Don't Blink!

From a very early age, my dream was to live in Paris, France.

After many years, I finally got the opportunity to live out my fantasy.

Paris called my name.

January 22nd, 2018, I left America for the first time in my entire life.

I was thrilled.

There is a racial disparity statistic, which indicates that only 5% of Americans studying abroad are Black.

But fortunate enough for me—a young Black male, who has never been outside of America—I spent five months studying in Paris.

If you ask a million different students about their experience studying abroad, you'll get a million mixed responses, mainly because you're doing so many different things, it's hard to put them all into one idea.

It can actually get quite intense.

Here are a few cliché things people typically claim about their experiences: Life-changing! Unforgettable! Best times of my life!

These statements are true, but they don't mention much of the sheer reality of the experience.

There are many stumbles along the way.

Upon my arrival in Paris, there was no denying the jet lag that had set in after a grueling 13-hour flight. Can you imagine spending that much time in the air? Nevertheless, despite the exhaustion, I was absolutely in awe.

I couldn't believe I was in Paris; it was so surreal.

The city pulsated with life, casting a picturesque and breathtaking spell that left me utterly enthralled.

When I landed, I couldn't help but notice a sizable group of taxi drivers, so I decided to make things easier by choosing the one who approached me first.

The ride from the airport to my apartment was quite painful.

My driver turned out to be quite the talker – he simply didn't cease conversing. It was quite noticeable, to say the least.

But I didn't pay him any mind.

As I was about to leave the taxi, he added with a grin, "Let me offer you a piece of advice: don't blink!"

This made me very edgy for some reason.

I flat-out slammed the door because I didn't understand what he meant.

Nor did I really care.

There were two things I was focused on: meeting my roommates and seeing my place.

When I finally arrived, I was disappointed.

The apartment wasn't the best looking on the outside.

I became frustrated because I was expecting something utterly different.

Then, things got worse... my apartment was on the fourth floor! I had to carry both of my heavy luggage.

But I was really quite surprised when I got inside; it was stunning!

Cafes, bars, restaurants filled my neighborhood.

I lived in the 10th arrondissement, which was vibrant.

It seemed to me that this place had long been a magnet for both tourists and locals. It was undeniably a buzzing hotspot, and the nightlife was in full swing!

To be honest, none of those things really bothered me; I was simply thankful for the proximity to my school campus, ABS Paris.

It was perfect!

I quickly unpacked my bags, to begin my new journey.

All to find out how miserable my first few weeks would be:

I experienced culture shock.

I experienced language barriers.

Had trouble finding friends.

And I hated the food.

I became very stressed.

I remember there was one night I was walking home, and almost got robbed by a group of men.

I will never forget.

They tried to gather around me, so I ran away because I knew what was happening.

I was petrified in all honesty.

Nobody warned me of pickpocketing, so in a really painful way I found out.

In Paris, there is a lot of that going on.

I yearned for what to come after that incident, because it occurred in the first few weeks.

I never really considered leaving Paris or anything like that, but I must admit that my initial impressions were rather disheartening.

Throughout my life, I've never found myself in a situation where I felt like an outsider, struggled with a language barrier, distanced from my support network, or grappled with cultural misunderstandings.

It was a new world for me.

Nevertheless, I realized that every experience that occurs in my life, whether positive or negative, serves as a valuable learning opportunity.

Leaving home is challenging.

When faced with setbacks or a sense of things not going as planned, it's natural to consider throwing in the towel and booking the next flight back to where you're comfortable.

But life isn’t about always about feeling safe and sitting pretty.

You should want to be challenged by things you don’t know nor can control – and learning how to overcome them.

Eventually, I faced all my challenges.

I began speaking a little bit of French.

Not as much as I imagined, but I left Paris with more than I knew.

"Salut comment Allez-Vous? Parlez vous Anglais?" translated to "Hello, how are you? Do you speak English?" proved to be a great help for me [laughs!] because most people either spoke English or could direct me to someone who did.

My time with the locals was very fun.

They were enamored by me.

They always thought I was a strange tourist walking around their area, but I'd let them know that I'm studying here, and they would always acknowledge me.

They were extremely nice, which was quite refreshing as we can be quite hit-or-miss in America.

I loved them a lot.

On many occasions, some addressed me speaking fluent French, because apparently, they thought I was a local.

It was very flattering. Because in my mind I fit in.

Yet, when it comes to recognizing who truly belongs, there were certain locals with a keen sense of discernment, able to distinguish between locals and tourists.

Naturally, I attempted to blend in by adopting a trendy appearance.

I mean, it's Paris.

I had to show up and show out.

When I adapted, my time in Paris became increasingly fascinating.

I despised their food, as I said before.

Yet things certainly changed months later.

I started savoring a variety of culinary delights, including baguettes, falafel, crêpes, and steak frites.

Those were my go-to foods.

In Paris, indulging in the local cuisine is a fantastic means of immersing oneself in the rich tapestry of Parisian culture.

I met tons of friends, just by eating the ways locals ate.

On occasion, they would encourage me to partake in wine, but I would politely decline.

I've yet to experience any Parisian wine. It might sound a bit unusual, doesn't it?

But in Belgium, I had their waffles.

Over and above great!

I sound just like a tourist.

In reality, I became a tourist knockoff.

My time in Paris was filled with capturing moments through photography, savoring new culinary delights, exploring historical landmarks, collecting souvenirs, making new acquaintances, and, of course, enjoying some lively parties!

Great times.

I will never forget the London's Piccadilly Circus, Amsterdam's Red-Light District, Barcelona beaches, Belgium's Grand Palace, or Iceland's Blue Lagoon.

People often find a way to ask me, which was the best from all the places I've been all over Europe.

Of course, Paris, and it's not because I lived there.

The art. The culture. The people. The rhythm of the city.

It's unreal.

Let’s put things into perspective.

Imagine waking up with the choice to visit Disneyland, explore the Louvre, marvel at the Palace of Versailles, cruise along the Seine River, rent a luxurious Ferrari, or attend an electrifying Paris Saint-Germain soccer match. The possibilities were truly endless in Paris!

There are far more attractions and events to list.

I mean, in Paris you never know what your day will consist of, but it's guaranteed fun.

Every minute in Paris, I felt like the luckiest person in the world. I often thought to myself... Man, I never want to forget this feeling.

I was most charmed by the Eiffel Tower throughout the entire experience.

I actually went to the top of the Eiffel, about 1023 feet.

I couldn't leave Paris without getting a full view of the city.

It’s jaw-dropping!

The most memorable moment in my life.

Living in Paris over the past five months is, without doubt, the best thing I will ever experience in my life.

The wonderful people I met along the way made the experience even more enjoyable.

No matter where you go in life, no matter what you do, it's the people you love that matter the most.

My new life-long friendships infinitely outweigh everything. This experience means nothing without them.

Immersing yourself in a pool of like-minded individuals, who are passionate about bettering themselves teaches you to look at life through new eyes. In this way, can be life-changing in itself.

My life changed.

I'm not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world. I developed a more sophisticated way of looking at it.

Beyond affecting my career or educational direction, one of the most important and intangible impacts was that I increased my understanding of my own cultural values and biases.

Travel imparts new vigor to the mind.

It enabled me to learn something new about myself and will continue to serve as a catalyst for my capabilities.

I will be asked, “How was Paris?”

There's far too much to say.

I would have to water down my experiences and emotions into one word: ("It was great/amazing/awesome.")

What I can say is thankfully I didn't miss out on this opportunity.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." — Mark Twain

Twenty years from now, I will still continue to cherish this significant experience.

The broken hearts, the what ifs, the bad decisions, the sleepless nights, the terrible weather, the missed midterm exams, the missed flights, the pickpockets, the driving ticket in Barcelona, the starved nights, the stranded moments, the time I got hit by a car [laughs], the mean locals, the hellos and goodbyes, and the hearts full of regrets.

I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything in this world.

Except maybe to do it again.

As I left Paris, tears instantly flowed down my eyes.

I couldn’t believe it all came to an end.

Before I made an exit, I looked back with my own longing eyes and finally replied to my taxi driver months later:

“Thank you, sir, I didn’t blink!"