After four weeks in Paris, I am afraid to say that homesickness is here, and it is real. It’s not what I expected it to be; it’s definitely not as strong of an emotion for me as I thought it would be. It’s more of a looming feeling that I’m just missing something in my day-to-day life. I find myself sleeping in a little more, being a little snippier and just wanting to talk to my friends at home. And let’s be real, that is NOT what I should be doing while I’m in Paris. So here are some ways I have found myself trying to combat this homesickness.
- Long Walks
This is the first thing I found that works somewhat. I will put in my headphones, put on a more cheerful album, and just walk. My favorite walk, which also helps me ground myself, is to the Eiffel Tower and back. It really is what puts me in awe of being here, and the 7th arrondissement is super cute and VERY Paris. Even just walking to get food 30 minutes away is a great way for me to calm my nerves, look around and realize how fortunate I am to be here.
- Forcing myself out
The people I am most homesick for are my sister and my best friends, Nate and Mary. And as much as I wish I could just call them and talk to them about everything all the time, which I found myself doing for all of last week. That is not the most productive way to get out of this spell. So I have started agreeing to plans even if I don’t really know if I want to go, or I am waiting until I am home to call them. At least I am out. And so far, about 9/10 times, I have had no regrets about doing this.
- Calling my sister
Stay with me here. I may contradict myself, but sometimes it is necessary to call the people closest to you. I am very much a family-and-friends girl. I would rather be with them because I don’t like making new friends all that much. I hate the weird period where you don’t actually trust them that much, and the friendship is fragile. And that is essentially what it is here. So, I call my sister to lay out everything deep and personal I have been feeling, so I don’t suffocate myself in my own head.
- Peanut M&Ms
One of the biggest things I miss about America is the food. I am a fiend for Mexican food, and it has not been hitting the spot here. Normally, on my worst days, that is what I would eat to make myself feel better. A Qdoba bowl has never done me wrong. But of course, probably because of GMOs and whatever, those flavors I miss so dearly do not exist here. But one thing does: Peanut M&Ms, and they are the one thing that tastes almost the same. They remind me of my mom and growing up, and just give me that boost of nostalgia I haven’t been able to find here.
This isn’t foolproof, and I definitely call my home friends more than recommended. But what can I say except I’m trying! Paris is truly an amazing city, and when I sit back and feel down about being here, I just remind myself to be grateful for this opportunity that not everyone gets. And yet sometimes that still doesn’t stop the creeping feelings of homesickness, but these things have definitely softened the blow.