A Question was asked
18/02/08 10:33 |
Personal
I
received a phone call yesterday from the CBC radio
station from my hometown of Saint John, New
Brunswick, Canada. I was asked to do a radio
interview for a show about Maritimers who have moved
elsewhere. I gladly accepted and was asked a few
standard questions; what kind of music do you play?
Why did you move to Paris? etc .The question "What is
your favorite thing about Paris?" is the subject of
this blog.
The answers to this question are many, the net to free health care, and childcare, great quality food, beautiful architecture, museums, etc... . What I truly love about Paris is the simple little life we have been able to set up. Our neighborhood is very touristy, and after the initial excitement of being in such a vibrant area, I was concerned that we would be nothing more than tourists as long s we lived here. After around 6 months months we began to see the same people walking around among the tourists as well as be seen by the other locals. Soon we knew and were on speaking terms with most the shopkeepers, and bartenders. As our children began going to the local schools we met and entire community that all lived within the few blocks surrounding our apartment. Paris is very densely populated and schools are located every 500 meters or so and for the most part children go to their neighborhood school. After almost 3 years in this neighborhood if is rare for me to walk down the street and not bump into someone I know.
Our life has become a little circle; my studio, both our kids schools, our apartment, many of our best friends (and kids best friends), banks, market, bakers etc’Ķ all are within a 5 minute walk of each other. We rarely drive; in fact we rarely take the metro or any public transport. We walk to the parks and the river, go to our favorite little cafes and shops and visit our friends. I would have never expected to be happy living in such a localized situation but 2 little kids can make you slow down and enjoy what is right in front of your face. It may seem a little mundane at times, but that’Äôs OK, at least I’Äôm not sitting in traffic.
I still see the tourist every day, maps in hand, looking for one of the many sites. My wife and I often look out the window at the hoard and try and guess their nationality. Obvious traits such as shoes, hairstyle, size of the group, and overall girth have given away to more subtle clues; (a clothing store down the street often has Japanese film crew setting up, or the practical Swedes looking for ’Äútheir’Äù cultural center and sensibly priced cafe). Now, I see parents of kids I know, kids of parents I know, all the bicycles, police officers, trucks, mini-vans, teenagers, Vespas and all the other things which make up our little life in Paris.
The answers to this question are many, the net to free health care, and childcare, great quality food, beautiful architecture, museums, etc... . What I truly love about Paris is the simple little life we have been able to set up. Our neighborhood is very touristy, and after the initial excitement of being in such a vibrant area, I was concerned that we would be nothing more than tourists as long s we lived here. After around 6 months months we began to see the same people walking around among the tourists as well as be seen by the other locals. Soon we knew and were on speaking terms with most the shopkeepers, and bartenders. As our children began going to the local schools we met and entire community that all lived within the few blocks surrounding our apartment. Paris is very densely populated and schools are located every 500 meters or so and for the most part children go to their neighborhood school. After almost 3 years in this neighborhood if is rare for me to walk down the street and not bump into someone I know.
Our life has become a little circle; my studio, both our kids schools, our apartment, many of our best friends (and kids best friends), banks, market, bakers etc’Ķ all are within a 5 minute walk of each other. We rarely drive; in fact we rarely take the metro or any public transport. We walk to the parks and the river, go to our favorite little cafes and shops and visit our friends. I would have never expected to be happy living in such a localized situation but 2 little kids can make you slow down and enjoy what is right in front of your face. It may seem a little mundane at times, but that’Äôs OK, at least I’Äôm not sitting in traffic.
I still see the tourist every day, maps in hand, looking for one of the many sites. My wife and I often look out the window at the hoard and try and guess their nationality. Obvious traits such as shoes, hairstyle, size of the group, and overall girth have given away to more subtle clues; (a clothing store down the street often has Japanese film crew setting up, or the practical Swedes looking for ’Äútheir’Äù cultural center and sensibly priced cafe). Now, I see parents of kids I know, kids of parents I know, all the bicycles, police officers, trucks, mini-vans, teenagers, Vespas and all the other things which make up our little life in Paris.
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