I Moved to France

It’s been over six weeks of living in France, but it feels like forever. In this time, I’ve attended way too many classes, made friends, caught and healed from a cold, visited another city, been on a date, almost got lost hiking, and even created a business—chill, it’s not a real one, haha! I’ve done so much, yet I’m just getting started. But I’m not in a rush; I’m going at my own pace.

When I first arrived, I opened my laptop and started to type a few days later. I must’ve stopped because I had to meet a friend to explore the centre ville or something—honestly can’t remember—but I never finished it. That said, I didn’t stop writing altogether; I just switched from keyboard to pen. Journaling. If I’ve learned one thing here, it’s to listen to my body and give it what it needs. So, when the urge to write hit at 11:44pm, I went for it.

<img src="guaffrenutella.jpg" alt="">
living and loving

Last week was a rollercoaster of emotions. Gosh, I was soooo done. Not even the mountain views (and honestly, I’ve never been that into nature, but this view just… hits different), the sexy French language, or the peaceful walks could keep me from feeling lonely. I cried because the Singapore noodles, I made for dinner were soggy, and then I cried some more over a sweet text message I woke up to. I knew I’d have this phase eventually—it was only a matter of time—but I’m glad my brain has finally accepted that nous ne sommes pas en vacances. We move! Whether that phase will hit again, I don’t know… but God abeg!

On a happier note, I’m slowly getting the hang of things here. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s only been a month, so I don’t get ahead of myself. Oh wait! I just realized I haven’t even said why I’m here. I wonder if my “personal” blog is for me or for my readers, but either way, I’m here for my Master’s. The giveaway was the endless classes, right?

Studying as an adult is no joke! Sometimes I wonder if this is the same brain I used for my undergrad or if it’s just a result of all the excessive screen time – which has significantly gone down since I’ve been here. And to be honest, I still don’t quite understand the difference between ‘savoir and connaître’ or ‘mille-feuille and Napoleon cake.’ But they say to take it one day at a time, right?

There’s a lot I’d like to document, as I mentioned on here. I’m genuinely excited to be on this journey because if you know me—like, not from the village but maybe we were stuck in an elevator for 10 minutes—you’d know I’ve dreamed about romanticizing my life in the ‘Nation of Love’ for a while. So really, I can’t complain. I’m living!

PS: Apologies in advance my lovelies but we will all learn this language where objects have genders because we’re in this together. 

XOXO
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6 Comments
  • Marianne-
    October 21, 2024

    I love it Doowuese! As Greek is a gendered language (we also have neutral, a sort of “it” – for a child let’s say) I forgot you would have to deal with la fourchette et le couteau! Another little wave you’ll take in your stride, no doubt.

    • Doowuese Abwa
      November 16, 2024

      Thank you for reading Marianne, as it has been at least a month since this post – my bad! I think I might be getting a hang of it little by little 🙂

  • Mims
    October 21, 2024

    Excited to know about France through your eyes. Somedays will always be better than others but over I’m happy you’re having a good time.

    • Doowuese Abwa
      November 16, 2024

      Some days are and others are just mehhhh, but I’m excited for what’s ahead and for having you obvs 🙂

  • Finance
    April 21, 2025

    It’s great to see how you’re embracing the nuances of the Greek language and even diving into the quirks of French grammar! Your enthusiasm for learning and adapting is truly inspiring. I can feel your excitement about exploring France and sharing those experiences. Keep up the positive attitude—it’s clear you’re making progress step by step. How has your experience with gendered languages shaped your perspective on learning new cultures?

  • Wealth Management
    April 24, 2025

    I found your reflections on learning Greek and French really interesting! It’s fascinating how languages like Greek have gendered nouns, and the challenge of remembering them in French seems like a fun struggle. Your enthusiasm for exploring France through Marianne’s eyes is contagious, and it’s great to hear you’re slowly getting the hang of it. Some days are indeed better than others, but it’s all about the journey, isn’t it? How do you stay motivated on those “mehhhh” days?