{a little bit of big ben // shoreditch // curry town exploring}
living abroad is tiring, you guys. the only thing that went through my head before i embarked on this adventure of living/working/breathing new foreign air looked like the following: eating crepes and gelato and all of the french things on cobblestone streets while the sun shines and an accordion is playing in the back ground. now don't get me wrong; that picture has definitely occurred (more than a few times, i'm happy to report!). but what they never tell you is that you'll always be thinking about the next place to travel to before your time runs out, or that you'll be working two jobs so you feel like you can never really catch a break, or that you'll be pulling out your jeans more than once as a cool french spring is longer than most. you'll hardly be able to stay in touch with loved ones back home because of the time difference (and you'll find out you're just plain bad at staying in touch..), and you'll strain your neck a bit closer each time your homestay-mom mumbles something to you in french (even though you still, like last time, don't speak the language).
but there will be good things too: that picnic by the seine and the first time the big ben came into view and that first bite of the belgian waffle that beats out all of the waffles in all of your 23 years. more than a few times i've been walking along and reminded myself that experiencing this newness is what living abroad is all about.
"non, je ne regrette rien."
- edith piaf
