I felt Monday that I was not really doing as well as I should after a month in Toulouse. I did not feel my French was enough to get around and become more comfortable as I could be. Today changed that in a positive way.

I needed to make reservations for dinner tonight and the restaurant did not have an online option. I went to the restaurant and had a total French conversation and got a reservation without the person speaking any English.

I went shopping for groceries and again was able to buy everything I needed without a word of English. I event understood the cost (French numbers are complicated) when the person was speaking quickly. Most times I look like a dear in the headlights when they throw out the cost to me.

I went out for a hot chocolate at a cafe in the morning. I was able to do that whole transaction without a word of English or the person even starting to look at me like I might have needed assistance.

I take those as small wins but it improved my mood and made me glad I was living here and not feeling that I could not cut it here.

My run this evening was interesting. The group was huge tonight – I would say 60-80 runners. It was so large that they had to break the middle group into two groups so it was not too big to manage. As I have explained in earlier posts, the group runs together but at different times, they allow the people who run faster to head off and then at some point, the fast crowd circles back and joins the main group again. I started out with the middle group and at one point the leader said the fast crowd could run ahead. I joined that group but somehow I was on the tail end of the group and I never saw anyone turning around or I missed them. I kept running and suddenly I saw another of the groups. I was not sure which group it was but it ended up being the fast group. I was happy as I was able to keep up with them and enjoyed running faster than I normally do overall with the middle group. I am guessing I am going to have to try running with the faster group the whole run. It was a good run and boosted my confidence.

I walked by the main plaza in Toulouse and saw that they were setting up another event in the plaza. As I have said there is always something going on in Toulouse. It might be the plaza getting ready for the Christmas market that starts on November 23rd. Or it might just be another festival this weekend.

I went to bed before the election results came in.