Spring Break with Friends from Home

There is something so unique about the comfort of old friends in new places. 

My three best friends from college came all the way from the United States to see me for a few days! How awesome are they? They flew in from Barcelona, where they were visiting some of our other friends beforehand. They arrived in Nice on Wednesday morning, bright and early at 7:30 a.m. I met them at the beach, their first stop after dropping their bags at their hotel. We immediately had the biggest smiles on our faces and hugged each other for so long. 

It felt like nothing had changed, and no time had passed. We jumped back into conversation like we had seen each other yesterday. We sat on the rocky beach of Nice and talked for hours, before they drifted off to sleep in the afternoon sun. I sat there, taking a moment to reflect on how special it was to be with them in my new home. I felt so grateful that they made such a long trek (across the Atlantic!) to come see me. After about thirty minutes, they batted their eyes awake, seemingly a little confused on where they were. The sign of a good nap!

I decided that we should get some food, so we went to Marinette in Old Town, which has become one of my favorite lunch restaurants. I love the atmosphere and food, and so did they. We took our time eating, catching up on the news in each others’ lives, and rejoicing in the company of our best friends. After that, I took them to Castle Hill. I am not quite sure if they were happy about climbing several flights of stairs, but we all loved the view of the bright blue sea. 

The next day, we spent the day at Plage de la Garoupe in Antibes. We packed our bags with towels, cameras, and books. We went to a local café and got baguette sandwiches, croissants, and coffees to last us until dinner. Then we made the hike to the beach, and spent six hours enjoying our time together. We love to laugh, eat, and explore together. 

These past few days together reminded me of how fun and easy it is to be surrounded by friends, and it made me miss the routine and consistency of being at home. I feel like I never hear people talk about being homesick when they go abroad, but hosting my friends definitely emphasized the homesickness I was already feeling underneath all the commotion. It made me want to climb into their suitcases and go home with them!

It was a bittersweet moment to see my friends depart. It was a good reminder to hug your friends tight and tell them how much you love them! I was so sad to see them go, but excited for the final two months that I have in Nice. I am definitely going to appreciate being abroad more now, and also appreciate home more when the time comes.