I have many well-meaning friends and acquaintances who are trying to understand why I want to live in France. They will ask me many questions about the region I want to live in - the area in southwestern France which is called the Dordogne or Perigord (part of ancient Aquitaine). No, it isn't near any large cities. Yes, it's mostly quaint small villages and beautiful country scenery. Probably not any large shopping malls or centers. Mainly agricultural. The least populated area of France.
And then I get the question: "So why can't you just buy an old farmhouse in the US somewhere? Why move to France? In the States you say you like living in a city for all of its amenities, shopping, social events, etc; are you sure you won't miss all of that?" These are fair questions. In the past week I have read a couple of articles written by expat Americans now living in other parts of the world. And I will use part of their answers here. The man who wrote the article in the publication called "International Living" was accused by someone of being unpatriotic or unamerican because of his choice to live in another country. I like his answer. He said that his move was inspired by many things: the dollar goes further there, health care and cost of living are much less expensive, the people are friendly, accepting and supportive. He said it felt like how the US was 40 years ago. It isn't that he does not love his country of birth but that he misses the way things were when he was growing up - a simpler time, a kinder and gentler time. Does that make sense to you? Boy, it does to me!
The other article I read was by the editor of an online newsletter called "BonjourParis.com". She has lived in Paris for many years and calls it "home". She makes frequent trips to the States for business and to visit friends and family. Her latest article was her reflections on the city of Washington, DC and why it just didn't feel like home to her anymore. She missed France and Paris - the place she now calls home. And she said it was because she missed the "old stones"!
Everywhere you look in Paris (and the rest of France; in fact all of Europe) you see the evidence of many civilizations. If you take the time to look around you and learn about the history, you become a part of something that is so much bigger than yourself. We have some of that in the US, but ours is such a young country. In the Dordogne region there is evidence of people enjoying life there since the very beginning of mankind. The stone walls of caves where prehistoric man painted amazing scenes of animals now long extinct. The stone walls of Roman arenas and aqueducts proving the genius of a once mighty empire. The stone walls of castles which protected the power of feudalism for centuries. The stone walls of chateaux where royalty once frolicked and played. The stone walls of medieval abbies and monasteries where the Bible was copied and illustrated eight hundred years ago. The stone walls of giant cathedrals and tiny churches which display beautiful art done by unknown artists from a thousand years ago. Everywhere you go you are surrounded by these stones which echo the voices of the past.
I am enchanted by it all. I want to be a part of it - the art, the architecture, the history, the beauty and culture which only a country that is thousands of years old can offer. Yes, even in my little corner of France, far away from Paris and cities of any great size, I am surrounded by these old stones. I find them comforting, like an old blanket that I wrap up in on a cold winter's night. This feels like home. This is where I want to be. Someday . . . A bientôt!
