Before I went to study abroad, my advisors, parents, and friends who have studied abroad all told me that this would be a life-changing experience. And that I should continue to press on through the hundreds and hundreds of emails I was sending and the numerous phone calls and forms I had to fill out. That I would forget all about the filler work once I got there; naturally I was skeptical of it all, but I had made up my mind to study abroad so there was no going back.
Looking back now, I can say that they were so right. And that it was a life-changing experience. I never imagined a time could be so beautiful and vivid, so intimidating and tumultuous. The feeling of wonder never left even when I thought it would, and the intensity of my time there was like a canvas covered in the most extreme tones of every color, the most vivid hues from bright to dark. And now that I am back in my small town of Chattanooga, back in the quiet nature of Tennessee, I look around and understand that nothing can ever be the same. I am not the same person I was, I am greater than I was.
My host location was Paris, France, the art capital, the fashion capital, the most visited city in the world with the most visited monument in the world. Paris itself took some time to grow on me, which I figured would happen, the city is constantly moving at a pace no one can follow. Every day there is some cool new event going on that you may or may not stumble upon, every arrondissement features a myriad of the most delectable eats and drinks at the same time that you might miss. Every night there are a host of clubs and bars featuring this music or that celebrity or that moment. It’s a city that dances twenty-four seven. That is what makes it difficult to get used to, but eventually I would grow to appreciate that hustle and bustle and found myself riding the currents to all the places I wanted to be.
As an artist, I couldn’t have asked for a better place to be. Paris has the biggest art galleries, the most notable and diverse museums, and a host of art events like Art Basel and Paris Design Week. Being in attendance of those two events especially changed the game for me, seeing people at the highest level was beyond motivating and captivating. But also, as a traveller, Paris presented the perfect opportunity to find myself in the middle of everything.
From Paris I and my new compatriots found ourselves in numerous adventures across France. From the cliff faces of Normandy, to the castles of La Havre and Saint Micheal, to the winter markets of Strasbourg and Vienna. I found new life in the beaches of the Cote D’Azur, from a solo excursion to Marseille, that showed me some of the most beautiful waters and sunsets. To the surf days in Biarritz, where I, and some amazing new friends for life, surfed for the first time and renewed my vows to the sea.
This time was one of constant learning, constantly keeping my eyes open toward it all, I could not turn from my fears or flaws anymore, being abroad helped me see what I wanted my life to look like. The friends I made showed me the beauty of understanding again, the beauty of novelty and getting out of your comfort zone. They showed me that blessings are always around the corner, and that as long as you have your people you can never lose, even during the hardest times of the semester, where all we could offer each other was a shoulder or a hug, or just a kind text. We went through these times together. And the biggest takeaway of my time there was just to keep walking. Stay on the move, whether it’s 10 feet or 100 miles, going out of your house and exploring the world around you is the best thing you can do for yourself.
Malcolm Key (BS Communication) spent Fall 2024 studying abroad in Paris, France through KEI. Malcolm had the following to say about studying abroad, “Cry once a week, it’s good for you. Hug your friends, compliment them, whether they’re new or old friends. Eat good food at LEAST once a day. If you’re gonna go to the same place twice, it better be amazing. But be sure to find spots you can frequent that are within walking distance, whether its a bar, or restaurant, or library, or cafe, or social area, or park, just go to it because its close. Trust your gut and smile at the staff and be kind. Make sure you find pockets of joy in every day.”
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