Why isn't living abroad a pre-requisite for life?

What a whirlwind of a first week it has been! So many new people, customs, places, and of course a new language! While this has been a week with many external changes, I’ve found it to be most enlightening internally. The more the world around me shifts into a new focus, the more I feel I am coming into my own self. As I develop into this newly aware and cognizant person, I couldn’t help but wonder…

Why isn’t living abroad a pre-requisite for life?

Before making the journey abroad, I always knew how amazing this experience was going to be. After all, everyone I’d ever talked to who had been abroad raved about it non-stop! I always thought to myself, “Yes, I know, I’m sure it was an amazing experience, I’m sure you came into yourself, learned more about the world, pursued your dreams, etc. etc.” While these stories were one of the main reasons I held on so strongly to my passion to go abroad, I never fully understood my friends’ gushing and enthusiasm until now.

Living abroad changes your life. Forever. It doesn’t simply change you in the obvious ways (cultural awareness, education, meeting new people, eating new food, etc.), it changes you in all those internal ways that words can’t capture. No matter how many fascinating anecdotes you tell, or how many amazing philosophical epiphanies you recount to others, they will never understand the true magic of living abroad until they’ve done it themselves.

That being said, I’m not going to tell you right now about every single epiphany I’ve had in the past week, or every deep conversation I’ve had with a friend about this experience. I’m simply going to tell you this: Live Abroad. It doesn’t matter how old you are, how settled in you are in your lifestyle, how much you think America can offer you anything you’ll ever need. Push yourself and live in a new world entirely. I guarantee you’ll never be the same.

Many facets in the past week have added to this awareness: my family, new language partner, old and new friends, classes and new found love of getting lost! I cannot praise my family situation enough! I am truly in love with Frédérique and Clara, and I doubt assimilating into a family could be any easier. I continue to cherish the conversations I have with Frédérique; I feel I have truly found someone who understands me and is offering me an irreplaceable experience abroad. I’ve also found in this first week that having conversations with her has become almost effortless. Of course, there’s still certain vocab here and there that I don’t understand, but I find our conversations to be most enlightening and reassuring.

Le Grand Marché à la Place des Pecheurs. (McCullough 2012) 

I’ve also had some amusing and interesting conversations with my new language partner, Michaël. (Each student at the Center receives a French language partner for the semester with whom they can talk with to learn more about the culture, ask questions, hang out with, etc. It is a brilliant way to become more integrated into the everyday society and culture.) Michaël is an engineering student at the university, and while he spent a year in Australia pursuing his studies, he wants to continue to practice his English for an exam he must pass to receive his diploma. Michaël is very nice, easy to talk to, and always smiling! After our first diner and drink together Friday night, we got together Saturday night and went to a “billards bar” (A bar where there are a bunch of pool tables. Yes, I’m still as horrible at pool here as I was in the U.S., at least my friends found it amusing!) He also invited me out for a drink Sunday night which I found most amusing since at Denison I would never dream of going out for a drink when there are at least 5 hours of homework waiting to be completed. Unfortunately, I had studying to do here as well, but I'll be going out tonight to redeem that glass of rosé. I’m very grateful to have a fun and easy-going partner, not to mention one whom I can understand all the time! Yay for French comprehension progress!

At the Fontaine de la Rotonde on the Cours Mirabeau. (Weinstock, 2012)

It has also been a week of personal development in terms of the new friends I’ve made, and the previous ones with whom I’ve continued to develop relationships. All of the students I’ve met so far have been fun, well-intentioned, cultured and enthusiastic for our learning experience. Together we’ve tried out new cafés and restaurants, chatted over cafés, cappuccinos and bottles of rosé, and gone exploring in the centre-ville! I’ve also had lovely philosophical conversations (en français!) at my new favorite study place: Book ‘N Bar (an English-owned bookstore/café), and while eating brie and baguette for dinner at the fountain in one of the town squares. In cultivating these relationships, I’ve learned how important the decision is to keep people in my life, or let them go. There’s a quote on Pinterest that I’d seen for a long time, but never fully understood: “There are certain people who can only remain in your heart, not in your life.” I’ve come to understand how much the people I choose to spend my time and energy with really affect who I am and what I can achieve. I now see this quote with new understanding and will continue to follow its advice.

I’ve gleaned many lessons from the long week of orientation. One that stood out to me is the French belief: “Il y a un temps pour tout.” There is a time for everything. This can be applied to every aspect of life, and is a cultural lesson I will always hold on to.

There’s a favorite saying of mine (below) that advises: “Put down that map and get wonderfully lost.” I always thought it was a charming idea, and I can now say I’ve accomplished it! Becoming lost is truly wonderful. When you’re lost on purpose everything is seen in a different light: the people, shops, environment, conversations, etc. Being lost opens your eyes in ways that you won’t realize until you’ve tried it. Do it the next time you’re in a new city (but only if you have a healthy amount of time to find your path again!).

(http://pinterest.com/pin/103934703870078758/)

This week, on a whole, has been about values: values of a culture or of a single person, and how they are intertwined with our everyday lives. I’ve begun to realize just how important it is to keep your dreams, passions and values in focus at all times, and to never let anything, or anyone, degrade or diminish them. They are uniquely yours, and that makes them infinitely beautiful and cherished, but fragile at the same time, because no one can ever comprehend how dear they are to you. I can’t stress how imperative it is to find these dreams, your “raison d’être” and never let it out of your sight. Everyone has values, they are how we make decisions every day; it is the ability to hold on to these values despite everything around you, and always act according to them that allows you to truly flourish.

On a less philosophical note, I’ve also learned that I have a slightly dangerous pastry and cappuccino addiction, and that all the tops I brought for “going out” don’t look too American! (Yay for the advice of 21-year-old host sisters.) I’ll have a glass of rosé for you all this week! (Don’t worry, there will be multiple.)

A tout!

Bises,

SA