I enjoyed the feeling of the summer breeze on my legs as I walked down the narrow avenue, lined with quaint bistros and inviting bookstores that sold the kind of books I’d never quite get around to reading. Almost self-consciously, I drew the fabric of my billowing white skirt so it laid flat as I walked. I was in love with the delicate eyelet pattern and the pristine ivory of the dress. It made me feel fashionable, artistic, and utterly European—even though I was none of those things. In my too-expensive boots and designer sunglasses, I knew I was capable of turning heads, but that’s not why I went overboard on the shopping.
It was nice, being someone else for a while. I didn’t feel like my plain, often-awkward self as I strolled down the Cours Mirabeau. I had only been in France for two days, but I was already in love. Aix-en-Provence was not Paris or Marseilles, but had a little bit of a quiet country feel that made me feel right at home. Growing up in a small town in Kentucky, I’d never dreamed I’d look out of a world that was so beautiful, but the South of France had me speechless.