Hey there,

I’ve strayed from my daily posts. I’ve decided that if I don’t have much to say, what’s the point of forcing it? And I haven’t touched upon day three of my trip to NYC because it was rainy, uneventful, and not worth chronicling (but you will continue to see photos, here and there).

But I’ve decided to muse again, today. After all, this blog was started as a way to chronicle daily musings as I proceed down the path of calling myself a Parisian!

I spend a lot of  time thinking about how my life can be improved. This is not to say that I have a bad life by ANY means! But I’m constantly pushing myself down a path to improving. I’m one of those people who can’t sit still, and I think that will continue even after I have the cobbled streets of Paris beneath my feet! When I’m not sitting here, dreaming, I’m working on a path to making those dreams come true.

Today, I decided that this involves looking at real estate in France.

I went to a medium (sorry if that weirds you out, or if it’s something you don’t believe in) and she told me I would be  traveling  in 2-3 years (my goal is to move by/when I am thirty) and, in her words, “truly experiencing  life”. I then revealed that I actually had goals to move by that time, and whether Paris was in the picture. She didn’t say yes! That kind of broke my heart. Instead she said, “Have you investigated teaching in France?” (bizarre… as I am an educator, but it also was my  plan to begin with education and perhaps move to other things down the line, when there). I told her I have to some degree, but not extensively. She said to investigate further, and also to, “remember, there is more than just Paris in beautiful France… there is something there for you.” And mentions something like Alsis? Which I could not find.

I have considered elsewhere. I considered a home in a little town perhaps an hour or two outside of Paris. Much like the distance I live from Toronto, I can still call Toronto home, while enjoying a quieter side of life just outside of it. But then I wondered if I would lose all I loved about the idea of moving to Paris if I didn’t live in the city. It’s the greatest city in the world! But yes, real estate is expensive. And yes, it’s packed with tourists. And yes, it’s a “hot spot” for terrorism. But YES! The opportunity for English speakers is immense! And YES! Having that would make the transition to a life in a different country so much easier. And YES! Learning French would be less of a necessity but also less intimidating, so it would come easier! And YES! Those cafe dreams are worth the tourists!

But then I discover things like this: “The Loire valley has some of the most affordable housing in France but there is a big differential between areas. The region as a whole has an average price of €149,000 with the cheapest housing to be found in Indre and prime prices to be found in Indre et Loire.” (Source)

And then I discover homes like this, and I imagine myself waking up each morning like Belle, feeding chickens and tending to goats and sheep, sitting by my fireplace, reading, drinking coffee, enjoying the silence.

And then I discover properties like this  and start to imagine myself walking those wood floors, under those old beams, cooking dinner with fresh vegetables from the local market.

And then I see this property, and I imagine turning that art gallery into a bookshop, stocking French and English titles of the classics…

But then I start looking at Ile-De-France and I find this and I’ve forgotten all about that country life and I’m back to Parisian dreaming. How could I possibly think of anything else, when coffee on that balcony, overlooking those grey roofs, is all I could ever dream!?

It all comes back to that saying,

“That Paris exists and anyone could choose to live anywhere else in the world will always be a mystery to me.” (Midnight in Paris)

I’ll continue my dreaming, today. Here’s hoping that these dreams are not in vain, as nothing would pain me more.

xo
C