I've been back in the US for a little less than one week now. Being home, seeing familiar faces, eating good foods that I haven't had in so long, having a piano to play, etc are so indescribably wonderful. But I'm still struck by just how much has changed in such a short period of time, mostly with me.
I am now a snob when it comes to bread. I like (some) stinky cheeses, though I still shrink back in fright when someone opens a proper French refrigerator. I like to eat fresher foods, and try to buy groceries more frequently. I'm appalled at the thought of having only 30 minutes for lunch. I was floored by how big people's waistlines are the first time I went to a mall, whose contents are no longer appealing to my snobby European tastes. I find desserts to be too sweet, and coke to be not sweet enough. I want actual vacations, not just Christmas and Thanksgiving off. I can't go to the bathroom without noticing how much excess water toilets seem to hold. The first thing I notice when I leave the house is how unnecessarily large cars and streets are. How there is no public transportation and how much more environmentally harmful that is.
As much as I complain about France and its very real lack of organization, it's had a clear impact on the way I think and live. I love it. And miss it dearly.
I'm starting to study for MCATs and doing my best to prepare for the rather daunting process of applying to med school, and I have no doubt that this is what I want to do and should be doing. But I'm half tempted to just throw everything away, set aside all these elaborate and challenging plans I have for myself and hop on the next plane back to Paris. I'm envious of all the people who can live there for as long as they want to, and wish I could do the same. I won't, for a number of reasons that to some people would seem absurd and trivial, but if I could pick anywhere in the world to live right now, without regard to careers or finances or anything else, it would be Paris.
I am now a snob when it comes to bread. I like (some) stinky cheeses, though I still shrink back in fright when someone opens a proper French refrigerator. I like to eat fresher foods, and try to buy groceries more frequently. I'm appalled at the thought of having only 30 minutes for lunch. I was floored by how big people's waistlines are the first time I went to a mall, whose contents are no longer appealing to my snobby European tastes. I find desserts to be too sweet, and coke to be not sweet enough. I want actual vacations, not just Christmas and Thanksgiving off. I can't go to the bathroom without noticing how much excess water toilets seem to hold. The first thing I notice when I leave the house is how unnecessarily large cars and streets are. How there is no public transportation and how much more environmentally harmful that is.
As much as I complain about France and its very real lack of organization, it's had a clear impact on the way I think and live. I love it. And miss it dearly.
I'm starting to study for MCATs and doing my best to prepare for the rather daunting process of applying to med school, and I have no doubt that this is what I want to do and should be doing. But I'm half tempted to just throw everything away, set aside all these elaborate and challenging plans I have for myself and hop on the next plane back to Paris. I'm envious of all the people who can live there for as long as they want to, and wish I could do the same. I won't, for a number of reasons that to some people would seem absurd and trivial, but if I could pick anywhere in the world to live right now, without regard to careers or finances or anything else, it would be Paris.
