Reflecting on my time in Paris, I realize that I will miss the feel of being in Paris the most. More so than any one landmark or event, walking across the streets that I became increasingly familiar with sticks with me the most. I first came to Paris tired and confused after a long flight, I left with the feeling that I knew Paris and its streets as if I had spent years in the city. Knowing a city involves a familiarity with both the famous areas and the smaller, everyday sights. I appreciate that the program gave me the opportunity to not just learn about the European Union, but to become familiar with a city I had only known from the media I consumed.
Back in Miami, enjoying a cortadito.
As I became more familiar with the city, I also developed friendships that I hope will last in Evanston and that my new friends and I have more experiences together in a more familiar place. Traveling to Paris has already changed my perspective on the world around me. Returning to Miami, I noticed that I look at familiar streets in a new light. Miami seems brighter now after my time in foggy Paris. The buildings that I drove past without paying much attention are more noticeable and give Miami a character that can only be noticed by time spent away from it. The ultimate goal of travel and of leaving my comfort zones to expand my worldview and I believe that learning a new language, traveling on the metro and walking on narrow streets has done just that.