title: Import a single file from another directory
body: <p>I'm kind of new with python and there is something troubling me. I'm using pandas to read an excel file. All works well if I have the excel in the same directory as my .py file.</p>
  <p>What I want to know is what is the best way to get a file that is in a completely different path. I've searched a lot and haven't found a straightforward answer. I've seen examples with sys.append, examples with external libraries, etc. I am trying to understand the pros/cons as well of each solution. Ideally I would like to have the file path as a user input</p>