A Letter to My Pre-Exchange Student Self

Dear 20-Going-On-21/Going-On-Study-Abroad-Semester-Self,

Get ready.

Seriously, get excited, because the next 4.5 months are going to be the best months of your life thus far. I promise it’s not going to be one of those things that everyone seems to talk up and blow out of proportion. Instead, it’s going to surpass all the expectations you’ve been building up since you decided you wanted to do this 10 years ago.

Your study abroad experience is going to be marked by lots of wine drinking-most of which is straight out of the bottle, yolo swag (you’ll also come to use that ridiculous Kenzie Pendergrass original term way too much, but you’ll love how ridiculous it is)-along with a great deal of walking, bonding with new international friends and of course, traveling.

I'm a nerd and kept track of everywhere I went this semester on my map:)

You decided you wanted to study abroad after seeing all of Mom’s old exchange photos from back in the day, most of which were intriguing because of how gorgeous all the cities she visited were. This semester, you’re going to see just as many, if not more, places that are more beautiful than anywhere you’ve ever been.

You’re going to wind through the busy streets of Athens until bam, you turn a corner and the ancient Acropolis is casually chilling up on the hill off to the left. You’re going to freeze for weeks in the tundra that is northern France until spring break comes and you’re rewarded with a trip to sunny Portugal/Spain (when, speaking of which, you’ll sip wine at St. George’s castle with a view overlooking the whole city of Lisbon, surprise yourself by thoroughly enjoying Taco Tuesday at Taco Bell in Madrid-probably because they give you cheap beer-and watch the sunrise over the Mediterranean after dancing the whole night away at Social Club in Barcelona). You’re going to fall in love with a French city whose name is a surname back in the good ol’ U S of A-AKA Nancy-when you go to a Bleachers/The Kooks concert and scream along to every song while French people stare and judge at you (but you won’t mind because you’re surrounded by your equally loud and fun-

loving American exchange friends). 

.70 euro wine with a view, score.

You’re going to sip tea at Laduree and wine from a baby bottle at Refuge des Fondues during Mom’s trip to Paris, and you’re going to master the Parisian metro system with your fellow Mizzou Journalism Abroad-Reims buds during your first big group trip. You’re going to eat amazing food, learn some British history and pretend to be in your 30s when you visit Nat in London, and then you’re going to have an interesting time in Lyon involving Air BnB and clubs on boats.

You’re going to take the overnight bus to and from Amsterdam, where you’ll experience coffee shops, the most beautiful gardens you’ll ever lay eyes on (the Kukenhof and its famous tulips), and accidentally couch surf at a super cool Russian/semi Italian student’s apartment. You’re going to make new friends with the students of Sciences Po-Dijon when you stumble upon a party on the front lawn of their campus, and you’ll become even closer with your Sciences Po-Reims girlfriends in the process (fuqboyz fo lyfe...that will forever be the most shambly, hilarious and entertaining train ride of your life).

My favorite Colombian and I:)

You’re going to witness one of the biggest parties in Germany (but not really participate because you’re running on an hour of sleep, so you just sort of stare while standing in the obscenely large crowd) when you unknowingly book a flight that gets in to Berlin on May Day, and then you’ll attempt-and give up after 5 minutes in line-to get into one of the most exclusive clubs in Europe the following night. You’re going to meet friends from all over the world on your walking tour in breathtaking Prague and climb a mountain-like hill with them, all while wearing jeans in 75+ degree weather (biggest regret: not packing shorts on that trip). Then, you’ll take the world’s best overnight bus-seriously, Student Agency is boss. TVS and a huge movie selection for everyone!-to beautiful Budapest, where you’ll eat an amazing garlic/cheese/lard (yes, we were told the Hungarians love their lard)-filled dumpling meal and learn more about Hungarian politics and what it’s like living in a post-communist society than you ever thought you would.

Some art appreciation at the East Side Gallery in Berlin. 

You’ll spot celebs at the film festival in Cannes and then see the most beautiful view of your life when you climb a hill overlooking the Mediterranean and the entire city of Nice. You’ll spend two perfect days in the most quaint and tranquil island in Greece, Agistri, where you’ll party way too loudly in your room with all your friends but the hotel owners, AKA the nicest people in the world, will still love you and give you free Greek yogurt the next morning when you’re hungover. And, on your final trip, you’ll survive dumb bus fines in Florence and a torrential downpour in Rome and be rewarded with free Italian “champagne,” the best food you’ve ever had and a hostel that offers an hour-long open bar (score).

I think it's safe to say that we enjoyed the island. Miss you, Agistri.

What you won’t expect is to have the time of your life not only in all of these foreign cities, but also in the little, lesser known city that you end up studying in.

Reims will offer you more laughs, sleepless-and not because you’re studying-nights, and completely random yet priceless memories than you could ever imagine. You’ll fall in love with the city’s cathedral-which will become your favorite in all of Europe-and end up spending some alone time there just to stop and give thanks for this blessing of a semester. You’ll have a picnic outside the beautiful St. Remi Basilica with all your best friends, wait down the street for two hours for a gala bus that never comes, and get free pastries from the angel of a woman who owns the bakery across from school. You’ll eat takeout from a place called “Made in Pizza”-great English-for your 21st birthday, right before you drink way too much wine and fear that your new Texan and Swedish friends that came along will judge you (but they won’t, so no need to worry because it turns out that they’re two of the sweetest girls you’ll ever meet). You’ll spend countless nights crashing in your friends’ rooms in Residium after going out, and when you choose to make the 45-min trek home instead, you’ll have some of the best drunken conversations of your life with Kenzie. 

We clean up pretty nice, I guess. 

You’ll eat French Montana original burgers made over a tiny stove in TDC, and pasta made in the same tiny kitchen by your favorite, very fashionable Italians. You’ll skip the sidewalk and walk in the street some nights, attempting parkour and asking random people for “agua” (not l’eau or water, mind you, but the spanish version). You'll walk into a potentially haunted construction site in the middle of the night and run away when you find a dog bowl full of water (because clearly, that means there are people living in there). You’ll get rejected from the Vogue and experience the most pure sense of joy when you and most of your friends finally get in during one of your last nights all together. You’ll make friends with bartenders and occasionally get free shots at the best bar in town, AKA Sherlock, and watch the most epic dance battle of your life at Le Bee.

A rare occurrence: Pauly B's natural smile caught on camera.

Most importantly, you’ll realize that sometimes, the best friends are found in the most unlikely of places. You’ll realize that the people that you meet on exchange are the type of people that are worth holding on to. Your friendship with them is different. It sounds cheesy, but it’s special. When you come into the semester a somewhat shy, awkward tall girl that’s not used to letting go, your new friends will become the people that help you come out of your shell. They will make you leave your number on the table for a cute waiter and message that guy you were dancing with at the club. They’ll convince you to wear the dress that you wouldn’t normally wear, or to try that new drink that you’ve never ordered before (which wasn’t always a good idea, but now you know haha). They’ll teach you new dance moves-good and bad-and how to flirt (lolz). They’ll teach you the importance of cutting yourself a break and letting go. They’ll teach you that you deserve to have a good time, and that getting good grades isn’t the most important thing in life. They’ll teach you that it’s ok to be a little selfish now and then, because you’re in charge of your own life and you don’t owe anything to anyone. By the end of this semester, you’ll leave France a more confident, self-assured girl, and you have them to thank for that.

Here’s my advice to you: don’t forget to thank these people. 

Tell your new friends-who will come to be more like family-how much you love them throughout the semester, and don’t let their reciprocated love go unappreciated. Cherish every moment that you have with them while it lasts, because you never know how long it will be until you see them again, and they’re not the type of people that you ever want walking out of your life.

Love,

Your Future, Very Emotional Post-Exchange Semester Self. 

I'm forever grateful to have met all of these wonderful people. Thank you for the best 4.5 months of my life:)