La fin

And it is over.....my time abroad has come to an end and I cannot believe it. Where does time go? It seems whenever we are enjoying ourselves the most it slips away so fast. My last days in France were great and my whole time abroad is something I will never forget. My french comprehension and skills have definitely improved, and I feel more confident speaking french out loud.

I met new people and created new friendships that I know will last and will call for reunions. I have gained a new sense of independence, and I can say that I found this on the streets of Paris. I recall walking back to my host mom's house around 1 am, or going out by myself to explore the city on a Thursday evening.  These are things that I could not picture myself doing alone before, and now it is just the ordinary.

My time abroad has also reassured me about what I want to do with my future. I will continue studying International Relations when I go back to campus and I even have an internship this summer with a California assembly member.


Overall I can honestly say that I have changed, I am not the same person that boarded that plane to Paris in January. That girl was scared and weary, really excited to see the place of her dreams, but only knew the "cliché" aspects of Paris. Today, I am confident and unafraid. I took the metro and navigated through the multiple metro lines like I have been living in Paris my whole life. No longer did gypsies and beggars instill fear in me, but rather I knew they could easily be ignored or pass along a couple centimes when their words were heart hitting. Seeing "Javel-Andre-Citröen" from metro line 10 let me know I was only a couple minutes from home after a long day out, and seeing "Gaité" on metro line 13 let me know that my school day was about to start. I wandered the streets and even saw some people on a daily basis, like this cute lady who would always walk her three dogs with jackets on each one of them, and even a man who liked to walk his cat. They were part of my normal life in Paris. From the cafes, the parks, the stores, the metro, the people..Paris has become part of me. I only fell in love with the city even more than before and I am determined to go back one day.

Ernest Hemingway said something in his book "A Moveable Feast" that really resonates with me: "If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young [wo]man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."

And finally some photos of my last days...