I was studying in Paris, taking delight in college classes and weekend train trips. My family-centered father had asked me to look up relatives who might live somewhere nearby. But I wanted to feel free, cutting family ties and abandoning the trappings of my American upbringing. Summer passed. The days grew longer and cooler. And even in the City of Light, I was beginning to miss my family. It was my first time away from home and I was feeling lonely.