It is exciting to change countries and languages as I’m doing now: two weeks home in Florence and two weeks in Paris. But at times it can be exhausting too. After an entire year of going back and forth, I have become used to my life straddled between two countries. I am also discovering great benefits with each trip; great gifts that come with not being completely settled in any one place. One of the greatest gifts is that I’m able to appreciate the changes occuring all around me, mostly in regards to the weather and the environment.
Thanks to my running in the morning, I have been able to not only get grounded quickly in my new “home,” but I also have time to notice the changes around me. This morning, for example, when I went for my run around the Champ du Mars, I was happy that the sun was out as well. Since November, I’ve been running in the dark in Paris. It’s not my favorite part of being in Paris in the winter, but I eventually got used to it. I enjoyed running along the Seine in the dark because the lights reflecting off the water were stunning.
But in the Champ du Mars, the park around the Eiffel Tower, it wasn’t great to run in the dark. I had to keep my eyes focused on where I was landing my feet: anything too dark or shiny was to be avoided. During my last trip, however, I was treated to a couple of stunning sunrises at the end of my run.
This morning, the sun lit up the sky a light blue and soft yellow. I noticed the green moss growing on the side of the trees not facing the sun. I finally saw that the beige gravel around the path that I run on is almost the same color as the buildings that line up along the Champ du Mars.
On my way to the métro station this morning, I saw a few new shops have opened while a few others have closed. I am usually a quite perceptive person, but I think that by coming and going every month, I can’t help but keep my eyes open.
Not only do I notice my surroundings, but I’m also quite appreciative of the weather. After my vacation in the Caribbean where the weather was pretty much the same every day, I appreciate even more the weather in Europe where it changes every day and even sometimes multiple times a day.
I have also become quite selective as well in who I spend time with. My time has become incredibly short in both places that I can’t see everyone. I now only have time for my closest friends and, of course, family.
It’s hard for me to believe that only a year and a half ago, I was always home working and rarely travelled much out of Florence and now I’m forced to leave my beloved city behind every two weeks. It’s a lot for me to get used to, but I am thankful that I am becoming more and more aware of the benefits.
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