Well, I have been living in France
for a few weeks now and I must say the whole French country experience strikes
a cord within me. I love the unspoiled
countryside with houses that have been there for centuries and whisper tales of
bygone days….. I love the sleepy little
towns that rarely show any signs of life (like ghost towns really). I love that the French (here at least) have
the audacity to just enjoy life. Imagine!!!! No one seems to be killing themselves
working. They take their time to greet
people properly (the kiss on each cheek as a greeting!!!!), to eat leisurely
(at least two hours for lunch), and to enjoy life by putting living life to the
fullest and family first instead of working and making money as the number one priority.
The shops are closed a lot, butchers and bakeries especially
only opened early in the day, and most have closed days not only at the
weekends, but on Mondays and sometimes Tuesdays too. Restaurants are the same, opening on what
seems to be a whim. Some people coming
to France would
find this simply inconvenient and annoying.
Not me, I love the eccentricity and charm of it all! I love the grandeur and flair that the French
put into everything. I love the way they
speak, the smoothness and romance in every rolled syllable. I love the style and sense of fashion that is
put into every outing.
This is a simple country life, a way of life that has
spanned generations. I can breathe in
the deep history of every place I go. Pain
and pride intertwined. The toil that
went into each and every stone in every building. The craftsmanship and life put into each and
every thing, not enough to build, everything had to be and is, a work of art
and beauty.
The rolling hills and beautiful green fields are reminiscent
of my beloved Donegal, rekindling childhood memories of freely roaming the unfenced
land, of beautiful summers and days filled with laughter and the smell of fresh
hay and turf fires. Here I find the
peace my soul craves. Here I am finding
my long lost self…..I feel like I have come home!!!!
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