Euro Trip -I (18.12.09): The Sense of an Ending

INSA-Toulouse campus from my room

It has already been quite some time since I returned from the European lands and I have already started forgetting the fine details of the amazing moments I spent there. But the fun of the voyage is still etched deep. The four months were truly an experience, totally unvisited and fresh. It was not only about fun and travelling, but also about ups and downs in the relations; anxiety of coping up with academics in a place of different work ethics, different study culture, and foremost a different language; the subtle emptiness of being far away from home and natives; and nostalgia of being scheduled to fly back soon. It was not easy to stay there for too long, but was also equally difficult to leave. But then it had to be so, then why not in an unforgettable manner.

Though it was already decided that we were to travel extensively for the last ten days of our exchange program, during the long awaited Vacance de Noël, we still had to chart out itinerary. Though earlier it was proposed that all 18 of us were going to travel together, but due to some differences in the priorities of where all to go, and realizing logistic problems in dix-huit musketeers travelling together, we started in groups with cris-crossed trajectories, making sure that we meet on Christmas eve in Roma, Vaticano.

 After a detailed planning by Rohit and me, we (Isha, Pinak, Rohit and Manish) were to set off on 18^th day of the month of December, 2009. The journey was surely well designed, but was going to test the limits of our bodies, with extensive sightseeing and travelling in the Euro Railways. I still remember the excitement I felt after giving my last exam in the course of Solid State Physics on 17^th noon. We had a train next night, but before that, a long list of To Do’s so as to sign off from l’INSA campus. It included completing all the formalities in academic section, international affairs section, our Residence 1, pcking and a final good bye to a few friends we had made in the small duration.

Excitements and unexpected situations never missed us even during this part. The hostel caretaker was to be handed over our rooms, but she was a tough lady, not easy to be made happy. She wanted us to clean each corner of our rooms like shining new, and we spent hours rubbing floors and tables cursing the old lady for all the fuss she always created. But, we were still happy, for what waited in soon for us.

The morning of 18^th was in itself most ecstatic, heavenly and kind of unbelievable. I had asked Rohit to wake me up early as we had a lot to do for the day. Knock-Knock!! He banged at 6 am. It was still dark outside, and I was in no mood to leave my cosy quilt. Knock knock!! “Bansi!! Open the door and look outside.” I peeked from my window. It felt as if I was still in a dream. The lawns were covered with rusty grey colour and were reflecting light from the street lamps, as if someone had sprinkled gold powder all over. I took some time to realize what was it, and then I spontaneously smiled. “It’s snowing.”

I opened the door and both me and Rohit ran downstairs to take a closer look. I was the first live snowfall I ever witnessed. It was still thin. But very soon it grew thicker and the dawn had also broken. It was the beginning of a lovely day indeed.

Rest of the day was tiring one. Our earlier attempt of room cleansing was rejected by the old caretaker lady and we were made to rub the floors again, with soap and water (we were not even sure if she could make us clean it as it was her duty not ours), we had to run around to the bank for closing our account, to the Administration block to clear our arrears, to return the stuff we had hired from the “BEE” etc. Also three of us were supposed to hand over our rooms back to the authorities and we all had to shift our stuff to Pinak’s room. After we got over with all stuff, it was already dusk. Snow outside had started melting, falling the temperature, sun had set and a strange anxiety was starting to grip us. We had a train late at night, so we had planned to take a metro to the station. I don’t remember the details but somehow one of us realized that metro was not possible due to some reason, and we will have to take a bus from about a mile away from our hostel, the last one of which was to leave in about half an hour. We were already experienced in this Run on heels situations, and immediately stuffed our half packed bags, wore thick layers of clothes all over our bodies, locked the room and took off.

It was slippery due to snow outside making it difficult to run. Cold gusty wind was blowing. We scuttled towards the bus-stop and found the bus already on stop from some distance. We screamed and ran, slipping and skidding in between, managing our baggage and caps and mufflers from falling off.

We just made it in time, panting, boarded the bus, to begin the journey, the true Euro-Trip.