We’ve been living in France for five months now, and life feels a bit too busy to keep up with a daily diary at the moment. Instead, I’ll share a few random things that are on my mind.
School Lunch. Oliver is now having at lunch at school rather than coming home for the midday break, and it’s been a game-changer for all of us. For me and Todd, we’re enjoying a lot more flexibility on weekdays to get work done and also do fun stuff like have lunch together, go shopping, and go to the gym (Todd). Oli doesn’t always love what’s on the menu — ratatouille and lentil salad is a far cry from the burgers and pizza of his American school! But he seems to be loving the extra time with his friends, and the extra recess he gets after the meal. Lunch is a big topic of conversation when he gets home each day as we ask him about the menu and all of the interesting details that make it so different from lunch back home — like that it’s served in courses, that they pour their own water into glasses and refill the pitcher when it’s empty, and they clean up after themselves before heading outside.
Spring. One of the things I was most looking forward to when moving to France this year was the experience of the changing seasons — and spring is not disappointing! Winter was really hard, but this lush, vibrant season makes it feel worth it. I love that the big tree in the courtyard across from our apartment is now home to a flock of birds that sing every morning and evening, and its green leaves give our little third-floor space the feeling of a treehouse. The markets are bursting with beautiful strawberries, white asparagus, and rhubarb, and the parks are filled with blooming trees and colorful flowers that are absolutely thriving thanks to the still-frequent rain.
Safety. Todd recently went out for the evening with a few friends to celebrate his birthday. They went to a soccer (ahem, football) game followed by a stop at a casino and a few bars. I knew it would be a late night for him, so I told him to be careful as he was heading out the door. And I realized that I almost never say that here — I almost never worry about my family like I did back home. In the U.S., I worried about my family every single day. I worried about Oli at school, about Todd working in a neighborhood with a gun problem, about them driving on a highway where fatal accidents frequently occur. But here, it’s very different. I don’t worry about someone bringing a gun to Oli’s school, or look for the exits at crowded events. I don’t even worry too much about them biking across town every day, because cars move slowly and bikes basically rule the road. (Knock on wood!) It’s nice to have this breather, but it’s also a sad realization. When we do return home, it will be tough to readjust.
Social Media. To my surprise, my Instagram account has kind of blown up in recent weeks. I went from about 800 followers to now close to 10,000, which honestly blows my mind. It started with a little post I did comparing Oli’s school day now to his school day in the U.S., and apparently it hit a nerve. It just hit 5 million views, and it’s still growing! I decided to try to work with that momentum and have created a few more similar posts since then, many of which have performed well. It’s been really fun to chat and connect with different people about our experience; I even have a new pen pal! But it’s also exhausting and unsettling to read all of the divisive and sometimes straight-up cruel comments from so many people. I just can’t believe how much hate there is out there, and the terrible things that people feel comfortable saying from behind the masks of their online personas. I love using Instagram to document and share this experience and connect with like-minded people — but I also hate how it can be so time-consuming, addictive, and negative. I have really mixed feelings about whether I want to keep putting effort into building my account or just go back to sharing organically, without worrying about how many views my posts get. For now, I’m working to restrict my usage of the app to only a few check-ins each day, which is something I’ve wanted to do for years. It’s tough! It really is addictive.
Fatigue. I was seriously worn-out after our last trip, and it took several days to recover. This life in general can be very exhausting, and I’ve had what I’m pretty sure are severe tension headaches almost every day for the last few weeks. I’ve thought a lot about how to find more comfort and happiness here, but it’s still difficult at times. I’ve committed to doing more of the things that bring me joy — going to cafes, shopping at markets, taking long walks in the park, exploring the areas beyond the city. So far, it seems to be working, and I’m finding it easier to be present and appreciate where we are rather than getting lost in thoughts of home. But I’m still wondering if I’m really cut out for this life abroad, or if I’m more of a slow traveler who needs a familiar home base to always return to? It’s still fairly early in our adventure, and I’m trying not to make any decisions I might regret.