Gabrielle Grace Hogan

PARIS SYNDROME

Paris syndrome is a condition
where the Paris of one’s expectations
is so different from the Paris of reality
that the body physically reacts with symptoms
like hallucinations or increased heart rate.
It is a state of severe culture shock. Maybe
insensitive to admit, but to me, it is silly—
I mean, of course the French are mean.
But then, I am no stranger to not getting
what I want, and it being the most terrible
thing in the entire history of the world.
It’s like falling in love as a teenager—
it is the most important thing that has ever
happened and no one understands it.
I mean, when the Trojans got attacked by
the Greeks pouring out of that big
wooden horse, they were probably
like, what the fuck? This isn’t what
I signed up for! But it was.
They just didn’t know it.