So here I am in Paris - it's been two weeks since I arrived, so I thought it was time I finally got this blog started. Blogging is a new thing for me and I am not sure how it will suit my, erm, somewhat verbose style as I have been advised that I should keep posts short and to the point. Uh huh. Well, if that's your taste, I am sure there are many other blogs that will oblige you; on the other hand, if you are interested in my ramblings, stick around...
The past two weeks have been a bit of a blur (No, not due to excessive alcohol consumption. Okay, mostly not due to that. Jeez.) as I've been running around Paris getting myself settled - it's kind of amazing to be starting over yet again in another country after so long in London, and it's the really stupid things you don't think about which end up being a hassle you didn't expect. For example, hangers. There were none in my new wardrobe so I had to go buy some, all the while cursing the 800 or so excellent hangers that I had to leave in London. Grr. Or having to buy all of your toiletries at once - that's a significant chunk of cash, people. Especially when you have to buy a rather expensive face cream - and for those of you who think maybe I didn't "need" that, you obviously didn't see the stressed-out zombie I had become during my last few days of frenzied packing in London; I've seen thousand-year-old Inca mummies excavated from the ice of the Andes that are fresher-faced than I was.
Anyway, it's all coming together. I am living in a fabulous flat in the heart of Paris (literally a two minute walk from the Jardin des Tuileries, I timed it on my phone's stopwatch function), sharing with a very nice landlady/flatmate - I did think at one point when I arrived that she was in some kind of ménage à trois situation (which would have been rather exciting and totally in keeping with my vision of scandalous Parisian life) so I was slightly disappointed to learn that one of the chaps was just staying in the spare room for a few days. Hmph. So, quite frankly, if there's going to be any scandalous behaviour, it looks like I will have to be the one to provide it - I will let you know how that goes...
Sadly, nothing too scandalous yet, although I have been remarkably social for someone who hardly knows anyone - during my first week, my landlady took me to a party. Which happened to be a book launch. On a boat. On the Seine. As one does. So, free champagne and glamorous intellectuals in a setting that wouldn't be out of place in a movie. Not a bad way to kick things off for my new life, I must say. Of course, then we ended up in some nightclub and I crawled home at 4am, so really not too different from London in that regard... ahem. I've also been to a lovely dinner at a friend's house, and to a great housewarming party that led to an invitation to brunch the next day, where I met a group of friendly expats, which will hopefully lead to more socializing...
Work is also going well - I have adapted to part-time employment remarkably well. Of course, that probably has something to do with the fact that last Friday it was a beautiful warm day here and I spent the morning in the Jardin du Luxembourg with my blackberry and a big cup of gelato, which was then followed by an afternoon in a cafe with my blackberry and a big glass of wine. That's a fairly standard day for me and I am so smug about it I kinda hate myself for it. I do have to go into the office a couple of mornings a week, but overall, not a bad way to work, not bad at all. I am sure I will faint with horror when I get paid at the end of this month and see how teeny-tiny my first paycheque is, but perhaps I'll wait until January before I start filling out applications to work at McDonald's. Won't be so smug then, noooooope.
Okay, so that's it for the moment. Short and to the point? Not so much, but hopefully it has given you a small taste of life in Paris, and there will be more to come...
The past two weeks have been a bit of a blur (No, not due to excessive alcohol consumption. Okay, mostly not due to that. Jeez.) as I've been running around Paris getting myself settled - it's kind of amazing to be starting over yet again in another country after so long in London, and it's the really stupid things you don't think about which end up being a hassle you didn't expect. For example, hangers. There were none in my new wardrobe so I had to go buy some, all the while cursing the 800 or so excellent hangers that I had to leave in London. Grr. Or having to buy all of your toiletries at once - that's a significant chunk of cash, people. Especially when you have to buy a rather expensive face cream - and for those of you who think maybe I didn't "need" that, you obviously didn't see the stressed-out zombie I had become during my last few days of frenzied packing in London; I've seen thousand-year-old Inca mummies excavated from the ice of the Andes that are fresher-faced than I was.
Anyway, it's all coming together. I am living in a fabulous flat in the heart of Paris (literally a two minute walk from the Jardin des Tuileries, I timed it on my phone's stopwatch function), sharing with a very nice landlady/flatmate - I did think at one point when I arrived that she was in some kind of ménage à trois situation (which would have been rather exciting and totally in keeping with my vision of scandalous Parisian life) so I was slightly disappointed to learn that one of the chaps was just staying in the spare room for a few days. Hmph. So, quite frankly, if there's going to be any scandalous behaviour, it looks like I will have to be the one to provide it - I will let you know how that goes...
Sadly, nothing too scandalous yet, although I have been remarkably social for someone who hardly knows anyone - during my first week, my landlady took me to a party. Which happened to be a book launch. On a boat. On the Seine. As one does. So, free champagne and glamorous intellectuals in a setting that wouldn't be out of place in a movie. Not a bad way to kick things off for my new life, I must say. Of course, then we ended up in some nightclub and I crawled home at 4am, so really not too different from London in that regard... ahem. I've also been to a lovely dinner at a friend's house, and to a great housewarming party that led to an invitation to brunch the next day, where I met a group of friendly expats, which will hopefully lead to more socializing...
Work is also going well - I have adapted to part-time employment remarkably well. Of course, that probably has something to do with the fact that last Friday it was a beautiful warm day here and I spent the morning in the Jardin du Luxembourg with my blackberry and a big cup of gelato, which was then followed by an afternoon in a cafe with my blackberry and a big glass of wine. That's a fairly standard day for me and I am so smug about it I kinda hate myself for it. I do have to go into the office a couple of mornings a week, but overall, not a bad way to work, not bad at all. I am sure I will faint with horror when I get paid at the end of this month and see how teeny-tiny my first paycheque is, but perhaps I'll wait until January before I start filling out applications to work at McDonald's. Won't be so smug then, noooooope.
Okay, so that's it for the moment. Short and to the point? Not so much, but hopefully it has given you a small taste of life in Paris, and there will be more to come...
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