5 months

I have been here for 5 months now. Everyone I meet asks me how I like it, how it compares to the US.
I don't miss the US at all, maybe a few things here and there. Now that the weather has become really nice, I am looking forward to getting out more, socially. I have to figure that out. It seems the people I meet are not French. There are 2 Internet organizations that have all kinds of group activities, but the people that attend are usually English. I like the English, but I am in France. Many of the English don't even try to speak French and really keep to their own groups. I don't want to do that.

I especially love that I can easily travel to places like Tuscany, Roma, Paris, Holland in a short period of time. There are so many places that I want to go. I feel more comfortable flying on short trips. I am comfortable and confident going to these other places as the newness has worn off. It makes it so much easier. However, I cannot break the over packing curse. Each trip I hope to be cured.

Food is still a challenge. I have cut back on cheese, almost entirely. I still eat baguettes, but "cereal" only. Now that the summer is here I will be eating more fresh vegetables. There is still the pure butter with sea salt that I love. There is also a zero calories soda that I love. The flavor is argum ...I think it's a combination of citrus fruits. I just love it, but must cut that out. I don't eat nearly as healthy as I should. I rarely go out to eat here in France. I feel uncomfortable being alone going out to eat. In Italy, I don't mind at all.

I get my new used car this week. It is a freelander range rover. I am nervous about going from such an easy car, the Clio , to this more difficult small SUV.
Shifting in the Clio is a breeze. If the car stalls, it starts right up again. I have not has any of those uncomfortable experiences where the car stall and there are 15 cars behind me and I have to restart....the car does it itself. It's really so easy to drive, and comfortable. It is made of plastic it seems and crushes easily. The RR will be much safer. To drive it however will be tougher and will take some getting used to.

I am happy with all the images that I have been capturing. I do, however, need to shoot abstracts and I will concentrate on that this coming week, maybe today. I am not sure if my work is changing. I think looking all the time for patterns in nature has improved my compositional skills. I am happy that I have broadened my eye to include landscape and people. I have a portrait series in mind that I want to get working on. I thank the camera as it has made shooting easier. It's like the Clio of a camera where as the RR was like the old film camera.

And I was thinking...why is Italy so easy for me. I was thinking it was like a soft comfortable mattress that you sink into and feel at home. It just feels right to me. France feels like a hard and stiff mattress that does not have much give to it. France challenges me more in every way. In Italy, you can be yourself and don't have to worry about what people are thinking.  I need the challenge, I do, but I love the comfort in Italy. The Italians don't like the French much....I can understand why. But, I am the type of person that always needs some discipline from the outside, so French society is good for me. I just need to immerse more as opposed to being isolated out here in the country.

I have a trip upcoming to Rome. I will fly, stay in the little apartment I love. I already have reservations to see a few exhibits, I can't wait. Maybe I will have a La DoceVita time while I am there. It's such a familiar and wonderful place.

My french improves, but I need to study. I never study and I should. I have my regular places that I go that I know how to handle, the dry cleaner, 3 supermarkets, gas, butcher shop, bakery the hair salon for me and for Emile. I've got the parking down, the local highway, I have my back roads, our hiking spots, I can get through in French when I have to. Still. the French people have been very kind as they can see that I am trying.

The drycleaner lady is very funny. She asks my name for the tag and I always give her my last name, all frenchified....I always forget they use first names. Everyone in the place cracks up and teases me...OOOOHHH Madame La Barge!!!!! Funny. In NYC, it was always last names for everything. In California, it was first names...here first names too.

Am I suppossed to say good bye when I exit the elevator with strangers? They always say au revoir to me. Is that a custom that I am just now seeing?

Must I wear a scarf everyday? I refuseé! I almost feel exposed without one.

So, all and all I am doing well. There are a few things that I am working on changing, but life is good.