Beginning my Life Abroad

Today marks 5 days since I left the United States. So far I have felt overwhelmed, stressed, sad, happy, relieved, and any other emotion you can imagine. My first day was spent entirely in London, Gatwick airport, with a 7 turned 9 hour layover. Having finally arriving in Paris at 10:30PM, my airbnb host picked me up from the airport and took me back to her apartment. Sleeping the first night was very difficult. I stayed up watching Adventure Time until nearly 4AM. My third day I woke up refreshed determined to see the Eiffel Tower. I had never used the train or subway station before but I was feeling optimistic and confident about figuring it out. After getting on the wrong train twice, I finally found my way to the tower. Walking up to it I felt quite emotional, for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to go to France and this made me feel like I had finally arrived. Once I got up to the tower, it was one of those things you look at and then ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I trekked back to my airbnb after seeing the tower and went to sleep.

Upon finally arriving in the location of my program, Aix-en-Provence, I got a little settled in a hotel room with two other roommates and got some much needed sleep. The first two days were spent touring the city and in orientations. Now I have a free weekend, not many friends, and no idea what to do. Oddly, having free time is more stressful than having the orientations. Now that I am kind of getting settled, I am starting to feel lonely and restless. I am in a new city with no idea how to fill my time.

Tomorrow, I will finally move into my host mom’s beautiful apartment where I will be able to unpack and hopefully start to feel like I belong here. The next few weeks will be settling while also stressful with classes starting soon.

Eiffel Tower 08.13.2019