So I feel like a chicken with my head cut off...so many thoughts are running through my head and I feel like I have so much to do and I have no idea where to start. All of this French planning is happening in between my move, which is taking place TOMORROW! I am so excited to be in MY home in New Mexico - at least for now.

Now this post will probably be all over the place, due to the fact that my head is spinning in circles like that crazy girl from the exorcist. I just hope that I do not start spitting pea soup at anyone, it would be too difficult to clean up before my move!

So when I turned in my cancellation for my visa, I did not sign the paper, I just printed it out and sent it. I realized this after I sealed the envelope and did not bother to open it back up. I guess I had hopes that I would find a place to stay before they contacted me about it not being official. Well, today I got that call that it was not official without my signature. I feel that I cannot ask the couple that I will be with to write a letter saying they will be responsible for me, especially since they are not a farm and have no letter head. So off again to the mailbox for the official, signed, letter of cancellation.

Since I will not have a long stay visa, I can legally be in France (and the whole EU) for 90 days out of every 190. My fiance and I read up all over the internet on this and what the consequences of staying would be. I got a lot of, most of the time nothing will happen. I only read about one person who was fined and red listed not to return for a few years. The time is based on how long you overstay your visa and staying 8 months from 3 months seems a bit much to me. I read of one guy who was in the Czech Republic way past his limit and only got in trouble when he left through another country. They sent him back to the Czech with an armed escort for the Czech to deal with him. When he got there, they told him to get a hotel and he stayed for another year or so.

Now, if I were planning to stay in France the whole time I am sure that it would not be that big of a deal and I could pull it off. I could even see escaping from France when it was time to leave without any problems (although I would probably look extremely nervous and pee my pants when anyone spoke to me). I promised my cousin, who is currently in London, that I would spend this Thanksgiving with her. Now if me going there was a big deal, I am sure she would not mind coming to visit me. More complications: my friend from Atlanta wants to move to London and I invited him to spend Thanksgiving there with me and my cousin next year. He is so into going and has already started saving money to make the trip. This means I have to be in London at the end of November.

So the break down? I can wander all around the EU for three months and then be banished for three months and then return. I was thinking France then all around and then France again but it will just not do with this London thing. So here is my new idea which I hate but feel it is the only feasible option at this point in time:

Go to Paris for the first couple of days, travel to Toulouse and my first farm until the 19th of August.

Catch up with my sister and do an EU tour to Brussels and perhaps somewhere else until mid September.


Mid September to mid October head to another farm in France. (I will have been in the EU for about 2.5 months)

Mid October to beginning of November head to Switzerland (not part of the EU).

Beginning of November to mid November head to Norway. (out of the EU for about 1 month)

Head to London for a week and then Ireland (since I will be there) for another week or so. (this will conclude my 90 days in the EU)

December will be in Israel (I should be here for two months to reset my visa)

January - March/April - return to EU and then stay in France for remainder of trip

Now I know that is a lot, but that is why my head is spinning! I mean 1/3 of my trip to France will not be in France. Not to mention the visiting of other EU places during that time, which again will not be in France. For a trip that is all about France it is not very France filled. I am not sure how I feel about not being there for so long. I mean I feel like it might make more sense (and help me save money) if I just return to the US, but that is just hogwash as why would I have been saving since middle school just to interrupt my huge going to France trip with America?

I guess Switzerland, Norway and Israel are better than America for this but will I be able to handle it? I know people (look how tough I am) in Norway and Israel (okay I don't KNOW them, I just know of them and think I could make some type of connection and meet up or something) while I am there. I also know people in Greece, which I would LOVE to go to but unfortunately Greece is part of the EU...what is that about, really?

Side story: I went to Israel about 7 years ago and was going to go to Greece afterwards but got extremely sick and wound up coming back to the US. I am not sure if that is leaving a positive taste in my mouth about returning to Israel, I mean it was beautiful and I loved it - but it was hot, and I got sick, and I don't know if I can handle that.

No wonder the pea soup is spewing out of my mouth...