I woke up in the late afternoon to the sound of several conversations in my hallway, but unfortunately I couldn't understand any of them! Spanish, Portugese, Swedish, Mandarin.. and the list goes on. FINALLY there were people for me to meet, which is exactly what I did. There are girls from London, Finland, Mexico City, Peru, Philly, Italy, Guyana, Rotterdam, and more. We represent every shade of every skin tone from the blackest night to the fairest cream. Our families, our schools, our lives are so different.. but in the end we are all the same. We are young women, taking a leap of faith, to gain both the education and the experience of a lifetime in Paris.
There isn't really a way to describe what it feels like to be immersed in such a variety of culture, but it is incredible. I came here expecting to learn the French language and culture, nothing more and nothing less. But within the last 12 hours, my eyes have been opened to a smorgasbord of nationalities. It is an opportunity you can't replace with textbooks, pictures, documentaries, or YouTube videos. And how blessed I am to be a native English speaker and able to communicate with all of them!! I wouldn't trade it for the world.
As a group, we decided to have a drink together and really get the conversation flowing. We all layered on our sweaters and jackets, of all different styles, and took off down the street. I couldn't help but smile as I scanned the group and saw mod fashion, edgy styles, girly girls, chic handbags, sneakers and flats and pumps - all walking side by side down the street. Our representation is so dynamic, and I'm loving every minute of it.
When we arrived at a small, Parisian, corner cafe-bar we were merely stared at by a server. His facial expression and cold attitude was typical, but he seemed especially baffled at such an odd mix of young women. Within minutes we had pushed together every 2-person table that decorated the terrace. Each of us squeezed in the circle and grabbed a menu, before discussing all the details of each drink offered. The conversation continued as each girl took her turn explaining the most popular drinks of their region and their own personal preferences. Of course, the 19-year-old girl from Philly and I are the least experienced as to ordering drinks, as we are the only two remaining that aren't yet legal in our home country. But, needless to say, "Blue Mountain State," "Real World," "Jersey Shore" and so many others have already explained the drinking habits of Americans. And so the questions came!
"Do you really drink in red plastic cups?"
"What does 'Solo cup' even mean?"
"What is that game with the ping pong balls?"
"Are fraternities real? Do they really throw parties like that?"
"Have you ever heard of flip-cup?"
"Do you drink at football games?"
But my favorite comment has to be, "Do you realize your beer is piss and water?" I'll let you guess which country that may have came from. :)
The conversation continued, in English of course, but with such a variety of accents it sounded like a song. Our laughs all resonated through the night, crescendoing and decrescendoing as the topics changed. I could feel an overwhelming sense of unity, and right then I knew that this will be the most unforgettable semester of my life.
After three hours of sharing our drinks and stories, we walked our way back through the night and into our building. I think I speak for all of us when I say I went to bed with a smile :)
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