Food and street life reflect how people live.
In Bogotá, street life exists, but safety and transportation shape how people move and gather. In Fairfax, food and social life were often practical and centered around campus. In Paris, I noticed how people make time to pause: sitting in cafés, walking through neighborhoods and observing daily life. Even crowded spaces can feel calm. These are not universal truths, but moments I experienced as someone learning how to live in a new city.
One of the most important lessons studying abroad has taught me is to question what I believed was universal. Meeting people from different backgrounds can change your perspective through even a single conversation.
I once heard the phrase, “To travel is to return,” and I believe it’s true. Traveling doesn’t erase where you come from; it helps you understand it better. Home stays with you, even as you change. In the end, discovering the world is also a way of discovering yourself, and that journey never stops.
