France, 1994

I learned how to buy a ticket and negotiate a train ride. I bought a ticket to see “La Haine “ (the hate) at a local cinema, and I watched the movie with real interest and appreciation, and I learned how people stood up for themselves in the face of ignorance and racism.

I walked with my host family and their cows down the trails on the outskirts of town. I listened to local classical music performances at some of the beautiful old buildings in the town’s center.

I learned how to make authentic French dinners using fresh, local ingredients that I would pick up after school let out each day. It wasn’t a “cushy” stay by any means, but it was inspirational and transformative.