We skipped around to Paris to meet up with my sister and cousin! Paris is everything you see in the movies and tv shows and magazines. Here is something you don't see in the moves, though: what it's like to actually live in an apartment there.
We rented an air bnb for the week. We walked there from the tram (looking like turtles with our backpacks in a city of chic, I might add). The lobby looked nice and it was in a good location. Once our host arrived she said "Oh, this isn't the right entrance", so we followed her outside and down a flight of stairs to another entrance. This entrance led us back inside (through the basement), through another door which led to an alley back outside, back inside, and then it's time to go up, via stairs or an elevator. The two of us couldn't fit in the elevator with our backpacks (it was that tiny), so we took the stairs. MISTAKE. There were 6 flights of spiral stairs to climb, plus we were carrying an additional 15-25 lbs on our backs. We (slowly) get to the top and I think to myself "We are finally here!", but not quite. Next step: down the curvy hallway on the 6th floor and UP ANOTHER FLIGHT OF STAIRS (even when using the elevator, it only goes up to the 6th floor). So up we go, then down another hallway, then up ANOTHER flight of stairs (I am half dead at this point), then down another hallway and we, finally, arrived. It is a literal maze to find this apartment. Let's just say thank God there wasn't a fire. We hear that it's common in Paris to have to go through a maze in an apartment building (most are very old, after all) but ours seems to be a little more complicated than others. But, it makes for a good story (disaster vs. adventure, right? See previous post!).
At this point in our travels (2 months of traveling, 2.5 weeks in Europe), we are yearning for a purpose. It is fun to just explore and eat and relax and hangout, but we crave substance now. We are talking about our purpose for this trip. I made some personal travel goals and I REALLY want to have an Eat, Pray, Love moment where my life's purpose becomes apparent, but it hasn't happened yet and I am starting to think maybe it won't. Nonetheless, Derik and I are thinking about our purpose for this trip together. It is our honeymoon, so a natural answer has been "to grow as a couple", but we need something more tangible/measurable than that. What would be your purpose for long-term traveling? What would you do or work on if you had no other obligations or priorities but to solely work on that thing?How would you spend time with your spouse if you were able to be together for a long period, just the two of you?
Enjoy some photos below as you ponder! We would love to hear your thoughts!
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| We left a gap for our younger sister, Melody! |
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| We left a gap for Grace, our fourth member! |
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| The "I Love You" wall |
Your goal should be to focus on the various cultures of humans you encounter. The various intricacies and oddities of the social settings, and how do they compare to the social norm you were raised in? All the places you've been, and the places you'll go, are different and unique in their own way. Yet, so many things will be the same throughout. Use your trip as an exploration of humanity. If each place you visit is a metaphorical pair of tinted glasses, what will life look like to you at the end when you try on every pair of glasses you've collected at once? What tint do you now see the world in?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your words!!! Love those questions and will definitely be pondering them as we continue the trip!
DeleteMy goal in Paris was to enjoy a cafe with my fiancee way back in June of 86. I found a Russian restaurant. Realized it was suped expensive and goofed ordering in Russian so we ended up eating oefs de salmon with pancakes. Nuts. The great art works in the Louvre were beautiful.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, well written, deep post. I don't have any answers for you besides what comes to mind, I will ramble off as it appears in my brain...we have our whole lives to find our God given purpose, which I think is fluid depending on life stage. Perhaps each day has its own unique purpose and that's what our focus should be...one day at a time. Continue to enjoy one another, let go of the pressure and make each day purposeful. Be intentional in all you do, which I know you are (a major part of why I like you so much!)
ReplyDeleteThanks, friend! This is so true- and we can carry on the mindset of daily goals/purpose even after the trip!
Delete"What would be your purpose for long-term traveling? What would you do or work on if you had no other obligations or priorities but to solely work on that thing?How would you spend time with your spouse if you were able to be together for a long period, just the two of you?"
ReplyDelete-I suppose finding a spouse would be first on my list, but for the sake of reply; We'll assume I have one. I think H.D. Thoreau said "Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves." I think my goal for long term traveling would be to get lost-literally- My wife and I would try to purposely get lost, and let the road be our guide. To what end? I'm not sure. Maybe it's a zen thing. I think being physically lost and psychically divided from the constructs we have built about ourselves and each other would introduce a total vulnerability into the experience, and I'm not sure why...but that appeals to me. Perhaps I have just never truly been comfortable with myself and I could see this as being the vehicle that would force me/us to learn to each other as a new creature; wholly new and independent of the people we were.
Have you read "Eat, Pray, Love"? I read it prior to planning this trip and it's one of my favorite books. In the book, she goes through a journey of self-discovery. I so wanted this to happen for me on our trip. I wrote about it, talked about it, thought about it before, during and now after. It never came. Or, it didn't come the way I wanted it to. When you say becoming "wholly new and independent of the people we were", it was kinda like that while we were gone but now that we are back, the same personal struggles and worries are back, too. I think we expect to become new people, though. We expect a big epiphany, a life-changing switch to flip on in the brain. But what I learned (my Eat, Pray, Love moment, if you will) is that traveling didn't change me, it made me aware of who I am, and who Derik and I are as a couple. Sometimes we miss seeing things because we don't ever erase the distractions to make them visible. So that quote is spot on.
DeleteI had someone accuse us of "running away from our problems" by doing this trip. And in a way, it's true. But I don't think running away is always a bad thing. It can be so healing, and puts things into perspective. As long as you know when it's time to come back. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Doug!