It has been about 2 days since I left Nice, and my post-Nice depression has not passed. It seems like only a few days ago I stepped off of the plane in Nice and into a great unknown. I miss my daily morning espresso and baguette, I miss my French classes, I miss the Mediterranean, and I miss my 4 new best friends. When I walked off the plane at JFK, reality hit, and I realized my trip had ended. I was cruelly given a too-brief and tearful goodbye to my friends thanks to the hasty and inconsiderate airport staff. I experienced a massive amount of culture shock as I made my way to my connecting flight, alone for the first time in a month. Everything was so hasty, everything was about convenience, my packaged Caesar salad was incomparable to anything I had eaten in France. Even my blue Powerade (one of my favorite drinks in France) was not the same.
Abbey Road gave me such an amazing experience, and I can't believe it's over. Abbey Road provided me with a great education in French, amazing cultural integration, time for me to grow, time for me to form friendships that will last a lifetime, and a whole new appreciation for the world. I am experiencing everything around me with new eyes, and even still - an appreciation for other cultures is growing.
I would recommend the Abbey Road Nice program to anyone who is looking to learn French, gain cultural experience, and make great new friends. The program was, for me, life changing. This was definitely a situation where you get back what you put in, and I cannot be happier with what I have gained in return. I should not only thank my mother for giving me this amazing experience, but I would like to thank all of the teachers, Arthur, and Kathy - our absolutely amazing program director - for making this amazing experience possible.
Nice 2012, you were good to me.
