Once l’automne began shifting to l’hiver we found the days to not only literally be getting shorter (kids leaving for school in the dark and getting home in the dark) but the days also feeling shorter as we started settling in and getting busy with trips, visitors, school events and the like. It has indeed been magical and festive filled with vibrant Christmas markets, lights strung throughout the city, warm drinks and sweets galore. We have taken wonderful side- trips to Munich, Amsterdam and London and have had dear family in town for a good part of it. If you ever have the opportunity to visit any of these amazing cities during the holidays I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Resignations
We are close to our six month anniversary of living abroad leaving us with so much to reflect on. We have all grown, changed and adapted. I have learned that going with the flow and resigning yourself to whatever your situation might be is the best method for living in a foreign country (and perhaps just living anywhere!). So when I recently had an issue with our visa and was shuffled from one préfecture to the next and then for reasons I still don’t understand, told to go see the US Embassy (even I knew that our embassy couldn’t help me with French visa issues) and then back to the préfecture to be told to contact our local consulate. Almost at my wits end I sat down to write a very carefully crafted long letter to the Los Angeles French Consulate essentially pleading in the nicest way possible for a helpful answer. This was met with a half sentence response containing four words “go see your préfecture”. Did I scream or bang my head in frustration? No, and mostly because I’ve grown so used to this I actually would’ve been more shocked to have had my questions answered. So in the words of Jim Carey from the movie Liar Liar “what i’m gooooing to do is piss and moan like an impotent jerk and then bend over and take it up the tail pipe”.
Resignation and humor in my opinion work best together and can help you get through almost anything, including the humiliating experience of being looked upon unsympathetically by the madame whom you are trying to explain your situation to in kindergarten french (I’m fairly certain she spoke English but maybe she also has to get some humor out of her day). That was a loss. But atlas there have been wins! We have finally secured a French bank account (it only took six months). It was, like many things here, a test in mental strength but now feels like a mini victory and our treatment upon entering the bank is proof. When the formerly stern faced and slightly annoyed receptionist now smiles upon seeing us, I feel the same emotions swell up in me as a child being rewarded by their teacher.
The kids are doing well, and unsolicited, speak often about their love for Paris. It is fun to see the beauty of it all through their eyes. Cash is fascinated by the weather patterns and seasons and is also resigning himself to the fact that he will be wearing pants for at least two to three more months. Recently, I heard a lot of noise in the bathroom and found him trying to reach up high to a shelf where I store their summer clothes (space is limited) when I questioned him he sheepishly replied “I just wanted to see what it felt like to wear shorts”. Iyla has resigned herself to the fact she must get used to walking everywhere. I can’t say it always goes without any complaints, but we are making progress and both kids get a kick out of seeing our end of the day mileage on my phones health app (we have a record high of 17 miles). Tommy has resigned himself to living in small quarters. To be fair, by Paris standards our apartment is a decent size but still a quarter of the size we are used to. Our dining room has now become our favorite room (namely because it is big- tellement français) and opposite to our home in California it has become where we do almost everything. He has also resigned himself to the fact that a few french phrases will only take you so far (but his enthusiastic “fantastique” has definitely given me much entertainment). So now we both board a bus twice a week for French lessons. I was also trying to get by on my average level of French, but a situation where I spent an embarrassing amount at a Fromagerie (the truffle cheese was amazing though) and another situation where I was aiding a woman who took a serious fall and needed an ambulance made me realize its time for me to also step it up.
One of the best things is that by virtue of living in a city you inevitabley learn so much about art, history, food, traditions and different cultures. I would say on average we have at least two experiences a week involving either a museum, church, cemetery, or exhibition of some kind (last week we saw an exhibition in the Louvre on the private collection of French Kings and Emperors and we also took a trip to Reims to see its historical Cathedral). Even just walking in the city there are plaques everywhere commemorating the spots that famous people lived or died or anything of historical significance.
Recently Paris has been in the news due to the rising levels of the Seine. It is about 19 feet above water level right now (normal is six feet). We have been surprised to hear that rainfall has been twice the amount usual (we had expected a lot of rain and had thought this was normal). The city is fine but there are no boats or river cruises at the moment and you cannot walk on the pathways along river. Of course weather has been bizarre all over the world notably in our dear hometown of Montecito and Santa Barbara where they have been through drought, fires and then a devastating mudslide. Our hearts were with all those who suffered and lost homes and loved ones. We stayed up most nights during that time (9 hour time difference) feeling helpless but wanting to know the news and wishing in a strange way we could be there to do something. It’s been healing to see the community come together in such a positive way. We wish the best in our hometowns road to recovery and rebuilding.
A few of my winter loves
glasses of 4€ wine
babies bundled up on the metro and buses their big eyes looking around with wonder
waving at my neighbor (and now dear friend) across the courtyard through our kitchen windows
les Soldes (the big sale of the year in January)
thick blanket like scarves
rain at night
watching people bask in the sun in cafés or parks on that rare sunny moment
no sunscreen
construction workers sitting and having their lunch in a café
café crèmes all day long
cheese for dessert (or maybe both)
nutella on toast
the best and cheapest fresh orange juice in almost every store (including gas stations)
grey skis illuminated and softened by the lights of the city
saturday morning breakfast and walks to the park after
sounds of church bells and school children playing
the prospect of Spring and the change and beauty that awaits
The Paris Year(s) 