À bientôt
We’re having a going away party tonight here at the apartment for my roommate Todd. His National Guard unit has been mobilized so he’s returning to the States to be deployed.
As much as possible I’ve tried not to become too concerned with this impending war. America says yes; the French say no; what’s left for the UN and NATO to say? I’ve heard and read enough stories and conspiracy theories on all sides of this debate. I think it’s starting to make me sick. Being an American, regardless of my opinions, doesn’t make me too popular in most of western Europe. Spending eight months in France won’t make me an instant hit back home either. I sympathize with the French; I sympathize with Americans; I sympathize with the British; I even sympathize with Iraqi citizens.
And now one of my roommates is having to go home with only two weeks of classes left to be directly engaged in this conflict. I don’t want him to go. Maybe I’m losing my patriotism, but I’m about to lose a friend.