Growth, Connection and the Ripening Strawberry

by

Karla Valdez California State University Long Beach Arles 2024 Project Alum Originally published on The Arles Project 2024

From the time I was a little girl, I dreamed of studying abroad. The idea filled my imagination with visions of cobblestone streets, historic landmarks and the melodic sounds of a foreign language. 

Being able to venture out and experience life in another country was my greatest wish. Waking up to a new adventure every day while getting to create memories of a lifetime, is exactly what I wanted. 

But while this sounded exciting in my mind, the fear and anxiety of traveling to a different country alone and living there for a month scared me quite a bit. I spent the entire flight to France worried and anxious about how this experience would unfold. Every turbulent bump of the plane seemed to echo my doubts, and the ocean view below only magnified my sense of isolation.

Getting off the plane and staying in Marseille for a day before arriving in Arles caused a mix of anticipatory feelings within me. The unfamiliar sights and sounds heightened my anxiety. Arriving at the bustling train station in Marseille, filled with people speaking rapidly in unfamiliar tongues, was overwhelming. I was lost for about an hour trying to learn the train system; I even missed my train to Arles.

However, as soon as I met my classmates and host family and socialized with my advisers, I began to relax. Their warm smiles and welcoming gestures eased my nerves, and I felt the tension in my body melting away, as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. The European cobblestone streets that once seemed daunting now felt inviting; this is where I was meant to be.

The first night, Monika, the woman who is hosting me, prepared a chicken dinner with peas, tomatoes, cheese and a baguette (of course we cannot forget about the ubiquitous and delicious French bread). We paired it with a crisp rosé and for dessert, we had a velvety and fluffy chocolate mousse. We ate and talked for three hours straight and Monika showed me her beautiful garden. 

The view of Monika’s garden from the patio dinner table added to my sense of peace. The garden brings her great joy because she puts so much effort into taking care of it. She grows tomatoes, eggplant, zucchinis, herbs and strawberries. 

When I arrived on June 17, she gave me a tour of her garden and everything was ready to be picked except the strawberries, which were just starting to develop from tiny berries. 

A week later, I came home from a long day at school and Monika, her daughters and I had dinner on her patio. Afterwards, we took our daily tour of the garden, but this time it was a bit different. We all noticed the first strawberry that had ripened in her garden. 

Monika and I looked at each other, excitement in our eyes. “Have the first strawberry from my garden,” Monika said. 

“How could I possibly enjoy something you spent so much time growing yourself?”, I thought to myself. 

“Of course not,” I said. “You can have it; you grew it yourself.”

She looked at me as if she thought I was crazy. “Please take it,” she said. “It is for you.”

I felt so special and cared for in that instant. 

I carefully plucked the strawberry from the garden, honored that she had let me have her very first strawberry of the season. I bit into it and the juice from the berry dripped down my finger. At that moment I paused and I thought to myself, “This feels like home.”

At that moment it allowed me to flash back to when my mother would wash and cut fruit for me at my home in Long Beach, California. That motherly treatment and energy reminded me of my mom and translated to me feeling at home. It brought peace to my heart. The emotions I felt made me realize how much can change in the span of a week. I went from feeling scared, anxious and nervous to now feeling at peace, safe and at home away from my hometown.

Just as that strawberry grew in a week, so did my confidence in navigating a new country alone. Growth is often terrifying, but when you experience these genuine and wholesome moments with people you connect with quickly, it makes the journey profoundly worthwhile. 

The transition from fear and uncertainty to feeling deeply connected and at peace has been transformative. Especially when you’re venturing out alone, these connections become your anchor and in those moments, you realize that growth, though intimidating, is beautiful and necessary. It allows you to evolve in ways you never imagined, just like the strawberry that eagerly grew and was ready to be picked.

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