The Dream Explained

An introduction to the heart behind my study abroad experience and how I have been anticipating it for my whole life

For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed about the quaint, picturesque France from Beauty and the Beast, the pleasing sound of tearing off a piece of an authentic, fresh French baguette, and the singsongy-nature of the beautiful French language. I was the little girl who dreamed of living in France and eating lots and lots of croissants on a balcony with an adorably colorful flower box hanging off it.

“If you told my five-year-old self that I'd be doing all this, she would have been very excited, but she would definitely have believed you. Like I said, this was my dream, and I always was ambitious.”

Now -- don't pinch me -- I'm living my dream and strolling the cobblestone streets of France every day. Sometimes, it is not as picturesque as I imagined (think biking half an hour in a torrential downpour or frequently receiving the "anglaise" or "americaine" insult the moment I open my mouth), but there have already been countless times it has more than surpassed my expectations (like when I randomly stumbled upon a cathedral on an afternoon walk or late night picnics and laughs by the water with friends).

Studying abroad is an adventure; I always knew it would be. It's not always perfect, but that's what I love about it. There's always something new to explore and figure out. Instead of the Chicago skyscrapers, I have the Vosges mountains. Instead of sleeping in to the last minute and eating a granola bar breakfast, I enjoy a slow-paced baguette breakfast with my host family. Instead of doing most of my learning in a classroom, I'm learning more than I could ever have imagined by exploring new countries and trying new things. If you told my five-year-old self that I'd be doing all this, she would have been very excited, but she would definitely have believed you. Like I said, this was my dream, and I always was ambitious.