1/18/2017 0 Comments Holidays AbroadUp until the age of 18, I had never spent Christmas anywhere other than Mexico or the USA. For me, as for most I assume, it was all about family. All of my uncles and cousins would gather, and we genuinely had an amazing time. Then as I grew up, such gatherings kept getting smaller, but it was only when I moved to France that things took a different turn. I suddenly found myself figuring out where and how I would spend Christmas without my family. During my first two years here, my mom wasn’t able to come for Christmas, and because of my exams I wasn’t able to go to Mexico either, so things had to change a little bit. I ended up spending Christmas at my best friend’s grandma’s home the first year, which gave me an insight into what Christmas it’s like in a French household. Then the following year I went to England and spent it with another friend and her family, and got to see a little bit of the English traditions. Now these have been experiences that I’ve genuinely loved, and as an expat, I think holidays are always a pretty particular aspect of the whole experience. It’s interesting, the way in which the same holiday changes around the world. In Mexico for example, the real celebration comes on Christmas Eve. You may go to church if that’s part of your tradition, then head back home and get everything ready for dinner. When it comes to the meal, there are a few standard dishes you’ll find. In most households: tamales, turkey, cod and “atole” are first on the list. Then of course each family adds its own variations. Now I had the chance to go back home last year for it and relive all of it again, and let me tell you, although my marks at uni didn’t appreciate it that much, I sure did. However this year it all changes again, I had no more than a few weeks break for Christmas and most of it needed to be spent revising for finals. Hence, this time it was Christmas with friends. You see in France, the order seems to be Christmas with family, new years with friends, so I guess that in a way, I was somewhat respecting that this year. In Mexico we are used to spending both with family, however, ever since living in France I think my friends and I have gotten use to our random little holiday stories, not really knowing where or with whom we might be. But don’t get me wrong though, every single year is a new experience and it’s always nice to see what others might be doing for the same holiday. To me, it’s pretty amazing to see the way in which people are brought together during this time, and how you can spend a whole day and night with people you just met that day but yet have the best time, because we’re all there for the same reason.
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6/19/2016 0 Comments On creating bondsMeeting new people is quite interesting isn’t it? They were always there, in fact you might have even crossed paths, they just weren’t a part of your life.
Now this fascinates me in many ways, mainly because I always found taking that first step hard. You see some might say I am a shy girl, in fact I could even label myself as one, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to get to know you. But that’s the weird thing about first impressions, they set you up for expectations. After seeing someone for the first time, you’ll probably be lead to categorize him or her. Not intentionally of course, it’s just something that happens. Now the big difference lies on whether you are willing to see past that and find out more, or just stay like that, in the dark. You see one moment can change it all. A simple decision can make it or break it; saying yes or no to a metro ride with someone, or a study session in the library, or simply laughing at a remark being made about your name. In just a second, you can go from being in your own bubble, to acknowledging another human being that could unexpectedly become a big part of your life. Now I must say I never really had to experience much of this. Up until the age of 18, I grew up around the same people and group of friends. We knew and still know everything about each other, went through our worst phases together, and can probably tell if something’s wrong even if it is just over the phone or a message. Needless to say, stepping out of it was a rather unsettling situation. I didn’t know how to approach strangers, and even worse, having to do so in a different language terrified me. But here’s something I’ve learned, no matter how scared or shy you might be, if you are open to the possibilities, things can work out in the end. Being able to say yes or just considering it can open the door to and endless world full of relationships and bonds, created in seconds, amongst people who somehow, somewhere, found their way to each other. You can end up meeting people who have never been to your country, and yet from miles away are fascinated and want to know more. Or people from a totally different background and culture, that might understand your struggles better than those you grew up with. To me this is the beauty about Paris, and big international cities in general. You have a pool of stories and cultures in one same spot; Australia, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Georgia, France, England, Colombia and much more. Now if you would’ve asked me three years ago if I thought I would know someone in each of these countries, my answer would’ve probably been no. However today, I can tell you that I feel more connected to the world and the people around me than never before. I’ve learned that Melbourne is known for its coffee, and never to question a Melbourian’s knowledge on it. I travelled to Ecuador for the first time after meeting a great group of Ecuadorians studying in France, and have now ironically gathered and adopted quit a few of their expressions. I’ve been to England to be welcomed by a Romanian family, allowing me to learn from both cultures at once. And, recently and unexpectedly, I’ve learned more about Sri Lanka’s culture, dances and language in the past few months than I ever thought I would. The list could go on and on, and to be honest I think it is one I’m really proud of. I don’t think I would be the person I am today if it wasn’t for the experiences I’ve had. I’ve built friendships and relationships that are scattered all over the globe, and I’m constantly amazed by how much I am able to learn everyday from the people that surround me. Creating bonds is part of what makes us human. Realizing that the girl or boy you cross paths with everyday could have a similar experience to yours puts you in this interesting position, where you suddenly feel less like just an individual, and more like part of a community. Now, I must say that before coming here, these were circumstances that terrified me. But now, I can safely say that I’m happy with where I’m headed. I’m going to be honest; I don’t know what’s next. I don’t know whom I might meet, or who might not stay. The one thing I can say though is, that every single person you know can have a great impact in your life. So take a chance and say “Hi”, however many times it might take, there’ll always be that one person who’ll reply. 6/2/2016 0 Comments What does home mean to you?If you had to give one answer, to define what you would call home, would you be able to do it in just a few words?
After a few days in Paris by myself, the only thing I could think of was - “I want to go home”. I wanted to be back in my room, in my home town, with my family and friends. Up until moving abroad, Mexico had been my home. Then the time came for me to go back in the summer, after my first year in France. I was excited. I couldn’t wait to be back and just feel at ease again. The funny thing was, that I didn’t. Coming back, things had change, and maybe to the eyes of those living in Mexico they weren’t big changes, but for me, it was strange. Buildings that disappeared, others that had been built, stores closing, friends changing careers or moving houses. Even if, yes, it was still my hometown and I was falling back into my old routines, it still felt like starting all over. Something as simple as a conversation made me feel anxious because there was at least one new name popping out every sentence. People I had never heard of before that were now a big part of my friends or family’s lives. I kept being introduced to more and more people, and though it was great to meet them, I couldn’t help but miss the old times. Those days where I knew what was happening around me, even if I wasn’t necesserily present. I must admit, before coming back this first time, I never expected to feel as out of place as I did. At the end of the day, this is where I grew up, but then again, how was I expecting a place I haven’t lived in for a year not to feel foreign. You see moving abroad puts you in an interesting position. You start building your own traditions and routines to settle down, but yet part of you is still back home. And even though you want to get to a point where you can call this new place “Home”, a part of you keeps saying – “How could you?”. You hold on to what you know, because change can be scary, but you also can’t help to wonder whats on the other side of the barrier. Having spent a few years in France now, I can safely say that I’ve jumped over the wall of the unknown. Being here can definitely feel like home. I can work my way though Paris like I never thought I could before, and even though figuring out the ways of the French is still a work in progress, there is a familiarity that comes with the city every time I come back. In my mind, I can now say there isn’t just one place I would call home, because home is more than just where I grew up, or where I live now. Home to me is what I’ve experienced, the memories I carry with me: A smell, a look, a word, or even just a sound can take me back to all these different moments, and make me feel calm and at ease. Everything I’ve been through and everything I’ll go through will leave a mark on me, and whether I like it or not, it’ll probably follow me for the rest of my life. Before Paris, the sound of the metro doors closing or police sirens going off meant nothing to me. But now, if I hear that somewhere else, weirdly enough it’ll make me feel home just as much as hearing someone speak Spanish. We constantly feel the need to put a label on our origins, so we can fit into these boxes, where there’s no loophole imaginable. However, we are not just part of this one thing. After I went back to Mexico that first summer, I realized I shouldn’t have felt bad about feeling like I dint fit in. It did not changed who I was, instead it only showed how much I grew and transformed. I was carrying a whole set of new experiences, and this meant that I was going to have to adapt every time I moved around, which I’m getting used to now. The constant switching between languages, traditions and cultures is just another part of my life, part of the things that feel like home at this moment in time. 2/29/2016 2 Comments Living abroadIf you're thinking of moving abroad, whether it is to study or just to experience new things, don't be scared. Go for it!
I'm not going to lie and say it'll be easy and that you won't have bad days. Days where the only thing you want to do is hop on a plane and be back home, in the comfort of your bed and your mom’s cooking, or simply the warm weather and sunny days you kind of took for granted back then. Don't get me wrong I'm no expert, and this is all just coming from personal experience, but I know it would've helped to at least read about these things before flying off. Living abroad, your priorities change, and the things you used to care about transform just as much as you do. Just like you, the luggage you'll carry changes, but that's the fun of it all. Before, I used to care about nothing but school, everything else was pretty much settled: food, housing etc. all taken care of. Cooking for myself wasn’t really a necessity, or paying bills, and I didn’t know much on how to finance a budget meant to last you a month and not just two weeks (lesson now learned, promise). There weren't that many worries back then. But then suddenly the minute you leave, you feel like everything gets thrown at you. Now you find yourself reminiscing a lot. Thinking about all those times you imagined what growing up was like and realizing how wrong and naive you were. In the blink of an eye you find yourself lost in the “adult” world, and it’s terrifying. And you think to yourself “why didn’t anyone teach me any of this?”, even though chances are deep down someone did and you knew this was coming, but weren’t ready to accept it. Bills, bank procedures, buying food, motivating yourself to go to Uni, are just a few of the things that become a part of your daily routine. You start to collect items, experiences and memories of all sorts. Relationships change, and go from seeing the same people everyday, to meeting new people everyday, often in a foreign language. Traditions evolve, and the ways in which you do certain things do too. Over these past two and a half years, I‘ve built friendships and relationships that are now scattered all over the globe, adapted and integrated what I grew up with with the ways of the French, and have had to get use to leaving some things behind. Coming to Paris, I left behind the group of friends I grew up with. Some stayed in Mexico and others came to France but are in different cities. They are like family to me, so meeting new people abroad was strange at the beginning. But now, not only have I kept the relationships I had, but I also made new ones that have gotten me to where I am today. I’ve gotten attached to people, places, activities, traditions and routines that are now a big part of my life. There’s just one catch behind all of it. These things won’t always be a part of it. As soon as I leave France and go back to Mexico everything changes, and I go back to old routines. I'm constantly adapting, and this is just a little part of the experience. The more you get to know of the world, the more your mind-set about certain things will change. You learn, and you definitely won't like everything you experience. There'll be days where the distance will hit you harder than expected, others where realizing that not everyone around the world has the opportunity to do what you've done will make you reconsider the path you want to take. You’ll have to fight the urge to give up more than ever, and find the balance between your idea of “freedom” and being responsible with the opportunities you’re given. But after a while, the days where you feel ready and settled will out grow those of fear and incertitude, and you’ll accept with a little bit more ease whatever this journey throws at you. So, if you feel like going abroad might be the right thing for you, just keep an open mind and get started! |
About WUTAS23 year old, looking forward to share my thoughts! Entries
August 2018
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