From a few months ago…

April
By April I will not only be London Samson but also Mame Amy Ndiaye.
I will have had my fair share of Cheb, ghete, and sauce soble.
I will have eaten approximately 200 baguettes and loved every single one of them.
I will have learned that waking up at 7 am is a lot better than 1pm.
I will have remembered my love for reading and realized that writing solves everything.
By April, 4 names will be added to the list of sisters I never had but always wanted.
I will have said “dad” more than ever and I will have gained another mother figure.
I will understand what a family feels like in a different culture.
I will have gained a new place to call home.
By April I will understand myself and learned to love me for both the woman I am and the woman I’m becoming.
I will have gained a handful of new friends from around the world who have collectively helped me find myself over the months.
I will have gained 2 new languages and a brand new perspective on the world.
I will be confident in what I want to study and how I want to head into my future.
I will be content with the choices I made throughout my gap year.
In April, I will be crying because by April I will have bonded with Touba Toul as a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a teacher, a guest, a friend, as Mame Amy.
But, in April, I will be filled with love and happiness and nothing but pure gratitude for everything this experience has brought me.