Dear Friends, Family, And Acquaintances Who Stalk My Blog But Never Comment:

I am not going to extend to the program in Bordeaux, and instead will be coming home in December! Yay! Cut some paper snowflakes, put the lights on the tree, get me something gold and sequined, and buy all the boxes of panettone that you can find, because I'll be home for Christmas, bitches*.

I haven't actually seen this movie.

I know you're all too polite to ask, but I'm sure you're whispering amongst yourselves. Why is she coming home? Did she cry every night? Is her French really that bad? Does she hate fun and adventures? Does she hate cheese? Is she pregnant with the Pope's illegitimate son? Did she get expelled for complaining about her homework? Did she get deported for replacing the Mona Lisa with an impeccable forgery?

 Just checking.

Well, sadly, the answer to all of those questions is no. I love both fun and adventures. I haven't even met the Pope. I'm awesome at French, and I'm actually having a really good time, with negligible homesickness.

The reason I'm coming home is actually pretty mundane. It just doesn't make that much sense for me to stay here for the entire school year, and I really want to start making movies. Like, now. I didn't realize exactly how long 4 months was when I left, and I've realized that it is exactly the amount of time I want to be here. France is fascinating, and if I went to Bordeaux I'm sure I would have an amazing time. (Yes, possibly even a more amazing time that I will back in the States.) But I've already had an amazing experience, just in the time I've spent in Paris. 4 months is nothing to sneeze at, and I think after that it will be time to get back to my regularly scheduled education.

Because it's sexy.

I might not be able to explain why I'm so excited about the classes I get to take at UC Santa Cruz next quarter (let's just say I hope they will include a lot of actual moviemaking and some quality time with Buster Keaton), but you're just going to have to trust me on this one. I have this feeling that if I really throw myself into it, I can make something of myself as a filmmaker (or at least a key grip or a key grip's coffee girl or something), but I have to learn the basics first. So I guess, if you wanted to oversimplify things, you could say I'm going home so I can enroll in Film 170B and learn how to use expensive video equipment. But it's really more of a gut feeling decision. When I was trying to talk myself into staying, it felt wrong, and I was in a constant state of discomfort. But this decision feels right. It's what I'm supposed to be doing, I'm almost positive.

Now that my decision is pretty much final, I'm excited to stop worrying about whether or not I should stay, and instead just enjoy the hell out of the time I have. I'm going to spend the next nine weeks making you all super jealous with my awesome stories and Facebook pictures. I apologize in advance!

This is an awesome story in the form of a Facebook photo.

Now I am going to make you all super jealous by....cleaning my room and writing this paper I've been putting off all weekend! And blowing my nose every minute or two because I'm dying slowly! How much do you wish you were me right now?

*Sorry about the language, it was necessary! :)