Home Isn’t a Place—It’s a Feeling (and I Found It Twice)

January 5, 2026

“There are three of you in this program.”

Not quite the sentence I wanted to hear after leaving behind one study abroad program and city for another. Two potential friends sounded a lot less exciting than the almost 20-person program I had just been a part of.

I packed up my whole life, moved across the globe, and experienced the semester of a lifetime studying in the north of France through ISEP at Université de Lille. That fall semester was more rewarding than I could ever have imagined. And while I was absolutely terrified at first, I eventually made genuine friendships with people from all over the world and grew comfortable navigating day-to-day life in a foreign country. Then suddenly… it was time to restart and do it all over again. It was time for the second half of my journey—my Spring semester abroad in Paris, France, through CEA CAPA at Institut Catholique.

When I signed up for two back-to-back semester-long programs in two different cities, I knew I was being ambitious and that the transition after the first semester might be hard. But what I didn’t realize was just how attached I would grow to that first stop on my journey. Lille became comfortable so quickly. Settling in had its challenges, of course, but before long, my fears had faded. I built a routine. I loved my friends. I knew my classes, my campus, and even which grocery store I preferred. Lille truly became my home.

I was comfortable in my little studio apartment—my downstairs neighbor, Khayal, would lend me a pot or pan whenever I needed one; across the hall were Lydia and Sofie, who were always down to hang out; and just a short metro ride away was my campus, where my advisors were always willing to help. It all became so familiar so fast. Before I even realized it, December arrived, and I found myself hugging each and every one of those friends goodbye before we all went our separate ways for the holidays.

After a quick visit home for Christmas, it was time to get on a plane back to France—but this time, instead of returning to Lille, I was headed to Paris. And once again, I was terrified. I felt like there was no way the next semester could possibly live up to the one I had just experienced. I no longer had the comfort of a small city I knew like the back of my hand, and I no longer had the luxury of calling anyone there a friend. To make matters more nerve-wracking, on my very first day I learned that there were only two other people in my program—quite the shock to me coming from a group of nearly twenty in Lille. I wasn’t sure I was ready to rebuild everything from scratch.

I was sad. I had just had one of the best experiences of my life, and suddenly I was starting over in a place that felt intimidating and unfamiliar. It seemed impossible that this new semester could ever compare. Little did I know that Paris would end up being just as incredible—if not even better—than Lille.

The most asked question I’ve received since returning home is “Which city was your favorite?”

The truth is, I could never choose. Both semesters and both cities meant something different to me, and each played an important role in my year abroad and the growth that came with that. I will say, though, that I went into Paris with lower expectations—and maybe that’s why the experience surpassed them so much.

Because, once again, in no time at all, those fears disappeared. I learned how to navigate the City of Love, I made friends outside of my program, and before long, Paris felt like home too.

Looking back, I’m grateful I didn’t let fear convince me that my adventure in Lille could not be matched. Paris proved that there’s always more room to grow, more people to meet, more experiences to be had, and more places to call home. If studying abroad taught me anything, it’s that starting over isn’t something to dread—it’s something to welcome. I left France with two homes, two chapters I’ll cherish forever, and a reminder that starting over doesn’t have to mean losing what came before. Sometimes, it simply means making room for even more memories to come.