Hello Young Adventurers!

Location: Middle of nowhere, Southern France.  A train.
Languages spoken: French, Kindness

This post is going to be a bit different from my previous ones because today has been a very different day.  It is currently 7:30PM here in France, and I’m riding the train from Nice to Toulouse.  I left this morning at 10AM from Nice, and I was supposed to arrive in Toulouse at 5PM after an hour break in Marseilles to switch trains.  I have learned quite a bit during this crazy ordeal.

First of all- having no WiFi or data on my phone is eye-opening.  I can’t sit and text my friends, watch videos, or do anything online while I’m on these trains.  So today, I have had ZERO technology for the vast majority of the time.  Even right I’m writing on my laptop, but I won’t be able to post it until I get home.  I’ve learned that I need to download podcasts to my phone before leaving so that I can have something to do besides staring at the back of the chair in front on me for hours on end.

So, the reason why today has been so long is that my train got delayed, and then it broke down for over two hours before they decided to switch out trains in the middle of nowhere, France.  Here’s where the real stressor is- the train conductor kept giving us announcements when we stopped and throughout the wait, but I couldn’t understand anything because it was all in French.  

I had no idea what was happening, but fortunately a really kind guy helped me.  He couldn’t speak much English himself, but he had his phone (That worked…show off), and he used the Google Translate App to translate what the conductor had said.  I spoke back with him using it as well, and we were able to have a full conversation using it!  Kindness is real, y’all.  And this kid went out of his way to help me, a confused traveller, understand what was happening.  He didn’t have to do it, he got nothing out of it, but he gave me a peace of mind and kept me in the loop of the whole crazy experience.  

After the two hours of waiting, they made an announcement about how they were going to get us to our next destinations.  People started moving, grabbing their bags and groaning, and I had no idea why!  Fortunately, my new friend asked me where I was heading and helped make sure I was in the right place for when we transferred trains on the side of the track.  We ended up having to get out of the train and wait on the side in the middle of nowhere for about 30 minutes for a new train.

Guys- be like this stranger.  We need to be kind, and help those around us.  I did not have the resources (no internet to help me translate or look up information), nor the knowledge (my French-speaking skills are only enough for me to do the very basics in getting by without being rude), and without this stranger, I could have been in trouble.  A small act of kindness kept me safe and heading in the right direction.  Although I won’t get to my hostel until around 10PM tonight, I can say today was a good day thanks to that stranger.  Plus, I saw another castle while looking out the train window, so that’s always a day-maker.

Finally, at 11:30PM I arrived in my hostel, and y’all I am worn out.  BUT.  They gave us FREE FOOD on the train and it got me through.  They made an announcement that they were giving us free meals for the delay, but I would have missed it again if it wasn’t for my French-speaking superhero that told me where to go and what was happening.  Small things really do make all the difference.

Life is going to throw you curves.  You’re going to make plans, you’re going to have it all lined up, and then your train breaks down in the middle of nowhere and you can’t do anything about it.  Choose Joy in the midst of stress.  Choose to be happy.  Choose to be patient.  And when you see someone struggling- Choose to be Kind.

I will see you guys soon in the next city…whenever I get there!  Hopefully this is all the excitement for this trip.

Have Courage, and Be Kind,

Mr. Weavil