Now that I have finished my summer study abroad trip in France, I can safely say that that was one of the highlights of my life. When the time got close for me to actually go on the trip, I was terrified in a way that I have rarely gotten in my life. Which is saying something, due to my generalized anxiety. The stress I felt before even getting on the plane is unmatched. Not only was this the first time traveling internationally, it was my first time on a plane at all. And I was worried I wouldn’t be able to make any friends due to having such a hard time making them in my regular life. Though when I got there, my friend group naturally gravitated toward each other after a couple of days. I made four new friends that are the closest I have been to anyone in a long time. The trip allowed us to really get to know each other. We had no distractions like standard school, work, or familiar faces to buffer us. We had each other, the city to explore, and limited time. I think we all knew how little time we had and made it a point to enjoy every bit of it before it was over. The places we visited were amazing, but the main point that I hope to drive in is that the people I met made this trip better than I could imagine. While there were hiccups here and there, that’s not the stuff I remember the most. Making it back home safely after France has been a blessing, but I can’t help but dream of how much I miss it all. Even the parts that I didn’t enjoy, I would endure it again to feel that kind of community one more time. It felt nice to have people look for me to have fun with them, for me to be a core member of our tribe. All the stars aligned with this trip. I felt like I was meant to be there after so many trials and setbacks. It allowed me to let myself have fun and for other people to get to know me like I couldn’t do before. Now I’m a little sad because it will never be the same again. But it’s better to have experienced this than to not have experienced it at all…