I stood on edge of one of the largest cliffs in Europe, near Cassis, France.

I’ve been here in Aix for about a week now and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s living in discomfort is a good thing. For most of us, the first step to living uncomfortable was deciding to take the risk of studying abroad. It’s leaving the comfortable box of school that we’ve all become used to. But we clicked the accept button, and for some of us we flew alone, for the first time, half way across the world.

Advisers, parents and the Internet warned us it would be different. The culture, the food, the language, even the way the people look wouldn’t be the same. They warned us it would be uncomfortable at first. And it is, they weren’t lying. We’re meeting other students from across the U.S., teachers who come from different backgrounds and on top of that we are sent to live with a family who barely speaks English.

But, I’m here to tell you it’s a good thing. It’s better than that, it’s amazing, but only if you’accept the uncomfortably. No one learns anything new from continually living their daily routines. It takes courage to walk into a room full of 170 American kids and pick out a few new friends. The first few days are crucial for future friendships, and it’s intimidating.

It takes discomfort to laugh at yourself when your French is so terrible your family and the vendors at the market laugh with you.

It takes discomfort to invade the houses of French families and call them home. To eventually be able to walk into the house without feeling like a complete stranger.

It takes discomfort to join an art program when you’ve never painted in your life. It also takes trust in your professors.

There’s no point in studying abroad if you don’t prepare yourself for the discomfort that comes with uprooting your life. It’s a beautiful thing to become a whole new person and surround yourself with strangers. And I’m here to take advantage of that. I’m here to make a fool of myself so that I can learn better French, and make friends who’ll I’ll cherish for a lifetime.

Discomfort also leads to personality. We are studying abroad, not just for the experiences, but to grow and become more well-rounded people. That requires tasting foods even if you don’t know what they are (sometimes, it’s even better not to ask) and trying your hardest to keep up with the dinner conversations. Being uncomfortable is a part of life and it is what expands our personalities.

So cheers to my first week and Aix, and cheers to dissolving my comfort zone.

Location: Aix-en-Provence, France