Day 4: Con Mis Amigos #everydayadventure

We sang happy birthday in French, Korean, Spanish, and English. Although we’d only been together fro a week, our small group was already beginning to feel like a family.

Today’s adventure involved homemade “birthday” guac and a complete Mexican meal. We spent the evening with laughter and games, enjoying the time spent con mis amigos (with my friends).

Earlier in the day, one of my friends and I took the metro to a market downtown. The prices were amazing! We threaded our way through the crowded row of stalls. After I bought avocados and a potato (spending less than 3 euros!), I waited for my friend right outside the market.

An older French man strolled by, carrying a bag of cherries that he had just bought. I smiled at him, and he walked right up to me. He pulled out a handful of cherries and said something fast in French. He held the cherries out to me. I thanked him, but didn’t take the cherries. He gestured again and this time I accepted the gift.

He smiled, nodded, and left.

I stood there, holding four vibrant red cherries in my palm. People continue to surprise me. Their kindness and simplicity, their joy of life and generosity. We shouldn’t take the smile of a stranger for granted.

As we walked away from the market, I popped a cherry in my mouth. Manifique!

We ducked into a French bookstore to admire racks of artsy, but pricey postcards. I also found several of my favorite books, in French, of course. For me, bookstores never lose their charm or their allure.

It was a good day, a simple one, full of friends and laughter, fun and memories. I’ll never regret days like these. And I hope I’ll never forget them either.