After two and a half years as an undergraduate at The University of Texas at Austin, I finally felt like I’d adjusted to being a Longhorn. Now that I’m studying abroad in Paris, I’m starting the process of adapting to a new lifestyle again. Though I’ve been in Paris for almost a month, the feeling of being “adjusted” is still elusive. What exactly does it mean to be “adjusted” to a new chapter of life?
Going Old-Fashioned: Navigating Without Google Maps
For starters, moving to a new place means changing your daily routine. When I first arrived in Paris, I felt as if I was constantly turned around, unable to place locations on a map or distinguish the right bank of the Seine from the left.
I’d never considered myself directionally challenged, but coming from Austin and North Texas suburbia, the stunning Parisian building facades were relatively indistinguishable.
Navigating directions in such a large city is a daunting feat. Along with learning the names of major streets and neighborhoods, there’s the added element of putting together the puzzle of public transportation. I’ve had to figure out which metro lines connect to different stations, the regions they serve, high-speed transit lines and more.
As students, we tend to dive into challenges head-on. We’re so focused on efficiency that we often miss out on the rewards of the learning process itself.
One of the earliest lessons I’ve learned here is to take things step-by-step, sometimes quite literally. Start by learning the names of the streets where you live, find landmarks you can pinpoint and go from there. When walking to school the first week, I would intentionally leave a little earlier to take a new route.
While I by no means have the whole city memorized, I can confidently navigate to and from school and the areas around my home. The comfort of knowing where I am, without Google Maps, has truly helped me find my footing.
Bonjour! Je voudrais un… croissant?
I’ve been learning French in some way, shape or form for almost 10 years. However, I still find myself messing up, stuttering, and apologetically switching to English after a single mistake, despite knowing I can eventually find the right word.
Along with learning how to navigate a new city physically, moving abroad means learning how to communicate in an unfamiliar environment. In France, my “Hello” has become “Bonjour,” and “Have a good day” is now “Bonne journée.”
But besides these phrases, which are easy to memorize, French is quite a difficult language — and the French can be intimidating! On my first full day, I avoided going into a boulangerie (bakery) for a cappuccino and a croissant because I was so nervous to order in French. Something so simple had my heart fluttering with adrenaline!
I’m three weeks in, and I still hesitate before trying to say something in French. However, over these three weeks, I’ve come to realize that if I don’t try, I’ll never learn. If I don’t know the word for something, I’ve started saying that I don’t know it in French and then trying my best to explain which word I’m looking for. In most cases, the person I’m speaking to will catch on and give me the word.
Now, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t those who just automatically “clock” you as an American and try to speak in English. But when that happens, keep trying! Even if you don’t speak the language of the place you’re moving to, it’s a significant part of the culture that you might miss out on, and there truly is no harm in trying.
Loneliness Without Longhorn Nation
My first real day as an abroad student was the same day as the College Football National Championship Game (the one our team didn’t make it to). It’s safe to say that I was truly feeling the absence of Longhorn Nation at that moment.
The hardest part of adjusting to France so far is the absence of my friends and community at UT Austin. While I’m here with one person I know, we’re isolated from other students and don’t do everything together.
As exchange students, we live in accommodations we find on our own, as opposed to living with other students in a place arranged by an affiliate program. Although our school has an exchange orientation program, we were only exposed to relatively few people.
I’ve learned two main lessons from this: to be proactive in my friendships and to be OK with spending time alone.
One of the main differences between being a university student here versus back at UT is the process of finding community. Besides the absence of Greek life, clubs are much fewer and far between, and most other organizations and activities have limited registration.
Rather than waiting for opportunities to spend time with people to arise, I’ve been intentionally taking the first step by asking people to grab lunch, visit a museum, or go on the hunt for study spots. You don’t need an excuse to try and become friends with someone — just ask!
The other difference I’ve felt most acutely is that people here are much more comfortable with independence. Growing up, spending time alone seemed to have a negative connotation. Here, solitude brings more of a sense of serenity and confidence.
So, Am I Adjusted?
I can now name the streets by my apartment, navigate to school by metro and foot, am familiar with the grocery stores near me and have new contacts in my phone. I’ve also learned the word for “lid” in French so my coffee doesn’t spill!
But I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’m adjusted, at least in terms of what I thought “adjusted” meant. However, I do understand that putting pressure on myself to adjust takes the thrill out of the little things I’d usually get from an experience like studying abroad.
I’ve come to realize that living in a new place is an ongoing process, and I’m barely in my third week. Lightening my expectations, finding joy in getting lost and allowing myself to make mistakes is part of the learning curve.
This post was contributed by Naomi Levine, a Global Ambassador for Spring 2025. Naomi is a junior studying abroad in Paris, France.
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