After 6 months of dedicated preparation, the day for my departure has finally arrived. I am leaving the US for Paris today and arriving on Monday afternoon. I got a room in downtown Paris (Latin Quarter) for 2 weeks for an extremely reasonable price. I plan to use the time to let my body acclimatize and spend my last bits of freedom taking in the culture of the country that I'll (hopefully) be serving for the next 5+ years. I figure that this is the last freedom that I will have for quite a long time, so I hope to make the most of it before signing away my life again. Is there anything I absolutely have to do in Paris before I go to the Legion? I don't really have an itinerary for these two weeks and I'm open to any suggestions you guys might have. As of right now the plan is to hit the gates of Fort de Nogent on the 23rd.
As for selection, I am cautiously optimistic. I'm in the best shape of my life, including my years in the USMC (quitting smoking does wonders for your health and fitness). I am doing 17 pullups and running 7 miles (11.25 km) in about 52-53 minutes, 5 days a week. My command of the French language has come a long way from where I started in July. These studies have been extremely rewarding in their own right and I hope to continue to develop my proficiency in the language regardless of whether I am selected or not. For a few years after leaving the USMC and prior to making the mental commitment to this endeavor I was a rather aimless individual, lacking in motivation and goals. It has been very fulfilling to have such a challenging goal in my sights to constantly strive towards. Even if I am not selected, I will still derive a sense of satisfaction knowing that I truly gave this everything I had, and that I did everything within my power to make myself the most attractive candidate possible. Je ne regrette rien as the legionnaires like to say.
As for selection, I am cautiously optimistic. I'm in the best shape of my life, including my years in the USMC (quitting smoking does wonders for your health and fitness). I am doing 17 pullups and running 7 miles (11.25 km) in about 52-53 minutes, 5 days a week. My command of the French language has come a long way from where I started in July. These studies have been extremely rewarding in their own right and I hope to continue to develop my proficiency in the language regardless of whether I am selected or not. For a few years after leaving the USMC and prior to making the mental commitment to this endeavor I was a rather aimless individual, lacking in motivation and goals. It has been very fulfilling to have such a challenging goal in my sights to constantly strive towards. Even if I am not selected, I will still derive a sense of satisfaction knowing that I truly gave this everything I had, and that I did everything within my power to make myself the most attractive candidate possible. Je ne regrette rien as the legionnaires like to say.
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Enjoy and good luck.
