365 days and 48 hours later... Bienvenue en France

365 days and 48 hours later things have changed A LOT. If 365 days and 48 hours ago you would have asked me where I would be today I would have looked at you with an expression on my face saying “Dont Bother Asking, I have absolutely no idea”. Without having spoken french in 5 years and with only having done 2 years in highschool I decided to move to Paris. I was a bit afraid, i was meant to take exams and study at HEC one of the best, okay modesty apart- the best renowed university in France for Business. How was I going to get out of that with my level of french? But I was relieved, I was heading to what I had heard was a beautiful city plus one which culturally was way closer to “my culture”- the catalan one.

My friend Maria drove from luxemburg to Holland to pick me up and drive me to what we thought was “Paris”, after a 5 hour ride we arrived in Jouy and Josas, place where the HEC campus is found. To simply leave me in my room and drive back to Luxemburg. I think I never thanked you enough for that. On the 8th of september we left the Netherlands at around 5am and underwent quite an odessy to arrive to France. I remember seeing in the middle of the fog the sing “Bienvenue en France”. Neither Maria nor I could believe this was happening, I had openly declared that I was going to move back to Spain after Holland. Yet once again I was overcomed with my desire to keep an international life and experience yet another exprience abroad. And has this one been a great one! Not always easy, starting by the first day in France, but definately a good and enriching one.

I now work in France and in french in the domain that I like- logistics, wouldnt have said that would happen. ( i have had to update my cv in yet another language).

I have learned plenty of french street words and expressions, wow.

Ive been told that my french is good, hahaha that would not have happened 365 days and 48 hours ago when I had to look up half of the words that I would write in the emails.

Yes, I have been told a bunch of times that I have an accent, and I have started to believe that this wount disappear, but no need to. Im happy with the fact that sometimes I start to think in French, WOW!

I have seent he tour de France arrive in Paris

I have been able to enjoy amazing fire works on the 14th of July in Paris.

I have discovered a new city.

I have even managed to live on my own with no flatmates and little friends during 6 months, thing that seemed totally not possible 1 year ago. I thought i could never live completely on my own in a 11sq meter studio.

I have attended HEC. Done and Over.

I have lived the “exchange world”, and met many new friends, many who have once again left....

And although they have all left Paris, 365 days ago ( without the 48h) I met many new friends, catalan friends....ESADE students that came to HEC...it was good, and as he reminded me, 365 days ago we hanged my Catalan Flag in the balcony of room 137 of the B2 builduing of the HEC Campus....thats where it all started, the friendships of the catalan “team”at HEC. At the end even Paris helped me get closer to Barcelona.

Whatever this leads to I now feel “at home” @ Paris. Yet with a sudden sadness when I land at Charles de Gaulle or when the Thalys arrives at Gare du Nord. I might never belong anywhere in the world, but Paris has becomed yet another city where I can at least feel that I am home. This was not the case 365 days and 48h ago.....