This is an open promise, for you the reader....

This is nothing more than one big abandoned blog, with very sudden entries. I promise to develop this into an entreaining blog of anecdotes and travel adventures.

From now on I will write about intresting encounter in every trip that I take. Be it at the Thalys to the Netherlands or on a plane to Barcelona. I promise one entry per week at least to keep you updated on all the Parisian secret places and hidden beauty.

-- From Paris with Love--

Last night’s meeting lasted 4.30h. After a long day at work one would think that 4.30h of meeting would kill, but it was good. Im not sure to which extent it was productive, but every Tuesday I put on a coat of the red cross and I get on “working mode” and never have the chance to really meet with the other volunteers and actually talk. Tuesdays are charged, from work directly to the red cross, it starts at 19.30 and it finishes around 00.30 with arrival at home any time between 1 and 2 in the morning. 5 to 6 hours of sleep and back to the metro direction suit dressed world - work.

You have no time to think nor to wonder where all your actions are leading. We all have time but not enough during our “working time” to reflect. This can easily lead to a sudden burn out, when on an exhausted day during the week you wonder why the hell are you even bothering to volunteer and what your motivation is. Its unbelivable but you get into a “relationship” with the homeless and you start taking a part of responsability (which maybe you shouldnt) on their lives and future. It is not only you who is influencing their lives but also them who are influencing yours, and all of a sudden that can lead to a crack. You are giving your time, a time you could spend having a beer with a friend or watching a movie. Then why bother helping someone if two, three weeks in a row they dont smile back at you or simply just repeat the same story over and over. Where is all of this leading?

The life of a “volunteer” (who does the same as me) seems to last from 6 months to a year. Afterall it is all related to your objectives, the highest these are the easier you will be decieved. In the world id love to change many things, but I know i cant walk out of my door and change things. They do say think global and act local, but even like that sometimes one encounters frustrations. When you go to work Wendsay morning and you are running through the streets not to be too late cuz you missed your alarm clock and in addittion the previous night you think you in no way helped change anybody’s life it is then that you start to rethink what all your actions are leading to. However, the next Tuesday comes and with a renewed energy you head to the famous rue where you meet your two team members and start the journey through the streets of the 11eme....a simple smile or thank you from the part of the homeless revives your motivation, you are there for something. You were right when a few months back you called some unknown number to say you wanted to help out.

And the meeting is good to see that you are not the only one that sometimes might wonder why you do this, that falls into a routine, and wonders how all of this will on the long run change the persons. But this experience not only has helped me to create relationships with around 7 to 8 parisian homeless but to also be much more alert and sensitive to the situation of homeless people and the intensity of their problems. I have comed to start talking to certain homeless in the streets who I would have easily avoided or simply dropped a 10cents coin a few months back. And although quite a reserved person I think afterall this experience is helping me to listen and react to situations even more than I previously did.

365 days and 48 hours later... Bienvenue en France

365 days and 48 hours later things have changed A LOT. If 365 days and 48 hours ago you would have asked me where I would be today I would have looked at you with an expression on my face saying “Dont Bother Asking, I have absolutely no idea”. Without having spoken french in 5 years and with only having done 2 years in highschool I decided to move to Paris. I was a bit afraid, i was meant to take exams and study at HEC one of the best, okay modesty apart- the best renowed university in France for Business. How was I going to get out of that with my level of french? But I was relieved, I was heading to what I had heard was a beautiful city plus one which culturally was way closer to “my culture”- the catalan one.

My friend Maria drove from luxemburg to Holland to pick me up and drive me to what we thought was “Paris”, after a 5 hour ride we arrived in Jouy and Josas, place where the HEC campus is found. To simply leave me in my room and drive back to Luxemburg. I think I never thanked you enough for that. On the 8th of september we left the Netherlands at around 5am and underwent quite an odessy to arrive to France. I remember seeing in the middle of the fog the sing “Bienvenue en France”. Neither Maria nor I could believe this was happening, I had openly declared that I was going to move back to Spain after Holland. Yet once again I was overcomed with my desire to keep an international life and experience yet another exprience abroad. And has this one been a great one! Not always easy, starting by the first day in France, but definately a good and enriching one.

I now work in France and in french in the domain that I like- logistics, wouldnt have said that would happen. ( i have had to update my cv in yet another language).

I have learned plenty of french street words and expressions, wow.

Ive been told that my french is good, hahaha that would not have happened 365 days and 48 hours ago when I had to look up half of the words that I would write in the emails.

Yes, I have been told a bunch of times that I have an accent, and I have started to believe that this wount disappear, but no need to. Im happy with the fact that sometimes I start to think in French, WOW!

I have seent he tour de France arrive in Paris

I have been able to enjoy amazing fire works on the 14th of July in Paris.

I have discovered a new city.

I have even managed to live on my own with no flatmates and little friends during 6 months, thing that seemed totally not possible 1 year ago. I thought i could never live completely on my own in a 11sq meter studio.

I have attended HEC. Done and Over.

I have lived the “exchange world”, and met many new friends, many who have once again left....

And although they have all left Paris, 365 days ago ( without the 48h) I met many new friends, catalan friends....ESADE students that came to HEC...it was good, and as he reminded me, 365 days ago we hanged my Catalan Flag in the balcony of room 137 of the B2 builduing of the HEC Campus....thats where it all started, the friendships of the catalan “team”at HEC. At the end even Paris helped me get closer to Barcelona.

Whatever this leads to I now feel “at home” @ Paris. Yet with a sudden sadness when I land at Charles de Gaulle or when the Thalys arrives at Gare du Nord. I might never belong anywhere in the world, but Paris has becomed yet another city where I can at least feel that I am home. This was not the case 365 days and 48h ago.....