Starting over in a new city

It's not like this is new. I've started over in big cities before. When I was 22 I moved to New York. At 25 I crossed the pond to give London a shot, and now at 31 I'm in Paris. Not too bad, hey? But it's not as glamorous as it seems. Starting a fresh in a capital city is daunting. I was hit last week with a familiar feeling, I felt lost. Not just literally lost (which is often the case), but figuratively lost. Here am I in this big, pulsing city that I now call home, and nothing is familiar. In Paris, more than in New York or London, I'm a foreigner. I don't yet have a grasp of this city, not to mention its language. And I get lost walking home.

But like I said, it's not the first time. And now I have Thierry so we can share the adjustment period. True he's lived in Paris before, but it's the first time for us as a couple and we're making an effort to speak French together which is a whole different challenge.

The best advise I can give to anyone who has just moved to new city is to take control of the city. Find your favorite cafe, frequent your local pub, continue with the activities that you enjoy. For me, hitting the streets with my running shoes was the ideal way. Not only was I releasing some stress, but I was able to explore my new neighborhood. I loved my runs around Brooklyn, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge or enjoying the promenade, and I was spoiled in London with Victoria Park just minutes away. And now, in Paris, I've found my new favorite route. Unfortunately Paris lacks the big parks of New York and London, but its charming streets and smells of freshly baked bread make it equally enjoyable.

The route I've found is mostly pedestrian/cycle friendly and it includes the lovely Parc Monceau which teems with families and fellow runners. It's now my route. I've taken some control of this city of love. Day by day I'm becoming less of a foreigner and calling Paris 'home' sounds a little less strange.