Hey everyone!
I assume that if you're reading this you are either interested in studying abroad, curious about a life in Paris, or one of my beloved friends or family members. What I have to say this week, for my very first post on how I have been affected by living in another country, will hopefully provide enough insight to make my loved ones understand the cultural changes I have experienced, or will help the wondering and excited students to fully comprehend the meaning of study abroad. I will begin with this: I am no expert, and I don't intend to be one after my three and a half months in Paris. All I know right now is that study abroad is a whirlwind of an experience, one filled with childlike exploration in addition to independent navigation in a world unfamiliar to yours.
My story begins almost three weeks ago when I scurried off the plane in Paris, fatigued and unsure of what I was supposed to do. I had mixed feelings about touching the ground after my six hour flight, something that not everyone necessarily feels but what people even rarely talk about. I was so nervous. Of course there are people that mentally prepare for an experience such as the one I had just thrown myself into, but I didn't give much thought to the fact that I would be living rather than visiting a foreign country for the next few months of my life. This means grocery shopping, completing homework, and using transportation all in a country that I had only seen for ten days prior in a high school class trip.
For me, Paris was always the destination. I have been an admirer of French culture and a dreamer of life abroad since the first day of French class in sixth grade, when my teacher relayed to us his experiences of living in Paris. Having never known this was an option, I dreamed of historic cobblestone streets and the iconic monuments for years. There's something very special about a dream that becomes reality, but it is also a little scary. With a dream this large comes years and years of buildups of expectations, and there is enough social pressure to live out your dream to the absolute fullest to be able to suffocate you. What I have learned these past few weeks is that it is essential to separate what others want for you and what you personally want to get out of your experiences. People seem to think they know what is going on because of the outlet that social media gives to our outer circles, but the truth about apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook is that they don't show study abroad. Study abroad is everything that happens between the uploaded pictures.