First, before I even start this article, let me apologize for the lack of updates during the past month or so.  The month of April was filled with excitement and travels, and for that reason, I was way too preoccupied to even think of updating, although it was always on my mind.  But of course, with all my travels, comes many stories and now that I have time, I would love to share with all of you dear readers!

My first trip in April was to Montpellier, a lovely city in southern France.  I was excited to go for several reasons.  First, my best friend and roommate of two years is studying there, and we hadn’t seen each other for five months. Also, I hadn’t done much traveling outside of my region and Paris, and was really excited to see another part of France, maybe even the beach.  So, I woke up at 5:00 to catch my eight-hour train, and before I knew it, I was greeting Elena and her beautiful city.  The first afternoon was spent walking about and seeing the city, and even from the start, it felt so different from Strasbourg.  The city was made in a style mimicking Paris, so the whitewashed, tall buildings were familiar but so different from the hearty, Alsatian buildings I have grown used to.  It was a sunny day, so we climbed to the top of the Opéra and enjoyed the view.  The weather was great, and every street I walked down, I observed in amazement and happiness.  I loved the feel of this bright, sunny, Mediterranean town, and was feeling reticent about going back to Strasbourg and the dreary, cloudy weather that awaited me.

And from then on, I was continually surprised.  Even on the streets, life seemed just a bit louder and more open.  People spoke with more exuberance, and I do believe I received some catcalls.  That night, Elena and I went to a student bar.  The mood was nice: it wasn’t too crowded and the music was pretty good.  We were talking to each other, when the booth next to us invited us for drinks.  I was astounded.  This had never happened to me in Strasbourg.  So, we joined them, and we got to know Valentin, Romain and Guillaume, three history students.  The next night, Elena and I went to another bar, and once again, were accosted by a group who had overheard us speaking English.  They were full of questions:  where we were from, what we were studying, why we were in Montpellier?

I passed four nights in Montpellier, and every night, I met someone new and had a great time.  This got me really thinking. Someone once told me that, in France, as you get closer to the sun and the sea, the people are more open and friendlier.  I quickly discovered the truth in that idea and it seems to be a trend in the States as well.  We tend to associate sunny weather with smiles and warm people.  Being raised in Texas, I have grown very used to southern hospitality and to warm, open attitudes, so coming to chilly Strasbourg has been hard at times.  I had to get used to keeping a solemn face when walking down the street, so people didn’t think I was crazy, and I quickly got accustomed to the silent calm of the city.  People keep to themselves, talk with lowered voices, and keep a sense of mystery about them.  From time to time, I find myself missing the loud, boisterous Texan style and Sunday night dinners with my family.  My stay in Montpellier made me realize that I had really gotten used to the private, calm, peaceful vibe of Strasbourg.

I also realized how affected we all are by the weather.  Lately, and by lately, I mean for the past month, the weather in Strasbourg has been dismal.  It’s cold and rainy, humid and cloudy, and my mood has taken a turn for the worse.  I hate to admit it, but it is very impressive how strongly we are affected by weather.  When it’s cloudy and wet, all I can think of is curling up in bed and watching a movie, but when the sun finally shows up, it’s like I am on top of the world.  And this is definitely the case for the attitude of a city as well.  The people in Southern France are generally more open, boisterous and lively in comparison to Alsatians.  When my four nights in Montpellier were up, I was a bit reluctant to go home, but when I left, I brought some sunshine and southern comfort with me.