A Whiff of a Dream

The crispness of the Autumn air wrapped around me as I sipped my legit cafe au lait. Nothing like a real French coffee and pastry. As I soaked up the European ambiance I realized what was missing. Me. In my twenties I had dubbed myself a "Euronut".

I was crazy about Europe. After four years of French in middle school and high school a dream developed in my heart to visit. At twenty-five I did it. I worked two jobs and took a bank loan to get to Paris. It was an amazing trip. I stayed in a hostel, made different friends daily. Even went on a date with a kickboxer who was there to compete in a world championship! He was from Martinique and spoke no English. That was interesting! A couple from California grabbed me out of the line for the Eiffel Tower and yanked me into the elevator with them. They didn't want me to experience it alone.

At Notre Dame, I befriended a young scientist and her mom and we went to Versailles together. I met a transplanted young woman in her first week of working in Paris and she invited me along to tour the Palais Garnier or Paris Opera House with her and her new co-worker. A concert pianist from Texas showed me around the neighborhood of our hostel. What a trip.

Within months I was on a trip with my besties to Milan, Piza, Florence, and Rome, Italy. What an experience. At one point I considered studying abroad through a college program. Still trying to figure out why I didn't follow through on that one. It matters not now. But what does matter is I'm remembering who I am. I'm still young and healthy enough to pursue dreams and that includes European travel. Catching a whiff of a dream in the air is making me anticipate my future again. Who knows what's in store for me?