Olivia Epoupa can always find a taste of home wherever she goes. Like the Civic cafe, where she orders a macaroon before jetting off to the Olympic Games qualifiers.
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Then she hears a familiar accent and a smile appears on the Canberra Capitals point guard's face. "You have a very good accent," Epoupa grins before spending the next 40 minutes speaking in French with The Canberra Times.
So even when she's almost 17,000 kilometres away from the cobblestone streets of Paris, Epoupa still has the chance to speak her native tongue and reflect on what she left behind to pursue her basketball dream.
Comment Canberra se compare-t-elle à la ville de l'amour? Qu'est-ce que tu manque à propos de la France?
How does Canberra compare to the city of love? What do you miss about France?
But she doesn't miss the familiarity of speaking French, strolling the streets of Montmartre, or eating croissants. Nor is she thinking about the prestigious gold medal yet.
All she cares about is the Canberra Capitals' quest for back-to-back championships in the WNBL.
"I can still find the macaroon in Australia so I'm okay with that," Epoupa laughed.
"When I change places I try to have the best adaptation. I feel good here, the Capitals are very welcoming so my adaptation has been good.
"I'm working everyday. I'm thinking of my team in Canberra and towards our goals, then the next step is with my national team.
"We have high ambitions because we want to be champions, and the way to do that is very long and tough. You have to be very focused on the details and put work in on-and-off the court.
"When you play other teams they are always 100 per cent ready to play against us and fight because [Canberra] won last year's championship. No game is easy and we have to remember that."
The 25-year-old point-guard traded one capital city for another to play alongside some of the world's best basketballers and gain valuable court-time ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games.
She helped her country clean sweep their pool at a FIBA pre-Olympic qualifying tournament to book their tickets to Tokyo.
Epoupa returned to Canberra with bragging rights after France toppled the Opals, who boast Capitals teammate Marianna Tolo and mentor Paul Goriss on the coaching staff.
She's gunning for her second Olympic Games and has her sights sets on making the podium after finishing fourth in Rio.
"To play for my country's honour and the national team is a privilege," Epoupa said.
"When you have the chance to play at the Olympics you realise, wow, this kind of emotion and feeling is special. Everyone represents one country - it's France, it's a family.
"I will always remember before the opening ceremony in Rio, seeing everyone enjoying the moment because it could be the first and last time. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow.
"There's more emotion and intensity because it's the Olympics. It's like a dream.
"The worst feeling is finishing in fourth place at the Olympics, it's one more step to be on the podium and you didn't make it. So, see you in four years."
"My priority isn't the Olympics now, it's Canberra's team. Our priority is to be better on the court, find our rhythm and be better every single game," Epoupa said.
WNBL SEMI-FINALS
Semi-final series two (all times in AEDT)
Game one: Canberra Capitals 84 bt Melbourne Boomers 70 at AIS Arena.
Sunday, February 23: Game two - Melbourne Boomers v Canberra Capitals at State Basketball Centre, 6pm.
Game three date to be confirmed if necessary.
