Remembering Paris

Remember how uncomfortable you felt

Remember how you didn't/don't speak any French

Immersing yourself in a culture can be very hard. Sometimes you want to panic. Sometimes you just want to give up.

We take it for granted what it means to speak in our native tongue everyday. Sometimes that's all you want.

But this defeats the purpose. You have to persevere and try. Just keep trying. Trying to learn. Trying to engage. Trying to be a sponge and soak it all in. This is all you need to do to create an authentic experience for yourself, whether or not you embarrass yourself, who cares.

The journey is your reward.

Remember how at times you choked

Remember how often you looked at a menu and guessed what you were ordering

Relish in that mystery

The unknown can be fun if you embrace it

Simply breathe and keep trying. Never. Stop. Trying. Learning. Engaging.