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Image source: @beams_japan
I Studied Abroad
In Europe
It can be so hard to find yourself if you have never been to Europe. Even harder if you have based your personality around loving Art House films you vaguely understand while feigning a love for mid-tier independent fashion designers you found on Instagram. Since the 19th century, privileged and ignorant explorers have done the classic Grand Tour—using Europe as a vehicle to make themselves inherently more interesting. I actually did learn that dans mon cours d’histoire!
Anyway, Europe is honestly the only place worth visiting, if you ask me… And God, I thought you never would! I did do a semester abroad—just last year. Yeah, I know, I still have that “Fresh From Europe Glow.” Funnily enough, what it is actually is the 15 pounds I gained from eating things made mostly with butter after forfeiting my flexiveganism. Plus, it very much is my new wardrobe—even though I told you it was vintage, it’s actually all from the Zara group.
It’s totally different from how we do things here, you know? Going out is a way of life there. Yeah, no, totally—trust me! I used to just stand around at DIY spaces before I spent a semester in Europe. Now? If we don’t stay out until 6 AM, I don’t even want to go! Staying out in Europe was so cool, just standing in queues—I say ‘queue’ now. Then, we would be denied at the door, because me and seven of my closest English-speaking acquaintances made too much noise while waiting.
Being there also gives you new lifestyle habits. For ages, I used to smoke normal cigarettes (realistically, any cigarette I could find after begging 3-10 strangers loitering outside of a bar and without saying thank you, good bye, or sorry for ripping that out of your hand). Now? Thankfully, I’ve learned the art of hand-rolling your own. In Europe, everyone does it, and not only is it cool, it’s not even marginally better for you! There are so many other cool new things I picked up: for example, I take a siesta everyday even if it’s “inappropriate” and “very clearly this library desk isn’t for naps.” I also exclusively drink teeny tiny espressos now. I don’t know what “drip coffee” is, sorry!
Yeah, I miss it so much. Now the only places where I can talk about Europe are my fourth year French lecture, most house parties I attend, and at Starbucks, because my barista is actually going to Prague really soon. I loved the fact that it was so different from North America, but not at all in a way that could make me genuinely uncomfortable! Sometimes you just need to see lifestyles so similar to yours to open your eyes to cultural differences—like eating dinner at 9 PM, drinking only espressos, or expressing problematic views more openly than hiding it for the sake of maintaining a faux image of a national wokeness! Now if you do not mind, I need to go prepare several Instagram drafts because you can bet that my 12-week trip is all that defines me now!
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