By: Madelynn Loring, Staff Writer

On August 31, I boarded a plane to the Paris Orly Airport to start my study abroad adventure. After almost 14 hours of travel and layover time, I finally reached my destination, Montpellier, a coastal city in the south of France. The weather, at least for the present moment, is almost tropical (brutally so, because very few buildings here have any air conditioning.) One in every five people in the city is a student, many of whom are international, much like myself. The city is easily navigable by public transport, and the plethora of mixing cultures makes it a perfect place to explore as a student.

When reflecting upon how I would continue to contribute to the Highlander, and the Regis community as a whole, I figured I would write articles documenting the study abroad experience with my tips, tricks, and insights into the journey of studying abroad. However, since arriving in Montpellier, the subject of the first article has shifted from what I had initially planned. So, rest assured, I will be writing What I wish I knew before I Studied Abroad: Part 1 of 803 shortly, but, for the time being, I am going to focus on the aspect of Montpellier culture that I have come into the closest and most frequent contact with, the savvy strays I have dubbed Community Cats.