dernière jour a UPSIDE DOWN DOWN DOWN DOooooown

Wow...has it really been three months!!! I truly cannot believe how fast the time has passed! I have very mixed feelings about today, mostly I am very sad. I have developed some great friendships at work. It is such a warm environment where every person has their own unique qualities that makes it fun and interesting to work interact with them. I really do owe it to the team for making my time at Upside Down so special. Not only did I learn from the projects we did, interacting with clients, but most importantly how to work in a team that depends on you to produce. Times will be slow and times will be stressful but it is so important to RIGOLE! There have been days that I have been under an enormous amount of stress and all it has taken was JP to put on his "Père Vert" (pervert) act and a smile immediately appears on my face. It makes you realize that yes work is important but it is not everything. Thats the most important thing I have learned about working in Paris - I know I have mentioned this before, but it is just too true to overlook - in New York people live to work but here people work to live...and it is just so evident its amazing!

I was talking with my friend George from London yesterday and telling him how sad it is that my experience here is coming to an end. His told me, yes its sad, but you know you are coming back. And that I definitely do. He said if you want it bad enough you will make it happen. I am a very determined person - it is how I got this stage in the first place. Yes, thanks to my mom's meeting Nathalie at Club Med three years ago, the relationship began and opportunity was discovered, however what to do with it was in my hands. I wouldn't have been here in Paris for the last three months had I not put in all the hard work to get me here - convincing Nathalie I would be a good stagiaire and to hire me, getting a visa and an apartment, etc.

I am very sad to leave Paris. I have made some incredible friendships here that I will not ever forget. I have also been made aware that I will be missed greatly. For the last month, Gigi and Emilie have been coming up with a plan to steal my passport so that I cannot leave. I also had Gigi yesterday ask me "Qu'est ce qui arrive si tu rattes le vole, est-ce que tu peux être rembousé?" (What happens if you miss your flight? Can you get reimbursed?) - she is just too funny! I would love to stay another week - but as my Dad has told me about numerous things, as hard as it is, when you prolong things longer than expected, you are just going to make it harder to go. HAHA...but there is a solution - why not just stay! As I rigole, this is not uncommon. Paula is the perfect example and her friend Shelley. They both fell in love with this place and found a reason and means to come back.

This will be me - I am positive.