At the beginning of May, I was just like any other University of Georgia student, dedicating my time to late nights in the library and long exams in the lecture hall. Throughout all this, I was also frantically packing for a trip I could not even begin to conceptualize. Visiting another country, on another continent, with a language I did not know for a month was terrifying for a person who had only dreamed of having a passport and going abroad. But before I knew it, finals were over and I was in Toulouse, beginning what would become a month full of joy and learning.
The city was big, over one million strong, and it’s daily population and energy dwarfed what Athens could produce even on game day. Despite this constant go that pushed me to learn about beautiful farms, wineries and beaches, Toulouse’s residents taught me much more about living in the moment. At first it was difficult, dinners were rushed through, cathedrals were not appreciated and transportation was accomplished with a brisk walk. With time, perhaps it was the long days that slowed my stride or an inability to speak French that let our meals drag until the check was gifted, but soon I began to appreciate the kindness and the stillness of a city that could also move so fast.
