Bonjhola

Ep 30 - FLASHBACK: Rebecca Settles into Paris: Shopping, Protests, Cultural Differences, and Dancing Adventures

• Rebecca West

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Where to find Rebecca:

Welcome to Bonjola, a podcast about two women, Aimee and Rebecca, who each moved from the United States to Europe to become expats, Aimee to Spain and Rebecca to France. We're here to share the highs, the lows, and the logistics of this adventure, encourage you to follow your own move abroad dreams, and remind you that you're not alone when the going gets tough. Enjoy.

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Bonjola, Rebecca,

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Bonjour, Aimee.

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you are one week, 10 days in France.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

It's something like that. Yeah. 10, 11, 12. Okay. I've lost track.

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It doesn't feel like it's been that close to two weeks yet, but what is time here in Europe?

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Truly, especially because it really just feels like an extension of the three months we were here when we were bouncing around from Airbnb every two weeks. It just feels like another Airbnb that we're doing for another two weeks. So there's sort of a surreal feeling. To what we're experiencing right now. I don't think it's hit us completely that we live here yet.

Track 1:

Yeah, definitely. I mean, that was, that was, that was the case for us too, when we, when we first landed. And I, I feel like it was probably about three weeks in our temporary Airbnb before it started to feel like, okay, we're not. going back. And then it was frustrating because it was, oh, this place doesn't have a functional kitchen and I'm kind of getting sick of that life.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Yeah. We haven't had really any, I'm sick of this moments yet, which are good. Cause that would be really soon. Although we did our first like, okay, it's time to clean the house. And Damien and me and the cat were all in our tiny bathroom at the same time trying to clean. And I got, I got hit with some real claustrophobic, claustrophobic feelings. I'm like, Oh, Oh, this is small.

Track 1:

Is Murray responsible for the dusting since he got a head start by hiding in the, in the

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

I wish. Marie's responsible for contributing to the dusting.

Track 1:

Look at him earning his keep, what a good boy. So how is, how is, how is Damien feeling about the apartment? You know, thinking of in the mind of a chef and you know, you guys rented this place sight unseen. So he's walking into a kitchen that he's never seen before. How is, how is that landing? Are you guys even making meals at home right now? What's

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Yeah. I mean, we're trying to really be responsible, like, especially with our finances and also our health, because a big motivation for both of us for moving to Europe was to take on a new lifestyle when it comes to healthy living. So, and then also we're basically on a fixed income now. And we're trying to figure out what that means. So between both of those things, we're trying to be very careful with our finances and thoughtful about our health. You'd be very proud of me. Um, for those of you who don't know, Aimee has a podcast called

Track 1:

Blasphemous nutrition.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

just listening to the episode where you were talking about look for the protein and the produce. And our fridge and our counter are so covered in protein and produce that I took a picture. I haven't sent it to you yet.

Track 1:

I'm so excited. It's like Aimee Porn.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

It's been delightful. So yeah, we have a full kitchen by American standards. This is the one that would be in like the ADU over your garage. Everything's in miniature, but we have a proper oven, proper sink, proper. I mean, that's a proper fridge freezer. And he's been cooking just like he does at home.

Track 1:

Great.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

been lovely. We hit the boulangerie every day for the fresh bread, because the baguettes are as amazing as they promise. And they only last one day. So it is a daily purchase. Um, I've been eating, eating compte de cheese straight out of the fridge as my snacks. And I'm in absolute heaven. The interesting thing has been shopping. For food, we were, we were and remain very excited about the markets, the open air markets here, but pretty close to us is a big grocery store called the car for.

Track 1:

Yeah, we have one here in Spain as

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

They're pretty good grocery stores. And to our dismay, they're cheaper than the markets.

Track 1:

Really? It must be your neighborhood.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

might be and we also know, you know, I don't remember how long ago it was a few weeks few months but there's a big protest here in France where all the farmers blocked all the entrances to Paris with their tractors and stuff and apparently The middlemen and the retailers are making 50 percent more money than they were several years ago. Don't quote me on the numbers, but it's significant. 30 percent more. Whereas the farmers are making kind of the equivalent less than they were in that same amount of time. So there's a bunch of stuff happening behind the scenes with food right now in France.

Track 1:

It's in Spain too. The, um, the farmers are also protesting here in Spain. My Spanish teacher told me that one of the things that they're upset about is that Spain has a lot of environmental standards that they're holding farmers

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

That's what the French people are talking about too. Mm hmm.

Track 1:

Yeah, not that there are not being held across the European union. And so these farmers are taking on these extra burdens and extra costs of maintaining this standard, but Spain imports food from Italy, which doesn't have those standards and the farmers are pissed. So they've been doing the same thing here in Spain, driving, blocking, uh, Madrid blocking Barcelona. And my Spanish teacher was, um, he was going to see his mother. And, and he couldn't get home because of the, because of the protests going on. So he actually parked at a town, at a train station at a park in a town, several towns away and took the train home and then had to go back the next day to move his car to a safer place, but still couldn't take the car back because of the protests. So he didn't have his car for a couple of days because of this. And we live, you know, if you take the fast train, it's 45 minutes to Barcelona from here. If you are on the freeways, it's about an hour, hour and 15 minutes. But with the, um, farming protests going on and the freeways being blocked. It was taking people six hours to get from Barcelona to Girona because on the, all the side roads to get home. And so my Spanish teacher was saying that he feels confident that their protesting will lead to change because of the pressure that is being put on the government to. To alleviate some of the, the burden that's, that's on the farmers and the farmers effectiveness at making it very inconvenient for those of us who may not be aware of this situation.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

of love it. I mean, this is what protest is, is supposed to feel like. It's nonviolent and very disruptive. That's exactly the recipe for social change. It's not convenient, but that's the point,

Track 1:

right. Exactly. And I, it was, it's been interesting for me to think about, you know, where have we. What has happened in the states where protesting is no longer effective? And perhaps it's because, I mean, one, there's not media coverage on a lot of it, right? So it doesn't, from a sharing standpoint, it, it doesn't happen. It's not as big. But two, When I think about what farmers are doing here and how disruptive that is, it's significantly more disruptive than people just marching in the streets for a couple hours, right? Or even Occupy Wall Street was not significantly disruptive to trade and into people's lives the way that You know, in the, in the way that the farmers are doing, so

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

but it may be.

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it's fast.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

It may be a problem of scale again, because, you know, they're not trying to protest all of the EU, which when we're talking about proportion of country, that it's more like they're trying to change something just in Washington or just in Alabama, you know, so we have to remember that the size of what we're talking about is really different too.

Track 1:

That is good.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

It's definitely a cultural thing. They, I feel like in the States. Um, you know, you and I talk about the media a lot. I feel like in the states, they're setting us up to protest against each other. And here in Europe, they're still protesting against the government and against the people and powers in charge. That's very different.

Track 1:

Right. Right. Even in Canada with the truckers protest during the pandemic, it brought more than truckers in to protest because so many people were affected by what was going on and, um, You know, how Canada handled that is a very interesting story, which I don't want to get into because, you know, it's not the purpose, but people can take a look at what the Canadian government did and come to their own conclusions about that. Um, yeah, it is, it's, it. I just, I, I don't have an answer to this, but I've been wondering, you know, where, what will it, so many people are so unhappy and struggling so much in the United States and like, we're a huge country collectively. We have the power to change things, but we haven't figured out how we're going to do it. And I think it's, you're spot on that people are being pitted against each other, which is a really effective way. For keeping the status quo going, right? Keep the peons struggling amongst themselves. And then, you know, those who are benefiting can continue to benefit uninterrupted

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

we're making our neighbor the enemy instead of the person who actually is. affecting our quality of life.

Track 1:

Yeah. Yeah. And, but I, I feel like people know that. I feel like people, they must know that.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

I don't know when you're working three jobs and trying to keep, you know, your ends meeting, you might know something, but how are you supposed to take action on it too? So that's going deep into the weeds, but it's been interesting because one of the things about moving anywhere and then especially to a new country is all the decisions you have to make. And because you don't have like, Oh, well this is where my family shopped. So you have no defaults. Everything is a very. intentional choice in a way that doesn't, isn't true in your regular life that you've left.

Track 1:

On a brand new one.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Which is also why it's so dang exhausting because Everything takes thinking.

Track 1:

Yep. Going back to the incompetence fatigue that I coined earlier.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

renamed this phase, um, as like, this is the recon phase. My job is just to look like it's not necessarily to buy. I need the, I need the essentials, right? We got shelter established last week. We're getting food established this week, but I'm my, my little radars up and I'm looking like, where can I buy rugs? And, oh, I should tell you about my. Market shopping for rugs. It was bananas. Um, but everywhere we go. It's just okay. What's here? How can I get there if I bought a big thing over here? How would I get it there? And then that way i'm not trying to do the thing While researching the thing, because that feels like too much. I want to separate those phases. And I'm finding so far that that's been a really successful psychological game for myself.

Track 1:

That's great. It's great too that you have that patience to just do recon first and then answer the problem. I don't feel I had that patience. I just wanted, like, I just, I was in a hurry to settle down because the previous three were disruptive. And. Yeah. Yeah. And by time we, I mean, even now we've been in our, you know, permanent apartment for what, since August. So six months and seven months. And, um, you know, we still haven't, we've figured out how we're going to put art on the walls, but we haven't framed any of the art we've purchased. We haven't like, we haven't done any, we still have our Christmas tree up and it's March because It's March, and we still have our Christmas tree up! I was like, oh my god, it's actually, it's March!

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

I was watching you doing the math and going, she doesn't have all of her numbers in order.

Track 1:

No, no I don't, I don't, because I, yeah, again, my, like, my brain is still not fully, hasn't, not fully adapted,

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

But I wonder,

Track 1:

And it just, it seems too hard to take down the Christmas tree, and I don't know why.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

well, do you want it down or are you emotionally tied to having it there?

Track 1:

I'm not emotionally tied to having it there. I think it looks a little ludicrous at this point. The boxes for everything are downstairs in the storage unit, so you'd have to go down to the storage unit, pull them out, take them in the elevator, which opens directly into the apartment, up the stairs, and then put everything away, and then put it back, and that's not, it's less disruptive than when we were living in the States and driving to a storage unit to do the same thing, but it feels bigger and I don't want to do it alone because I already feel like, you know, we talk about it every weekend. We should take down the Christmas tree and then it doesn't happen.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Well, this isn't an expat thing. This is a kind of a family conversation buy in thing. I'm thinking, you've got a very capable son. Sounds to me like he should be assigned some tasks.

Track 1:

That's true. I do have a capable son and he, he honestly still really wants to just spend every weekend in his underwear, watching shows and relaxing, maybe going to the park, but not in his underwear, fully dressed to the park to play a little basketball or badminton. Um, But I think, you know, we just want to just not do anything. Um, yeah, it's, it's, it's interesting. It's interesting. And, and the, there's no real predictability for when we'll get a windfall of energy that will Make us motivated and I think when we do have those we're motivated to do other things. And so the Christmas tree stays up Yeah,

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

As long as it's not making anybody in the house miserable, who cares?

Track 1:

it's just a little weird Maybe what I really need to do is I need to go to a plant store and buy a huge Plant that would go there instead and then I'll be motivated to get that thing out of the

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

I don't feel like I should necessarily enable that behavior, but

Track 1:

I thought we were friends Rebecca

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

we did get a house plan where we got gifted a house plant as a housewarming present from one of our friends when we had dinner with them. So we do actually have, um, a plant that we have to keep alive. Now

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Wonderful and hopefully one Murray won't eat

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

it's a Pothos or something. He's left it alone so far, but Murray, the cat, for those of you don't know his name, he's. He's still figuring out like, honestly, I think he's still like, okay, this has been a fun adventure. Are we going home now?

Track 1:

Yeah,

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

wanders around a lot and there's only two tiny rooms. So we're like, is he not settled? Is he wondering where the rest of our house is? Because he's never lived in a space this small. And of course we project onto our pets, you know, human feelings. He's probably fine. It's funny though.

Track 1:

but he's wandering around as though he's looking for

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Kind of. Yeah. We did leave the windows open for the first time today and he put his little paws up and he looked out on the ledge. We live up on the seventh floor. So it makes my little mama's heart. Skip a few beats, but I've got to learn to trust him to not be an idiot. I'm sure you have those moments with your going on teen years son, you have to trust him not to be an idiot.

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Speaking of the, uh, if he ever hears this, he will absolutely kill me. But, um, let's see, today's the 12th. Last week was the first day. That my child had enough hormones in his body to smell poorly and like, disrupt me enough that he needed to go take a

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

It has begun.

Track 1:

Yes. Yes. I feel like, you know, there was before March 5th and then now there's now it's life after March 5th.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

I am sure every parent of a teenage boy out there feels your, your situation can, they can probably smell your situation.

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It just, it hurts. It hurts. I'm not ready. I'm not ready, but it's here. So

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Speaking of smells, it's funny. I don't know. I don't, I don't, want Europeans to hear this. Um, we febreezed the heck out of our apartment.

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Sinful?

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

And the elevator.

Track 1:

Is it? What does it smell like? What did it smell like before it smelled like Febreze?

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

old, old building, old carpet. Um, you know, these wood floors, I think I mentioned them maybe in our last recording. They're so old that they have those little gaps between them. So you just know that there's, we'll call it history. There's a lot of history here. Um, And Febreeze cannot be good for us. It kills things, but the place smells a lot better now. And it's not like we've had to do it over and over again. So I think it's sort of like when you bug bomb a house, you know, bug bomb it, leave, and then start your life over again. But it made a big difference.

Track 1:

Well, that's good.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Yeah,

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you bring the Febreze from the

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

no, we did find it here. We didn't bring any cleaning products with us, so they do have it here. Um, but the other, the cleaning products, the guy left in the house here all smell like vinegar, which is a great natural cleaning project product. But that doesn't. It doesn't smell good to us. So we haven't figured out what we're going to use. We haven't found like simple green or anything yet, which is what our thing was in the States. And again, this is, this is the game, you know, I'm walking through the store and I'm like, okay, here's a wall of cleaning products, which is already overwhelming in English, in brands that, you know, I did notice that, um, there's Monsieur Prop. Which is Mr. Clean. So they actually do have Mr. Clean here in French version. Monsieur Propre. I have no idea if the ingredients are the same or not because a lot of things are reformulated to be able to be sold in Europe. Still, still on the recon mission. We'll figure it out. I'm not worried.

Track 1:

One thing that you may find helpful with what's been left behind that reeks of vinegar is to find a, a bottle of essential oil, lavender, um, pine, you know, and, and put several drops of that into the bottle of cleaning, what have you. And it may, it, it certainly, if you put enough in there, it will mask the vinegar aroma.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

even occur to me. Um, I guess, I don't know why it seemed like In my head, I'm thinking of chemistry lessons like, Oh, no, if I add my lavender oil to my vinegar, it'll explode. I mean, I think that's probably bleach and finish. There's something that does that. I don't know.

Track 1:

Yeah. With vinegar. Yeah. Yeah. Acid and base together.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

do that.

Track 1:

Yeah, don't do that. No. Yeah, get some, get some essential oils and, and put it, put it in there. Um, if you can't find essential oils, you may have luck as well with citrus peels.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

We do want to start doing infused things. One of our recipes this week calls for tarragon vinegar, which. Isn't just sold at the stores. We're like, well, you probably just put tarragon and vinegar and wait a while.

Track 1:

Yeah. Speaking of herbs, um, you know, and I may have, I may have talked about this a while ago, but I just came back from our outdoor market in the park and they always have just huge bunches of herbs year round. There has not been a break in my ability to get phenomenally. ginormous bunches of mint, cilantro, and parsley. And they're less than a euro each. It's mind blowing. So I always have pesto or chimichurri, or a gremolata, or something, you know, and, and, and the dressings and everything. I'm just, I'm loving all of the herbs. I cannot get enough. It just, it makes me so happy. Tarragon, not a thing here. Can't find it. But

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Isn't that the funniest thing? Like we could, when we were here for the three months, we could not find red pepper flakes to save our lives. You know? So it's like. It's just astonishing how global the world is and yet also isn't.

Track 1:

yeah, yeah, for sure. For sure.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

I love it. So

Track 1:

And being in Paris, you probably just have to go to an ethnic market,

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Yeah. there is a place called Israel. It's a store called Israel and it's got every spice and curry powder and all these things. And then the big care for that we. Now go to actually has it as well, but more limited quantities. Definitely. I just think the French aren't into heat and spice the way we love from our Thai food and our Indian food and, and all of it. Yeah. Damien did make a curry the first week we were here and that tasted like home. That was a really nice meal to eat. Yeah. And I will say that one of the emergency purchases I made was a fuzzy blanket. We brought, I brought my little travel blanket, you know, as a stop, stop gap. And I've got my stuffed owl with me, but I wanted that extra layer for laying on the couch and snuggling up. And that was a nice purchase.

Track 1:

Yeah. We actually kept two of our fuzzy blankets and we were going to bring one, but they take up so much space in this space. I will say when I was back in the States in the winter, it was really nice to be able to pull it out of storage and have it with me while I was stateside. Um, As well as one of my bathrobes, which was just too, took up too much space. It was really good to have those things. Stateside. And so, you know, I'm kind of of the mind now that I'm going to keep them and I'll keep them in the States and it would be like one of the last things that came over. Right? As long as I'm kind of bouncing back once or twice a year, which I foresee doing for the next couple of years, at least, I'm liking that. I'm liking having some of those comforts in storage waiting for me.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

I think that's nice, especially because I know going home, and we're going to talk about that in the future, but going home can be just as emotional as moving. And so having some of those comforts waiting for you, I hadn't really thought about it being on the other end, you know, of these two bookends, but absolutely that makes sense.

Track 1:

Yeah, I hadn't thought about it either. It was just a nice thing to, you know, go back to.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

It doesn't take a lot, little, little things, but they do make a difference.

Track 1:

So true.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

there's more to come. I mean, I went, I've already gone dancing. There's, I have so much to tell you guys.

Track 1:

Okay, let's, let's, let's, let's talk dancing

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Oh, you want to? Okay.

Track 1:

I, do, I feel like we got a couple minutes. We got a couple minutes. So

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Well, I went dancing. So when we were here for the three months, one of my good friends had told me about this place called La Coupole and they, it's a, once a month, this woman named Madam Panam, that's her stage name, hosts this 1920s themed Big band variety show burlesque event. Everybody comes dressed in some version of pseudo 1920s garb. Um, and sometimes it's more costumey. Sometimes it's very authentic. Sometimes it's the 1940s cause who cares? So it's very loose, but everybody's dressed. And I was, that's what I've spent the whole last year looking forward to. coming back for. So I packed for it, as I mentioned on the last episode. And I was so nervous because I'm always nervous going to these things, even though I love it. Um, but I pre bought the tickets, which is the best way to get me to do anything. Cause even if I spend five euros on something, I'm like, it's my money. So I pre bought the tickets. Um, they're 25 year old person.

Track 1:

bought the tickets before you left the

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

For the three month one I did because I knew I would be extra nervous for this one. I was smart enough to say it's only going to be nine days after we landed. Let's make sure that we're healthy, you know? So we caught him the morning of just to make sure we wouldn't chicken out by that evening.

Track 1:

Nice.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Had an absolute blast. I have put it on the calendar every month. So if anybody's listening and wants to go dancing. I will absolutely host you on that. I mean, yes. And then I also found this app called Carom, C A R O M. It seems to be a new app and people can host any event on it that they want. And then you can decide if you're letting people attend. I don't quite get it, but it's very cool. So I found this cabaret. dance class that I'm going to attend next Saturday. And it turns out it's for six people only. And the lady who's hosting it, she's lived here for a year and a half. She moved here from New York. It's her birthday week. So she just decided to host these random things. And I'm so excited and I'm excited, not just because I love dressing up and dancing, but because This is what I wanted from moving here. And so to have already kickstarted, it feels like a big, successful, juicy check mark for me.

Track 1:

Amazing, isn't it? How, yeah, how, what we wanted by being here. It, it's almost as though it's laid out on a platter for you when you arrive and you just have to walk up and pick it up rather than go hunting for it in the kitchen, making it yourself and then sitting down to enjoy it. It just feels so much easier

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Easier, but it does take a level of bravery. And my word of the year is bravery. So I just keep reminding myself that the only way I'm going to have what I said I wanted is to be brave enough, as you say, to go pick it up because it's sitting right there waiting for me.

Track 1:

Yeah. Oh, beautiful.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

I'm so excited. I'm so excited. I pretty much know what I'm going to wear. I messaged the girl. I'm like, you know, what are, cause in the ad, everybody's like in these perfect, like cabaret outfits with hats on. I'm like, there's no way students are showing up dressed like that. So what do I wear? So I'll stay tuned.

Track 1:

I'm so excited for you.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

too. Thank you for asking. Thank you for giving me some time to talk about it.

Track 1:

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I know it's important to you and, um, yeah, I'm curious about what the social scene is like in Paris.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Yeah. And it's, you know, I think the key is speaking up, saying, hey, I'm new. I'm looking to do X, Y, or Z. Like when I was messaging with this gal, we started talking and she's super into tango. She's always looking for tango and salsa buddies. She then sent me A thing to a burlesque show that she's like, this sounds like it's right up your alley. So, and I know you have found the same thing. Expats are so eager to share the gems that they've found. And that's a difference. I don't know if it's a U S Europe difference. I think it's an expat community difference.

Track 1:

I think so too. I think so too. I think it's an expat thing because we all know what it's like to come to a place and how hard it is and how amazing it is when someone makes your life that much easier by giving you a resource. It's no, you know, it's no, no skin off anyone's back to be like, Hey, this is what this might be helpful for you. So where, where are you looking to find resources? Are you on, are you on Facebook? Are you on Instagram? Where are

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Yeah. Most of my, well actually all three. So I follow a couple of people on Instagram. There's a woman, um, madam. or something like that. She has been living here for 10 years and she's just sharing a bunch of her favorite things. So like some tango classes that are actually in the neighborhood where I live. So I'll be checking those out. and then Facebook, there's a really good expat group called women living in Paris. There's a bunch of them, but that one seems to be both very engaged and also it's specifically for women. So you'll see a lot of female. Challenges, you know, being addressed there. Um, and then that app Carome and then my friend Carola, one of the ones that, um, I know from being here, the three months, she said that the meetup community is also really active here. So the meetup app is really good too. What about you? What have you found?

Track 1:

It's been, for me, it's been predominantly Facebook. Um, meetup is, is in, in Barcelona. There's enough of meetup is worthwhile. And that's, that's how I actually, um, met up with a running group when I was in Barcelona a year and a half ago. Um, but meetup isn't a thing here in

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Just too small of a community. Maybe.

Track 1:

I think it's too small of a community and yeah, that's, but Instagram has been helpful. There's, um, there is a. An account called Gerona Connecta, who is, uh, she's an expat and she kind of just every week she'll put a post out like, this is what's coming this week. This is what you can attend. And I started following her before I moved and it was so great to be, and I really encourage people to do this. It's so great to be. Connected to the community that you're entering into so you can see all of the things that are happening and all of the things you get to look forward to when you arrive, because again, those last few weeks of getting out of Dodge are so hard and. When you are connected and you have a sense of what is waiting for you, the good things on the other side, it fuels you up enough to give you the grit to just, like, get through it, and it's, it, you know, and then I arrived here and I knew exactly where to go to figure out what was going on, um, And I actually met her finally a couple months ago through a mutual friend, which was cool. But that and the Facebook groups have really been super, super helpful for

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

I can't imagine. Well, let me say that differently. I'm so grateful to be living now with the internet, like the internet has all its evils, but as an expat, it is a lifeline. It's everything. And I really like what you just said, because I hadn't realized. That I had really given myself a gift. I was thinking that I was really insane by planning a dinner the night after we landed and then dancing eight nights after that and then a dinner the next night. But in fact, I think you're right. I think it gave me focus. I think it gave me excitement and I think I would have felt a lot more malaise and fear if I hadn't had something already set up that pulled me out of my shell. It's from the get go.

Track 1:

Yeah.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

at me being brilliant and not even knowing it.

Track 1:

Sign of true brilliance when, when it's just easy and effortless and you don't even realize what's happening.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Well, if anybody listening heard one of the resources we said, we're not good about doing show notes or anything, so don't look for them. But if you need to get some of these resources, you can find both of us on Instagram. I'm at beseriouslyhappy. And Aimee, where's the best place for people to connect with you?

Track 1:

Probably at nommom. N O M M O M.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

are happy to share resources because we're expats and that's what we do.

Track 1:

That's what we do.

squadcaster-8j1c_2_03-12-2024_123859:

Well, until the next time, everybody, à bientôt!

Track 1:

Adios.

We hope you enjoyed this episode of Bonjola. If you did, the best thing you can do is share it with another person brave enough to move abroad. See you next time!