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leaving a fear behind
02.17.2010     13h30
filed under [   health   problems   ]

On Monday, Damien and Marie-Laure went off to work in the morning, leaving me a set of keys so that I could go to the grocery store during the day to pick up a few items.

I went about my normal morning routine (checking my email, checking Facebook, reading the Boston Globe online) and then decided I should head out.

But an overwhelming sense of fear kept me glued to the couch.

Ever since I got mugged last June, I've been scared to go out alone when I'm here in Paris with Damien. I know that I keep coming back to it, and some of you are probably thinking, "just get over it already!", and as much as I'd like to, it's still present in my mind. I think about it every so often - when it happens, I try to force out the negative thoughts by thinking positive thoughts.

Hearing other people's horror stories hasn't helped either. I won't repeat them here (I don't want you to obsess either!), but let's just say that I'm very wary of getting money out of the ATM. I also pay more attention to my belongings when I'm walking around or on public transportation.

It ended up taking a little over an hour for me to convince myself to leave the apartment. I walked across the street to the ATM, withdrew some money, and went up the street to the grocery store and then the bakery (mmm fresh bread!). Everything was fine, as I rationally knew it would be ... but it's the irrational side of my brain that paralyzes me sometimes.

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I'm a 28-year-old American who has been living in France since September of 2003. I became a naturalized French citizen on April 21, 2009.

I teach English at one of the universities in Clermont-Ferrand, and I'm doing a doctorate in American civilization and history at the Université Lumière Lyon II in Lyon, France.

I also own and run a small website design company based in the United States. I'm slowly adding French clients as well.
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