During my study abroad program, I had set my plans for a weekend trip to Paris. Days before, I spent my nights researching itineraries while balancing my mid-semester projects. I was very excited for the weekend especially because Paris was one of my top destinations. However, by my own admission, I missed my flight; and I was frantically trying to figure out a plan for what to do. I had all sorts of feelings, mostly frustration, especially being someone who was used to planning ahead and being well prepared. However, in the moment I was the very person in the situation who I swore I would never be.
In those frantic moments, I was suspended from all sorts of thoughts and I spent the morning searching for my next best option. I communicated with my friends that I would not be able to meet them on time, and I apologized for messing up the plans we had initially agreed on.
While it would be easy to retract and let myself get caught in the moment, I knew I had to eventually face the realities and make a decision on what to do. I couldn’t wallow in the circumstances, and I had to be responsible for whichever next steps and focus on what I could control. Separating myself from emotions, I had to quickly come up with a plan, no matter how imperfect it was. Previously, I was always used to preparing for the right moment, and then making the decision. This time, I learned to make the decision first and trust my ability to navigate the rest.
I eventually was able to get on a later flight, and spent the rest of the day re-planning my itinerary. When I arrived in the evening, I decided to take a stroll along the river seine, people watching and taking in my surroundings. I ended my night meeting up with my friends and seeing the Eiffel tower sparkle. I relaxed at the situation and laughed at myself for all the chaos that occurred. All in all, I was simply grateful to have been able to get to where I was. I found that in the grander scheme of things, being able to study abroad and travel around was truly a privilege, no matter what circumstances I found myself in.
The next day I spent the morning solo sight seeing: Musee L’Orangerie, Arc de Triomphe, Luxembourg Gardens, Montmartre, and dining at local restaurants. One memorable moment was at the Musee L’Orangerie when I got offered an extra ticket by a lady for free. I initially stood in the line without the tickets, so I felt lucky to be able to skip the queue. Thanks to her, I enjoyed seeing Monet’s paintings before the busy crowd.
Later, I even got to practice my French when ordering my first coffee of the day. I was quite happy to practice a language that I hadn’t truly used since high school. I ended the day just as the night before, strolling along the river seine, and sitting by the water reflecting on the day I had. I felt grateful to have enjoyed a beautiful trip in spite of all the chaos that occurred in the morning. In the end, I learned a lot about navigating uncertainty and adapting to unexpected change. Through this experience, I found myself being able to embrace all kinds of situations and finding small ways to make the most out of each and every moment.
