Do I really do that?

Personal attributes I’ve discovered while in a foreign country.

There’s a certain level of comfort you feel when at home with friends and family. Most likely, you share similar qualities and attributes that bond you together as friends– or in the case of family, maybe not, but they are stuck with you and don’t have a choice. However, when you go abroad, there’s no guarantee that you’ll find folks similar to you. When this happens, you begin to notice certain…things. Things about yourself that perhaps you did not notice before.

Here is what I have noticed about myself while in France:

Said café where people speak in normal conversational tones

I can be really f*ckin loud.

I get excited about certain things (mainly, my dog). When this happens, my voice rises a few decibels– almost to the level at which only dolphins can hear. I start using a lot of hand gestures (I’m Italian, I can’t help it). This isn’t a problem when I’m with my friends (or family– they, too, are Italian). However, when you’re sitting at a café in Paris and no one is really speaking above normal conversational levels, well, you tend to stand out.

Prime example

My balance has seriously deteriorated in my old age.

I trip and run into things a lot at home. I have already come to terms with the fact that my hand-eye coordination is not what it used to be. It’s fine. In Paris, it is not fine. The city is old– there a lot of cobblestone streets, uneven surfaces, curbs that appear out of no where, etc. When your balance is already a little off, this becomes a hazard to someone like myself.

Mouthing words to songs on public transportation is not endearing, it’s weird. People think you’re talking to yourself.

I already knew this was weird, but didn’t care. On le metro, you don’t speak. There is no speaking, smiling, laughing, coughing, attempting small dance moves only using your hands– nada. Mouthing the words to Beyoncé’s entire Lemonade album? Out of the question.

Hello, my love.

My addiction to pizza is not as bad as I thought.

If you know me, then you know I am Domino’s number one fan. I love pizza. But turns out not that much, because I haven’t even had a slice in two weeks! (See Danny Mota, it’s possible) Although, this might be because I have replaced my addiction with sweets. Jury is still out.

I need glasses. Real glasses.

I wear reading glasses when I know I have to read small print or stare at my computer screen. Turns out, I also need something to aid in reading (or actually just seeing) at night. It can get pretty dark on the streets, and the only real light you have comes from the Eiffel Tower. Who knew? I’m blind.

Ignore my cackling, please

However, despite all of this, I have learned a great deal about myself. Some good, some bad– but, no matter what you find, it’s all an opportunity for growth. That’s what really matters. That’s what I’m excited to discover.