for-eign-er (noun): a person born in or coming from a country other than one's own.
The answer is no. I did not expect to be living in a completely different country for college. A year ago, I thought I had my whole life planned out. Everything was pointed towards NYU, golf, and film. I really thought I had an idea of what my next four years would look like, until of course like every coming of age movie, injuries, rejection and self-doubt hit me all at once. Suddenly I had fallen back to reality, and I felt as if there was nothing to look forward to anymore. That is until I was offered the chance of a lifetime to study abroad for a year in Paris, France as part of USC's transfer program.
Flash forward to September 2nd, and suddenly I’m on a ten hour flight to the place I’d call my home for the next year. I had never been to Paris, and had no idea of what to expect. I had called the small suburb of Oak Park my home for 18 years, and suddenly I was going to live in one of the biggest cities in the world. I was leaving behind everything that was normal to me, including my family. Saying goodbye to my friends was so hard, but I’ll cherish each of the final moments I got to have with them. Whether it be sushi with Ken Jeong, final trips to Disneyland, or midnight walks on the beach, I’ll always remember those as some of the purest moments I’ve gotten to spend with my friends. All of those days left me with misty eyes, but none could compare to the waterfall of tears I felt when I said goodbye to my doggo Koji. The morning before I left for Paris, I said goodbye to the little dude who had been my best friend through the entirety of middle and high school. I was overcome with emotion and just thinking about that moment brings tears to my eyes. I knew I would miss coming home to his barking and constant need for attention, and in that moment I wanted to hold onto him forever. No goodbye could compare to that one so I’m not even going to mention leaving my parents because it’s just not as dramatic or Hollywood script worthy.
Transitioning to the city came much quicker than I expected. Basically everyone in Paris speaks English and within a week, I had already gotten used to the metro and bus system that took me from my apartment in the 15th Arrondissement to my school in the 7th. I went from never seeing the Eiffel Tower in person, to seeing it every single day on my way to school. Each day when I pass it on the bus, it reminds me of how far I’ve come, and how far from home I really am. New York has nothing on Paris, and I know deep down, that I’m here in Paris for a reason, even if I’m still disappointed with not being at NYU.
A lot of weird things happened to me in order to get to this point, but I’m so excited to share my journey on this blog. Yui and I have been such a huge part of each other’s lives through high school, and it’s crazy to think that a blog has brought us even closer together. I think the Pixar short film Bao showed it best, how food has the power to bring people together, no matter the situation. Food has always had a way of bringing Yui and I closer together. We’ve sat in three hours of traffic, ran through Disneyland, cried over college rejection, and talked shit about people, all over food. I am so excited to share this blog with all my friends and family and I hope that this can make up for the 5,625 miles that divides us.
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