Seven Years

I wrote this, then took it off the blog for a day. I wasn't sure I should publish this in the first place. Some people will read this and understand what I'm trying to say. Others will question my sanity and still others will try to inflict guilt. Just so everyone knows, I never feel guilty, it is not in my emotional constitution.

You have to read this carefully and remember that it is coming from my point of view, not yours. It's my blog and my theme is "Aller Retour".

This month it will be seven years that we've had an apartment in Paris. In some ways, it seems like a long time and in some ways it seems like yesterday.

In September 2002, the US was making noises about war in Iraq. The French didn't like us very much, and vice-versa. I couldn't speak French so I kept my mouth shut most of the time. I think this was a wise move.

We finalized the purchase of our first apartment on rue de Seine and ran out to buy the basics since it was empty. In one day, we went to Darty and bought a refrigerator, a washer/dryer (one unit), a TV, stereo and two phones. I think we continued on and ordered our bed on the same day.

Since the bed had a long lead time for manufacture, Le Bon Marche lent us a bed which was delivered promptly. The TV came and for a long time, we used the box for our dining table/desk.

In the next few days, we bought a small dining room table, four folding chairs, a small couch and chair for the living room, a small armoire and a dresser. A few tables and lamps followed and by the time we were ready to leave in mid-November, all the furniture had arrived. We were so excited. Never mind that the apartment was so small that the only two doors in the place were the front door and the bathroom door. We had a shower, no tub, one window and one skylight. But it was ours.

Now in September 09, we've been in a new (to us it's new, it's really 200 years old) apartment for three years. Much of the original things we bought have been replaced for one reason or another.

What's changed in seven years? Our original plan to stay in Paris for a month or two every year and travel never came to fruition. We were going to rent the apartment the rest of the time.

We started making friends in Paris, finding activities. It started to seem like home. I learned French. We traveled a bit and it was always hard, dirty and not as interesting as we expected. Our time in Paris no longer seems like a vacation, it became part of our life.

We still suffer from frustrating situations from time to time. The cultural differences of how things are done continue to annoy us/drive us crazy. We try not to change anything that's not necessary (like phone or internet service). Banking is an astonishing new world.

Our friends and family don't completely understand. We keep coming home (US) and then leaving again for France. In France, we usually don't miss much because we are in the US during the many and extended French holidays.

Some people understand more than others. We get people that ask, “what do you do there?” implying that after we’ve seen the big monuments and had a cursory view of some of the key museums, there’s not much more to do in Paris. Some people, when they hear what we do, look toward the horizon with a smile and ask a more specific question such as “what is your favorite neighborhood or restaurant?” The latter group of people are the ones that get it.

There are lots of people in Paris that do just about the same thing that we do. They may change the months they’re in Paris, but they go back and forth. They are happy with their lives, too.

Living between two countries has been one of the most educational, interesting and life-changing things I've ever done. Yes, when I look back, it seems like it's been seven years. I’ve changed in many ways, learned a lot, become stronger, more courageous, more curious, happier with the small things in life.