits that suck (French administration, for example. Was a pain in the ass to get somewhere to live!) but it's a YEAR! There's got to be moments which will be just amazing!

So I shall have this attitude. As long as I do well in my classes, improve my French, and get some internship,development placement, or some kind of work experience for next summer, whether it's in France, England or even Wales, I will consider the year a success. I don't have to become a changed man brimming with confidence, although that would probably come from success in this year abroad anyway.

Of course I am nervous. The nerves only kicked in yesterday when it hit me that I shall be leaving tomorrow, after saying goodbye to all my welsh friends and wishing them the best until Christmas. I will miss them all, and I appreciate their great company this summer. Also, I want to wish the people I'm leaving behind at Warwick all the best for their final year - I will visit at some point. Finally, I hope those who are also travelling abroad have an amazing time as well. Yes, these are scary times, but they're also bloody exciting!

This will be slightly different from when I started at Warwick two years ago, because this time I already know a couple of people. Chris, Frederike and Cameron are also going to ESC Rennes, and even though we are not living together, we all get on very well. It also helps that Cam is one of my closest friends at uni, and he will be travelling with me and staying at my place for the first weekend, as his place will not be available til Monday (stupid French administration!).

I am determined to do well this year, and to prove that I can handle living in another country. But I am equally determined to enjoy myself, and be happy. I'm off for a few months, and hopefully I will return at Christmas more fulfilled. I aim to update this blog weekly, so you can follow me every step of the way :)


So, with that: au revoir le pays de Galles, à Noel! 

LET'S FUCKING DO THIS!

Ollie