13 June 2014

Lessons I've Learned Here



It’s my second to last day here in Europe which is pretty hard to believe! I’ve been in Rouen for the last few days staying with my friend Léa’s family which has been awesome! During the days I got to explore Rouen a bit on my own and do some shopping and then come home to a home and have dinner with them. Last night was probably my favorite because it just felt like such a French dinner. I got back from town around 7:30 PM. We had an aperitif and talked while dinner was being cooked, then ate dinner which was delicious, then had cheese, then had dessert which was a homemade tarte, and then continued to sit and talk until about 11:30. All in French. So, that was pretty incredible.

Today I took my time getting up and starting to get stuff ready to go to Paris tomorrow 
afternoon/night, have my last day here, and then get on a flight Sunday morning! I went into town to buy my train ticket. The trains are on strike tomorrow so the hours are more limited which is a bit of a bummer—I won’t have as much time in Paris as I was originally thinking but I also don’t want to make myself get up super early.

Anyways I ended up sitting at a café for a bit to journal. I’ve started making all of  these little lists, most of which I’ll most likely end up posting after I’m actually home and can reflect on everything a bit more. I actually jotted down 4-5 pages of all of the memories that popped into my head—there’s a LOT that’s happened here. But rather than harp on all that, I thought for now it would be fun to post this little list, so here goes, in no particular order other than how they popped into my head. 

Some of the Lessons I Learned in My Time Abroad:

1.       Goofy things always happen on crowded busses (people falling, luggage sliding places, etc.)
2.       You really don’t need too many things
3.       Hoodies and b-ball shorts are SUPER American, as are peanut butter and re-usable water bottles
4.       You’d be surprised at how many things you can fit into a backpack
5.       Europe’s wifi is incredible; so easy to find
6.       So is it’s public transportation system (besides maybe SNCF)
7.       NOT planning where you or things in your life will end up is one of the best things you can do
8.       However, when it comes to booking a hostel or a hotel, look for location first
9.       How much the country/region we live in impact our identity—more so than I thought before leaving my own
10.   Being humble and being afraid are two different things
11.   There are some peoples’ personalities that just don’t connect with yours, and that’s ok. There are also people you will meet that just immediately understand you, and you them, and that’s pretty magical.
12.   The French “bisous” is just about the cutest thing
13.   Always double check plane and/or train departure times
14.   Don’t pack stationary for studying abroad
15.   Buy a plethora of stamps for postcards so you don’t have to constantly go buy them one by one from the post office
16.   Don’t be afraid to ask for help, or to ask a question again until it’s clear—this can save you a lot of time and grief
17.   Have a well thought out backup plan if you don’t have a cell phone
18.   Don’t constantly convert how much money you’re spending on a trip like this…
19.   …But at the same time… BUDGET
20.   Don’t be scared to be weird. I probably met some of the weirdest but simultaneously coolest, best people here (and let’s face it, most people are pretty weird)
21.   Sometimes it’s fun to wander and fun to go somewhere you know nothing about
22.   Tours can feel lame and touristy but not knowing what things are = also lame.
23.   Be alone sometimes
24.   Take care of yourself
25.   Take time to do nothing
26.   Sunscreen
27.   Try new foods
28.   Talking to a stranger can be way more fun than sitting and listening to your ipod
29.   Pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone is almost always scary but almost always worth it
30.   Try your hardest not to judge other people
31.   Try your hardest to truly love yourself
32.   Enjoy the little things

That’s all for now! I’m sure I’ll more to the list in the days and weeks and months and years… ok well, forever pretty much, to come. For now tonight we’re going out to dinner and seeing lights on the cathedral! Then, tomorrow, last day, ending in Paris. Then Sunday morning, it’s Au Revoir Europe and hello Costa Rica with my mom and sister who I cannot wait to see!

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