Lonely in Lille

Homesickness rarely hits me, but when it does, it hits hard. I felt it this weekend, on a trip to the city of Lille in the north of France. I was with a friend from Paris, and he took me to a dinner party with all his university buddies. They were great – kind and hospitable and generous and funny as hell. The gathering was intimate but lively. Stories and updates and memories were traded across the dinner table, punctuated only by huge bursts of laughter. There was just one problem: it was all in rapid-fire French, and I was completely lost throughout most of it. I threw all my energy into trying to understand the conversation and even tried to contribute once or twice. But after a little while, I grew tired and started longing for my own group of rowdy, hilarious, college friends. Although I was surrounded by people, I felt completely alone.

I knew that the language barrier would be one of the toughest things about moving to Paris. Sure, lots of people speak English, so you don't really need to learn French to survive here. But I'm determined not to become one of those Americans who go to a new country only to eat at McDonald's, drink at Starbucks and speak English all the time. I came to France for France, not to recreate a slice of America. So even though pangs of loneliness and isolation crop up from time to time, I'm thankful for the chance to be surrounded by another culture. It's a little scary, but I slap on my best "I-have-no-clue-what-you're-talking-about-but-I-want-to-be-your-friend" smile and join the conversation.

Have you ever felt alone, even when surrounded by a ton of people? Tell me about it - I can definitely relate.

Bisous,
Jess
CosmoGirl Travel Blogger