Normandy Diaries: A new slow life
I’ve taken the past 6 months to get used to my new home, relax, and get used to a slower life. I’m still not used to a slow life, I think it’s partly because, for most of my life, it’s been non-stop go-go-go.
Rather than putting all my efforts into work, I’m also taking time to enjoy the summer, or rather, spring, weather of Normandy - a measly 18° on an average day (with the wind and lack of sun it feels more like 12°). That being said, the views from one of the windows of my apartment are amazing at sunset. On some weekdays, the music school across the street opens their windows for classes, so I can hear the piano or guitar playing in the background as I watch the sunset and sip on my wine.
I also had a 6-month stint helping with communications of my religious centre in France, and I quickly learned that was not something I wanted to go back to doing. As much as I enjoyed it, it made my life much more fast-paced and took time away from what mattered to me the most. Now I’m back to relearning how to live life when something is not taking up 80% of my at-home waking hours. It’s so weird coming home and having nothing to do, nothing urgent that needs to be finished, or meetings that require attending. Now, I come home and drink wine, watch some YouTube or read a book before eating dinner and then enjoy tea from my local tea and coffee shop.
One thing that I’ve picked up doing is writing letters. I’ve had some penpals for a while now but recently came across some more. Being penpals is actually really fun! I’ve made quite a few amazing connections with some penpals and even had the chance to meet a few over the past few years (hi Laura, I know you’re reading this!). This pastime is helping me enjoy this new slow life - it forces me to sit down, get off my phone, and write something with a pen and on paper, also forces me to practise my cursive! I think this whole ritual you could say started not long after I started my Bachelor’s degree when I would send postcards back and forth with one of my best friends in Colorado. This slowly turned into full-length letters and now is a regular occurrence, with 6 penpals spread across Europe and North America.
Something that has luckily been keeping me busy is an online part-time Master’s degree with Rome Business School I started in April. So far, the courses are super interesting and I enjoy (half of) the professors’ enthusiasm and lectures. I’m very happy with my decision to enrol in this Masters. Not only will it possibly give me a path to a more secure type of residence permit, but also allow me to solidify my theoretical knowledge for some projects I have in the long term future. One of my professors, the program director, Camilla Carrega Bertolini, is the most enthusiastic professor I have ever had and is so incredibly knowledgeable in the industry. I’ve had a virtual meeting with her once, and look forward to having another with her soon!
Now that I’m back in Normandy for the summer after a few travels to Paris and the Netherlands (more on this coming soon!) I’m falling back into savings mode. I want to come back to Ottawa for a vacation soon, and also want to go for a short vacation right after the summer ends, possibly to London, Belgium, or Germany, who knows! Recently my employer made the switch from banking overtime to monthly payouts, and I asked for mine to continue to be banked so that I can take an extra week off, because I’ve meticulously planned all my 28 days of vacation for 2024 (assuming I can go to Canada for 2 weeks this fall, which is still to be determined) and will have none left on December 31, 2024. Luckily after my one-year anniversary at Les Cures Marines, I’ll start accruing my statutory holidays, meaning I’ll have more days to use for travel! Future travels include Paris and south of France in January, IIHF Womens’ World Championship in a small town in Czechia with a two-day trip to Prague in April, my possible graduation ceremony in Rome, a trip to Ottawa in October 2025 for the wedding of a very dear friend, and I’m sure I’ll add somewhere else in there too!
Anyhow, that’s it for today! Next time you hear from me you’ll hear about my recent travels and some plans for future travels. Until next time, happy adventuring!
Some things I’ve been enjoying recently
My clafoutis recipe is perfect at this time of the year since it is prime cherry season - I’ve been making it every week at home (especially the week I found cherries for 5€/kg at the market)
My first recipe journal is almost full! It’s barely been 6 months and I’ve maxed out all of my pages in my journal - good thing I keep a couple on hand with me at all times :)
I have started reading the book La Joie de vivre by Emilie Zola, which is a classic French book. I decided to start reading this after a visit to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in which he included the book in one of his paintings - access the book in French or English
Since my sister came to visit me in May, I got her to bring me back my favourite tea from Canada, the Murchies Afternoon Blend, a classic from the 130-year-old tea and coffee store in British Columbia