Before & After

Our 2008 summer sub-let apartment in Paris Pictures!

*Please Note* This is not our apt anymore.  It was a summer apt we rented already furnished in the 19th Arrond back in 2008.  It worked fine for us for a summer, but when we actually moved to France we found an apt about three times the size and even that can feel small sometimes.  And our view is not a building, but the River Seine, lovely indeed.




After literally hours of my life WASTED looking for apartments, Hicham finds 'the one'. No, it wasn't a contest really, but there would be a certain satisfaction gained for the one who actually located 'the' summer apartment. I was close a few times though, tell ya what!

But in the end, it was Hicham who found our summer home. The photos are ones he took at the apartment to convince me that this was the one. To the average observer, it might seem odd that he took photos of the kitchen sink. But in fact, for me, the kitchen sink was a non-negotiable. I would not live in an apartment where the kitchen sink looked like it belonged in a bathroom. Yes, in Paris, it is common to find small bathroom sinks... IN THE KITCHEN!!!!! Certainly not enough room to wash a casserole dish let alone a cookie pan. Those sinks are a joke and a half, clearly designed for people who eat only cheese and bread all day - like the French... oh wait.

He took 40 pictures, many of them highlighting the nearby trees. I am only sharing 3 for your viewing pleasure, because you likely do not care to see the shower head of the apartment (also non-negotiable... must be attached above the head and not simply on a hose laying in the bottom of the tub... picky picky picky!)



Yea! What a relief. Knowing where we will live over the summer is certainly putting my mind in a restful position. And another cool thing is that my French school is only a few blocks from Hicham's work. So, we will go together in the morning, meet for lunch, he will go back to work and I will study French and well, who the hell knows what else? Blog more maybe?

3 and a half weeks!

3 & 1/2 weeks... and counting

So- Just a little update... I do have another more interesting blog about my re-move abroad. Please let me know if you are interested in the link, and I will gladly email it to you. It goes a lot more in depth than I do on myspace.

Reality struck me about two weeks ago- with working more than FT as the Cheif Judge for One Stop Early Voting, I realized that I simply was NOT going to be ready to move out of my house in time. It was just too overwhelming. Yes, it is true our garage sale resulted in 'earning' over $2000 and yet there was still stuff yet ungone through...kitchen stuff, paperwork, random miscellaneous stuff that people didnt buy or that I failed to put out for the sale and many, many books that did not sell. Not to mention the fact, that moving our requires cleaning time. So, I sucked it up and admitted to being a human being and not a human doing. Lucklily, for me the landlord said I could stay an additional month.

So- after using the rental truck to drive all my clothes to Rachel's house, I had to go back and get them all and resume my life in my empty yet cluttered house. It was really stupid. Her house was clean, orderly and stress-free and mine, well let's just say that it sucks. I felt a jab or self-hate as I left what could have been my clean, orderly home before departure to France BUT NO... still have tons left to do!

Yesterday, I brought three boxes of random stuff to the ladies down the street - they are in recovery of some sort and living in a group home. They were delighted by all the funkified clothes & shoes.

But anyoldway- Early voting is over (two days ago - over 800 voters in 6 hours!) and tomorrow is NC's primary election and then a normal routine will resume... and Wednesday will be the BIG delivery day to Habitat for Humanity.

I would say that 2008 has already been one of the most unusual years of my life... how has your 2008 been so far?

Madrid!

For all my gentle readers out there, all 4 of you, let me tell you rather abruptly that we are not moving to Madrid. We are still moving though and still leaving our cute little life in Durham. But, first let me tell you a little bit about Madrid... and a little it will be since my flight was delayed and I missed my connection and had to stay in a hotel and then spend Valentine's day in Philadelphia. So an already short trip was cute to a complete unfunny joke! As long as I am mentioning my string of bad luck, let me mention that my luggage didnt show up until the night before I was supposed to leave (which we had to go and pick up!)which forced me to buy socks, undies, and another outfit.

For the doomed trip on the way home: The new clothes were put in my carry-on bag which I accidentally left on the subway enroute to the airport. My carry-on also contained my beautiful diary Hicham got for me in France last summer, my airplane book, some jewelry and airplane snacks... making my 8 hour long flight home even more boring (and it was the very last row so my seat didnt recline- it was my personal hell on Earth... nothing to do for 8 hours, repulsive vegetarian airplane food, sitting upright - what could have been worse?)

So, now that we have the traveling trauma and tedium out of the way, let's talk about how one spends 2 and a half days with their husband they haven't seen in over 6 weeks in the city that will become your home in the near future? Our mission: to meet the city and get a feel for the place.

To that end, we walked mostly, took some buses, took the subway, and took taxi's. We went to clubs until 5 am and interesting tapas places, vegetarian restaurants, enormous parks, colorful stores, eclectic neighborhoods and majestic plazas. Madrid is such a fantastic city! Everything I would have ever wanted in a city. The people were charming, attractive, and polite to each other.

Tangent Alert: After having been in or living in big cities, Hicham and I were equally amazed when a man gave up his subway seat to a slightly older woman. Now, one might think that is 'just the right thing to do' but in most places that just doesn't really happen on the subway. It is not due to rudeness, it's just that most times, a rider doesn't spend more than 5-7 minutes on any given train. If a guy was to get up every time a woman came on the train there would just be too much chaos and for such a short journey. Women get on and off every minute. But anyway, we witnessed it and looked at each other in amazement (yes, I was sitting and he was standing by the way) and then all the people around us seemed to notice us being amazed, it was all very weird BUT ANYWAY... the people are just cool.



Since our plans were to move there, we neglected the big museums and most justly skimmed the surface. We did catch an energetic Flamenco show on our last night. We were surrounded by American's who video taped, talked loudly and snapped photos for the ENTIRE duration of the show. I was appalled. We then walked all the way back to the hotel along cobble stone streets and through majestic English garden plazas. It was our last night and we didn't want it to end.

Our weekend on the town could have been amazing but unfortunately our experience in Madrid was polluted, literally! It is true, the initial factor in our deciding to derail the move to Spain and instead go to ----- was all the damn cigarette smoke. They smoked while walking, talking, sitting, eating, dancing, probably while pooping! It was unreal. Just toxicity no matter where you were, it was amazing, there would be the most glamorous woman EVER- who clearly cared a great deal about her appearance- with beautiful shoes, perfect style, great haircut, wow! Standing there in a cloud of filthy, stinky smoke... surrounded by her friends all smoking. After going out on Saturday night, my lungs ached!

It became a constant topic of conversation. "Can you believe how much they smoke? I can't stay in here, it is too smoky. Wow, they are smoking as they eat!" and on and on. It was a distraction big time. So, after much discussion, we decided that to have any quality of life, we simply couldn't live somewhere that we can't breathe...

Of course Hicham did get an internship offer in Madrid and in Paris...so we had a choice. Ironically, I was a little pissy about Hicham even applying in Paris because (insert whiny voice)"I don't want to live in stupid old Paris". He would just say that it was good to have options. Of course, that is true and especially now!

Hicham has always wanted to stay in Paris- but out of respect to me was willing to go to Madrid (what a wonderful partner!). And starting in Jan. 08 France banned smoking in all public places! SO, we will go to Paris. There are other benefits to Paris as well:

1. I will learn French so then I can talk to his family.
2. At least one of us will be native speakers.
3. He will work less for more money.
4. Olivia the dog will be able to do more and go more places with me.
5. I will learn more about the French culture.
6. Free health care!
7. More of my friends want to visit Paris then Madrid, so hopefully I will get to see familiar faces more often!
8. I do not know, I will tell you more as I realize them - if you see any other benefits, please comment!

So- I guess I will have to change my blog pictures to capture the Frenchiness of it all - oui oui! Merci!