Le 26 janvier

Well it has officially been 3 weeks since I arrived in Toulouse! It is definitely starting to feel like home. The first week was really rough for me, I was so homesick but these past two weeks have been so great, I have not been missing home as much as I thought I would be.

The other night the buses weren't working so I was walking home and on the way I couldn't stop thinking about how grown up I felt. Here I was, living in a foreign country, thousands of miles from my family, and I was doing great. I smiled to myself and thought, "I'm a big kid now." Sure, moving to college is a big step but there is still so much support and protection living within the Dickinson bubble. Here, I ride the metro/bus like the thousands of other people who live in Toulouse, navigate the city by myself, communicate in French with everyone, postal workers, waiters, ticket offices, the list goes on. Yes, I am living with a family and have a lot of support from them, the Dickinson center, and my real family, but I am so responsible here and it feels great.

The other day I was walking home with my friend Chris and a woman stopped us on the street and asked us for directions. She wanted to know where a store called SNCF was. Luckily, Chris and I had been there. We told her exactly how to get there, what streets to take and how long it would take, in French of course. It was the first time I was able to help someone with directions, instead of being the person asking for help. After she walked away Chris and I were giddy because we felt like true Toulousians. We still have a ways to go...

So this weekend I was supposed to go on a day trip to a town called Carcassonne, it is about an hour from here and a beautiful town. It is the only completely walled city in Europe and is supposedly incredible. A bunch of us from the program were planning on going Saturday morning and returning after dinner. Well I woke up Saturday morning and could hear the wind outside. I looked out my window and it was incredibly windy and stormy and when I went downstairs my host father told me that I probably shouldn't leave the house because it was very dangerous. It turns out that the winds were so bad they stopped all the trains. You know its bad when the trains don't run because trains go in all types of weather! After lunch I watched the news with my host father and they announced that in some of the surrounding regions there were winds up to 100 mph! Here in Toulouse they got up to about 65 mph, it was scary! I was happy to have the day to relax and catch up on sleep, work, and organizing but I'm bummed I couldn't go to Carcassonne. Next time!

My classes at the Mirail start this week which should be quite an adventure! Last week, we had a tour guide take us around and show us each of the different departments. His name was Alex and he is a student at the Mirail as well. We got to talking and he actually studied in Aptos for a year in high school! Needless to say, we had a lot to talk about! Anyways, he showed us around but I am still not sure I can get around by myself, it will take a few days. I have class there on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Right now, I am planning on taking a Psychology and Education course and the History of Women, I hope I can keep up!

My other exciting news is I am going to Norwich this weekend!!! I cannot wait! Allison and I are traveling together and we leave Toulouse Thursday night and fly to London. We are spending Thursday night with my friend from Dickinson, Megan McGruder. The three of us will then take the train to Norwich Friday morning where I will be able to see Sara, Meghan, Casey, Annie, and Emma! I am sooo excited! I will spend Friday and Saturday with them in Norwich but then Saturday night I have to take the train back to London because my flight leaves at 7 am Sunday morning. It will be easier to get to the airport from Megan's room then taking the two hour train to Norwich, we would have to leave at 3 am! I really can't wait to see my friends and to see England! I have never been and although it will be a short visit, I know I'll have a blast!