Waiting by my Inbox

I've always thought it strange how I can coast along for a while without any clue what I am going to do when along comes my answer as if by divine intervention. And sometimes it seems to appear as a strange string of coincidental events.

On Thursday I had dinner with my best friend, we hadn't caught up since before I resigned. We had a great girlie chat over a lingering dinner in a strange restaurant situated in the middle of a park in the city of London. She wanted to hear all about my plans to become a patissier. Only, I hadn't really made them yet. Suddenly she whips out a piece of paper and said that she'd felt guilty about missing my birthday and how she wanted to send me on a course in Paris to make up for it. Paris, much as I think it's a great city, I have some distaste for the old-fashioned snobbery within it. Particularly within culinary circles. So I said that I'd think about it. We chatted about lots of things, about travel and boyfriends. I told her that I was really thinking about going back to visit Vancouver this year.

The next morning I mention the course thing to my boyfriend. I wanted to test the waters to see if he wanted to visit Paris so I wouldn't have to go over there alone. I also mentioned my doubts, especially since the course is run by Le Cordon Bleu - a very well-known, and expensive company and accreditation. He promised to help me look around to see if there were any alternative options abroad..

The next thing I know, he mentions a training course in Vancouver. Full-time intensive and certified. This is when it clicked. That moment when all became clear.
I wanted to go. I am scared and excited at the same time, and it's been weighing on my mind ever since. I couldn't sleep last night for thinking about it and this morning I dropped them an e-mail to ask if they have space in the next program which begins in September. I guess I won't know until tomorrow at the earliest. And even then there are many things that I have to consider.

In my heart I know that I want to do this - this opportunity to do what I want to do properly. It'll be hard work - it's 6 months, 5 days per week, 7 hours per day. It's in a different country, away from all my friends and family. And my boyfriend. Can I really bring myself to leave them all behind for so long? Am I prepared to spend this much time away from my boyfriend, who I have been almost constantly attached to for the last 2 years?

I guess I'll have to wait and see if there is space on the course and then re-think. It's such a scary thought.