Growing roots in Florence

When I started my new blog a year ago, I pictured my new life a little differently. I thought that I would live in Paris and not in the banlieu (suburbs) and I thought that I’d spend two weeks in Florence and two weeks in Paris. Instead I only spend about one week in Florence per month and the rest of my time in a Parisian banlieu with my beau. It has taken me at least a year to adjust to the choices I’ve made. I am happy and grateful, but there are a few adjustments I’d still like to make.

Living in the banlieu is definitely not the same as living in Paris. I miss taking the métro, visiting Paris, running around the Eiffel Tower (in the Champs de Mars) in the mornings, and eating at different ethnic restaurants. Life with my beau is fabulous, of course, and the compromises I’ve made are worth it.

What I have missed even more is my beloved city: Florence. I just decided that I want to buy an apartment in Florence. I feel as if my beloved city is slipping through my fingers and I want to claim her again.

My life has been based in Florence for the past nine years and after spending a lot of time in France this last year and pondering moving completely to France, I’ve realized that Florence is just too prominent in my heart and my life for me to let her go. I prefer to declare Florence as my true home. Last November, one of the guys I speak to at the rosticceria (rotisserie) told me, “Non togliere le tue radici da Firenze. (Don’t take out your roots out of Florence.)” Those words have been spinning in my head for months. It is only now that I feel ready to finally take action.

My beloved city has given me so much and I feel as if I still have more to give and more to receive. Florence is my true love and I want to call it my true home.

I am going to Florence next week and begin my searching for an apartment. It’ll be an adventure and I am looking forward to it. There might be ups and down, maybe some hurdles to go over, but I am ready. I have no expectations about this new experience. I know that the right apartment is out there for me; the perfect one that will be my home and my haven.

It’ll be the first time I buy a place where I plan to call it home and let my roots flourish.

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