We arrived to Paris with our black cat Maura in August, and spent the first month unpacking and exploring our neighborhood and arrondissement. Month two began to feel less like a long vacation, and more like real life waiting to be reimagined. Whatever real life might mean for two people in a new country, new apartment, and newly retired. That feeling at the end of vacation, when you’re ready to go home and sleep in your own bed and get back into your comfortable routine emerged. Of course. But we couldn’t just fly home to Chicago and wake up to our life the next morning, our home and jobs are gone. Our new life is in Paris!
We faced another month living out of a few suitcases in a furnished apartment that was white. REALLY white. White walls, light oak floors, white tile, white furniture, white dishes, white lights. I really appreciate that our apartment is newly updated, It’s lovely and modern and 100% from IKEA. The one exception to all the white is the tiny sink in the water closet that is yellow floral porcelain. The owners decided to leave a 12″ x 16″ piece of “French charm,” as my son called it, a nod to what the apartment looked like before. One can only imagine! I’m very much looking forward to our container arriving from the US with our comfy bed, photos/artwork/mementos, cookware, and four seasons of clothes. We hope it all fits comfortably in our cozy space.
The best route to feel more at home in the meantime is to set up a weekly routine. An important part of our corporate moves in the US was to find a church to attend, so we focused on that first. We found an Anglican church with services in English and mainly expat members. It’s a blessing to worship in English and are meeting so many new friends! And learning a lot about British culture. Most of the members are from the UK or former colonies, which makes it refreshingly diverse with people from India, Africa and Australia.
Then Kevin found a gym and I found a Pilates studio within walking distance. It’s interesting trying to follow along with the classes in French. The instructors are very helpful and know some English. I’m learning the names for body parts and movements and counting backward from eight! Another part of our new routine is finding restaurants and shops we like and will frequent. In France the norm is small shops that specialize, not going to one grocery store for everything. There’s the baker, the butcher, the cheese shop, chocolate shop, fruits and veggies, and wine shops. We have a large fridge (for a French apartment) and it holds about 3 days of food. The French way is to shop small and eat fresh, seasonal foods. We’re learning and loving it! Less waste and more quality. Our bodies can tell the difference. No more indigestion and we’ve both lost 10+ pounds already without trying. Despite the baguettes. Fun fact, baguettes are considered a French right. The recipe and price are regulated. Only 1.30 Euro for a fresh from the oven staple of French life.
One of the reasons we chose Paris was the art and culture, so part of our new routine is to plan and experience one to two new places each week. Museums, parks, concerts, famous buildings, historical sites… we won’t get done in a year, but we’ll have fun along the way! Plus we tried taking the regional train to the Normandy coast to see the Normandy beaches and the Deauville American Film Festival. And a 90-minute flight to Venice, Italy for a long weekend. We like to travel and it’s fun to explore destinations that are less than two hours away by train or plane.
Check out Kevin’s page of walks and excursions HERE.
Next up: Unpacking our container from the US!
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