After reading an article titled 'The 5 Types Of Friends Everyone Should Have', I got thinking about the new faces I've added to my friendship circle during my first couple of months here and just how lucky I am. The thing about living abroad is that no matter how you look at it, it's the people you meet that shape your experience and in the corniest way possible, you grow together as you learn not only about each other but surprise yourself as well. Who'd have thought the girls that rescued me from trailing my bags around the red block confused, exhausted and completely terrified would turn out to be not only living on my floor but the only sane flatmates I have? And that one would keep me constantly entertained with her one-liners, anecdotes and sporadic sleep walking trips to my bedroom? Turns out the girl I met from my course on the first night is the only one that keeps me afloat in the deep waters of art history. And my sister from another mister? I bumped into her as we both attempted to hide from this group photo..
The crooked and familiar charm of this city is moulded around the people I've met and not only the newbies. I recently realised that those places where I find myself struck with a comforting sense of déjà vu can be explained by the drunken mischief me and Shar got up to during last years terrific trip.
It's the friends I grew up with that let me know I'd be fine at Univeristy and it's the friends I met there that made me think I could make it alone in Paris, it's the friends there that gave me the balls to move in with strangers back in Manchester and it's those friends that made me comfortable enough in myself to make it here. And the friends here? They sit talking nonsense with me until the sun comes up, make me laugh until my tummy aches, support me when my cycling home ain't so straight and spoon me the morning after.
I'm certainly spying some keepers.
