I’ve been a bit backlogged uploading my blogs, but here is my entry from a few weeks ago 🙂

I’m not in my usual sit spot today, but at another park close to the center of town. It’s a beautiful day out; 75 degrees and sunny, pleasantly cool in the shade with a few wispy clouds scattered across the sky. I’m a little stressed today – I have a lot of assignments and due dates piling up and I haven’t been able to find a lot of time to just pause and take a breath. Planting my feet on the ground beneath me, I feel the solidity of cement, a few small rocks scattered about scratching lightly against one another. I feel grounded, supported, and solid. I feel my headache slowly clearing, my heart rate calming, my body gently reminding itself: I am safe, I can rest. If I close my eyes for a moment, the earth will not fall away from beneath me.
There’s a fountain nearby without any water inside, bad news for the many dogs visiting this park today. Aix is home to many fountains, the largest of which is called the Rotonde, at the heart of town. The water in these fountains comes from a natural spring underground. Aix has a rich history connected to its water. The name ‘Aix’ comes from the Latin word ‘aqua’, meaning water; Aix was founded by the Romans in 123 BC, and named for the Roman consul Aquae Sextius Calvinus, who chose the site because of its proximity to a natural source of water. Residents of Aix are very conscious about water and energy usage and try not to waste water by taking short showers and reusing water for various purposes such as watering plants and washing clothing. Since being here, I have also become more accustomed to thinking about the sustainability of my actions and reducing my environmental footprint whenever possible. I hope that when I return to the United States, I can continue some of these habits I’m building.
I know I probably have to leave my comfortable spot to continue studying soon, but I’m grateful on this day for the air that smells fresh, like early fall, the sunbeams that warm my face, the beautiful parks scattered about this city like precious treasures waiting to be found, and the water streaming steadily beneath the ground.