Nice at sunset. Photo by the author.

I’m Nostalgic Because I Enjoy The Moment

Traveling in the past taught me to ‘be’ in the present.

The longer quarantine has gone, the more I have reflected on my travels.

Primarily I’ve been reflecting on my time living in France. I haven’t been nostalgic of being there for a while. My nostalgia for France used to be a lot more present in my life. Until I became a “real adult” and had responsibilities after graduation. That evolution happened over the course of December 2018 and January 2019, the time of my graduation.

Photo courtesy of the author.

Isn’t it funny to see how different my priorities were in the past? In 2018, I was mainly concerned with mastering the French language conversationally, and today I’m mainly concerned about getting more tutoring clients, writing on Medium, growing The Riff, and working on my podcast startup.

Just two years ago, all I wanted to do was walk around European cities and mingle with the locals. I didn’t have any refined ambitions. The only “serious” thing I did was help out my friend on a small project for a gubernatorial campaign. It didn’t really amount to anything, but it was cool to learn more about running for governor. We…