Why French Polynesia?

When I was going into the 7th grade, I was required to take a foreign language in middle school. I could choose between Spanish and French. Because I had tremendous difficulty rolling my "r," they recommended I take French. I have exactly three memories from that year of French. 

1. I mispronounced "ma soeur" and it came out like "monster" and my teacher chastised me about it in front of the entire class. I cannot remember her name. I cannot remember her face. But I can still hear her voice saying, "Monster? Monster!? NOOOO! MA SOEUR!" I never pronounced it incorrectly again. 

2. We had a cultural event in class where we all had to bring French food. I brought a baguette and Brie, which I had never tried before. I fell madly in love with Brie and baguettes and decided that some day I would live in France. Because cheese. And baguettes. 

3. When we were studying where in the world French was useful (because it really wasn't in Park Ridge, Illinois), we learned about this place called French Polynesia, and specifically, this remote island called Bora Bora. I remember seeing pictures of "the natives," (hey, it was 1984) and their over water huts and also deciding that some day, I would go to Bora Bora. 

Fast forward a few years--like 8 or so--to the summer of 1992 . . . I was able to do "Baylor in Paris" and spend a summer in Paris and Lyon studying French. My family came at the end of the courses and we drove all over France and took in the sights. I turned 20 in France and that summer was the one that changed my life the most. I grew up a lot. Fell deeply in love with France. Got to know myself and what I believed in, on a much better level. I can't recommend study abroad highly enough for any student.  Mission to France? Accomplished. 

The third thing I remember from 7th grade French? That Bora Bora dream? It came true 38 years after that seventh grade goal was set. 

Kevin and I had much to celebrate. In 2021, Kevin turned 50 in February, and our marriage turned 25 in March. But Covid. Covid and travel restrictions and continued fears and worries and waiting our turn to get a vaccine that may or may not help us got in the way of celebrating. . . .so we put it off. But then came 2022. And Covid is still around, but traveling got a whole lot easier, and I had Covid in January and no one else in the house got it . . . and I'm turning 50 in July, so it was time to celebrate. 

Celebrate ALL the things. Celebrate birthdays and anniversaries and health and the ability to travel and see the world again . . . How fortunate I am to have a husband who said yes to my French Polynesia dream and decided that it was the place to celebrate our big life events.