She purchased 20 at once. After all, she would be here for an entire month. She tucked them safely into her change pocket, like little sticks of gum.
The metro machine made no sense at first, but slowly she was becoming accustomed to its ways. She spiraled through the turnstiles, dreaming about all the possibilities the next weeks would bring. She gazed closely at the colorful maps of the city, breathing in the grandeur of all its history and kinetic energy.
She remembered when she came the first time, how the city felt uncertain and foreign, leaving her wondering if she’d be able to interact with people or find her way. She clutched her suitcase tightly, panicking a little at the sharp quick sputtering of French in her face.