Toulouse

It was awesome. I wish that I could have stayed longer. I’m
Over the summer I went to Toulouse, France because I got a full scholarship to study Language and Culture for a month. There were many obstacles to overcome such as the language barrier, cultural differences and behavioral differences. I went into this new adventure without knowing anyone and coming out with new friends. We would go out and explore the city together and live like real french teenagers. I was living with my host family that consisted of two younger girls the ages of 15 and 12. The funny thing about them is that they reminded me of my own family with an occasional bit of confusion. Not a lot of students get along with their host family due to closed perceptions/minds, but everyone and each family is different. One just needs to learn to adapt. As a matter of fact, I adapted so much that I felt like a real Toulousain. I had to get comfortable with public transportation so that I could go to and from my school that was in the heart of the city of Toulouse. There had been occasions just like in NYC, transportation was down due to repairs or accidents. I had to learn how to navigate through a foreign city and deal and respond to these situations by communicating in a language that I am not a native to. Once while on my way home from school, I was on the bus standing next to a lady who suddenly collapsed and fainted. She was unresponsive for a couple of moments. I reacted calmly and asked others for help. One called the ambulance, the bus driver stopped, another was following the CPR procedures, and I offered her some water and snacks. She pulled through.