Bonjour mes amis! Once again, I return to close the final chapter of my travels in France. Studying abroad during the Cultural Experiences Abroad (CEA) Summer Session was an overall fantastic experience. Having spent about a month back on U.S. soil, I can say with a fresh mind—the most surprising thing about Paris? It felt normal. Of course, we’re all human with the same core needs and wants. But given that I’d never been to Europe before now, it seemed almost untrustworthy that I could fall into a routine so easily.

After the first week, I felt comfortable walking around Paris and found myself on autopilot as I stopped by the Monoprix or sliding into an outdoor seating area at noon. In my last week, between writing my final paper, I joined thousands of people in the Fête de la Musique on June 21st. During the worldwide festival, several local artists (or people with access to a mic and a smidge too much confidence) set up their instruments and play music throughout the day. While I didn’t visit all 300 performances, I did join one ran by a fellow CEA student’s charity organization, then drifted around with some friends, listening to the thrum of crashing beats and laughter. The energy in the air reminded me of campus a little.

Upon arriving home, I did notice a few differences. For one, I had to unlearn some habits like slipping into French in casual conversations or looking for staircases instead of elevators. I also needed a minute to recalibrate my resting face from Parisian to New Yorker. For others studying abroad, I’d recommend at least two days of socialization bootcamp to avoid awkward scenarios (I’m only kidding!).

Perhaps it’s more practical to focus on the basic recommendations instead. You should assess multiple programs carefully, reviewing all their policies and looking up companies they partner with for insurance or travel deals and make sure they’re of high quality. Check to see if a program has any scholarships or grants and compare fees. Whatever program you select should be approved by Pitt’s Global Experiences Office before signing up. Also, you should double check to search for additional fees and keep paperwork like IDs or Passports in document folders.

Know that studying abroad will fine-tune your perspective of the world. I feel blessed to have met people and fellow students from multi-ethnic backgrounds that I can turn to for their opinions—who are also working to reintroduce themselves to life in an informed way. One thing my professor emphasized in class was the impact on French history on modern sociocultural norms and how it informs the “traditional French view” of modern issues: childcare, environmental safety, politics, etc. Much of which follows along the logic of allowing for a free personal self while maintaining a mutually beneficial public society. We also broke down flaws with this logic seen in systemic discrimination and difficulties understanding people’s needs.

I am certain, at the very least, that my trip has stressed the importance of a balance between rest and work. I’ve always imagined later years as being busy. I want to work within healthcare, continue my studies, volunteer within local communities, find advocacy roles, support my family, write novels/stories/articles/anything my brain will let hit the page, etc. I’ve seen the future as lively, but not calming, more like an endless freight train of activities. However, to get to all those wonderful goals, I need to insert rest as integral components of my future and present, rather than as things to shove into “tomorrow land.” Longevity requires rest. That’s my main takeaway from my trip thus far—I’m sure some others will follow with time.