By Jasmine Jones, Public Health in Europe, Fall 2012
Well, it’s been a couple weeks since I’ve been back in the states and believe me, it was a transition much like the one that I first experienced leaving America to live in France nearly four months ago. The culture shock I experienced initially in Paris has surprisingly and humorously been something I have been dealing with now as well. Having instantaneous access to anything and everything I want, any time I want, is glorious, yet I find myself shaking my head at this aspect of American culture much like the French do. I have to say, I am loving the comparatively cheap food available to me once again, and seeing my friends and family has brought me joy that is hard to summarize in mere words. At the same time, I catch myself looking out of my window and missing the view of the Eiffel Tower I had in my dormitory in Paris, and the familiarity and sense of home I was just beginning to feel confident in before I left. The experiences I had in Paris, the people I met, the things I learned both in and outside of the classroom about myself and the surrounding world around me, is truly invaluable. I visited five different European countries, 14 different European cities, and countless individuals in passing that, whether they know it or not, have contributed to a more educated, aware, and understanding me. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to live abroad for a portion of my lifetime and while I plan to one day revisit and see other countries in the world, I must say, it feels amazing to be home. One thing that was consistent in my travels was the realization that there really is no country like America, and that I am American to my very core. Trust me, Europeans were not shy about letting me know that!
