Getting Lost in the Streets of Aix-en-Provence

Aix en Province – the city of poets, or at least that’s what the locals like to call it. It’s known as ‘little Paris’ as it resembles that of the well-known streets and avenues of the famous little city. There is so much to see and do that it could quite easily take you a few weeks to explore every inch of its well-known square. One thing Aix is well known for is its markets. Each week there is 3 days dedicated to the locals who set up shop and sell their freshly picked produce, paintings, flowers and clothing at the markets in and around La place des cardeurs.

There is more than enough to choose from when visiting the markets in Aix, it truly is a sight to see. One could easily sit for hours and watch locals and travelers explore the markets while having a morning bite to eat at one of the café’s overlooking the square.

The town buzzes with life from the early hours of the morning till early evenings. On every street there is one or two café’s to choose from, all ranging with different French delicacies. You are also sure to find a few bars, bakeries and pastry shops with enough to have your mouth watering for the rest of the day.

As you set off on foot to discover the streets of Aix be sure to wonder down little picturesque roads, it’s proven to be the best way to explore and discover the loveliest of boutiques to get lost in. If shopping is what you are looking at doing while on your stay in Aix this would definitely be the place to be. Its shops range from sun-glasses , to hair dressers, barber shops, beauty boutiques, fashion stores, shoe shops – the list goes on, so be sure to wear a comfortable pair of shoes as you might end up walking the day away.

The streets of this little town are something I don’t think any travel could get used to. Every building has its own history and story to tell. It’s vintage and yet rustic feel give is a certain type of je ne sais quoi . I like to think of it as every photographers dream. Every door and window shutter is unique in its own way, beautiful and yet so simple. In between these streets roads open up to multiple churches and magical gardens where locals usually gather for daily picnics.

Aix is also known as the city of fountains as you would probably discover on your own when visiting. There are thousands of fountains all over the place, some more mesmerizing than the next. They are all each a masterpiece in their own right. Free Parking is quite limited in and around the streets of this little piece of paradise so be sure to take one of the hourly buses that frequently travel around Aix if you are planning on spending a day getting lost in all that Aix has to offer.

The streets and avenues are surrounded by trees which gives off a certain country side feel in between the buildings; it’s also more than likely that you’d be greeted by the smell of freshly baked bread when making your way down to the cafes. This is a certain trait of Aix and one I am sure anyone would be able to get used to. It’s quite easy to get lost on your first trip through the center of Aix en Province so be sure pack in a map along with you as many roads tend to look the same but could end up taking you through to the other side of town.

If you do get lost however, don’t fret yourself too much, the locals are quite friendly and a few of them know enough English that will help send you in the right direction. Although most of the shops close in the early evenings in the center of town, many bars and pubs start to set up and open their doors to the night life of the town that like to end off their long day with a glass of wine or a pint of beer. If the night life is something that you would like to explore in Aix make your way down to one of the many cocktail pubs and wine café’s for a real French nightlife experience.

There are a few to choose from, each with its own unique theme, décor and style of music. The general atmosphere is one that could not really be describe but only experienced in person to fully grasp its uniqueness. Although Aix en Province is not on your regular list of places to see when traveling it really is one that needs to be explored. If you are looking for a destination to really lose yourself in or to surround yourself by some of the uniquest architecture in the world then Aix is definitely for you. It’s surrounded by countryside and is only a short drive away from some the most picturesque beaches you will come to see in France. There is a reason why they call it the city of poets, its beauty has inspired thousands to try and put into words what only the eye can see.

Picturesque Marseille

The travel bug bit me again, but this time I wanted to explore a city I never really heard of before. After a brief look around online I stumbled upon images of a lovely town called Marseille in the South of France. Being a lover of the ocean and anything French it all sounded like the perfect place to set off to for my next grand adventure.

I found myself in the country side, in a little town called Cabries where you could literally get lost in so much greenery and slip ways that lead to the most beautiful little town roads which was surrounded by houses with blue and red shutters and independent shops and cafes. I literally had to pinch myself a few times after gazing at the simplicity and beauty that Cabries had to offer. The roads are small as most French roads are but after a few hours you get use to the cars passing by a little too close.

The countryside is definitely a place one has to visit, wild figs and apple grown right next to the roads and every building seems to tell its own story. More than often you might be greeted by an elderly couple on their way to their local market on foot to pick up a few things for dinner or perhaps see a few locals sharing some wine and conversation at a café on one of the street corners. Life here seems so simple; it’s easy to lose yourself in the simplicity that life in the country side has to offer.

Another must see while on a stay in Marseille is visiting the beach and the harbor close to Carry-le-Rouet. As you make your way off of the highway and down to the coast you enter what almost looks like a valley made up of rocks and as much greenery as the eye can see that opens up right onto the beach front, which turns into one of the best scenic routes I have yet take while on my travels.

We arrived at the beach, which for a moment took my breath away. The water is bright blue and the view from the beach tower is as picturesque as you can get. French beaches are some of the most relaxing and beautiful that I have visited.

After traveling a few kilometers down the road your eyes are greeted by the quaintest little houses overlooking the ocean. Around every turn even the smallest glimpse to your right opens up to the beach down below that looks like something off of the back of a post card.

After our afternoon on the little beach we decided to to have some lunch down by the harbor just on the other side of the hill.

There are various little French restaurants and cafes right next to the boat ports which gives off a lovely atmosphere as the sun sets over the ocean right behind the harbor for a few sun downers or just a good glass of wine to end off a long day of exploring.

Tips for a First-Timer’s Trip to France

Earlier this year I decided to take my first ever trip to France, specifically to the beautiful city of Paris. Now, many of us have at one stage or another found ourselves day dreaming about one of the most romantic cities in the world, right?

Having a glass of red wine next to or on the Seine river, perhaps stealing a kiss (from a French man or any other man for that matter) underneath the Eiffel tower or even losing our taste buds (if you’re a foodie) when trying out the very famous and delicious pastries and crêpes at every other bakery or coffee shop conveniently located on every street and street corner.

Well, I have definitely found myself lost in images and blogs depicting that very experience, so I finally decided to pack my bags, put my leave in at work and purchase my tickets to get my own sense of beauty, adventure and face full of pastries.

When planning your adventure 

Now, where do we even begin? It can be a little scary to book a trip to France all by yourself like I did, but it can be done. I found that speaking to a lot of people that have traveled to France or anywhere else for that matter gave me a better idea of what to plan and how to plan it. So here is a list of things I found helpful when I began booking the trip of my dreams.

When to book your trip to France 

Setting the date for my trip was challenging. Of course you want go at the best time so that you are able to enjoy every moment of your trip and you also want to book your trip at a time when flights are a little wallet friendly just in case you are on a budget. Choosing the right time of the year to travel in advance will help you know what to expect when you finally get off of the plane.

I decided to book my ticket for the end of April purely because it would be the start of spring in Paris. (Could there be a better time to travel to France?). Read up online about the climate while planning your trip. This will help you plan your itinerary.

Do some research 

One word…research, research, and research. Only once I returned from my trip to Paris, did I find out about a few events that I would’ve liked to plan my trip around, like The Paris Plages (where they bring in trucks of sand to create a beach like effect with blue umbrellas next to the Seine River), Fete de la Musique (a wide variety of free music concerts throughout the city for one whole weekend) and Bastille Day (the French independence day celebration, which is also a full weekend of music, fireworks over the Eiffel tower and a whole lot of dancing).

If I had any clue that events like these even existed I would have postponed my trip to a few months later. Although I didn’t get to join in on the fun, I still had an amazing trip as I am sure you will too. Just read about the area you will be visiting, see if there are any big events that you would like to join and book your trip accordingly. If you are like me and have a huge fear of FOMO, keep this in mind before booking your trip.

Where to stay 

Whether you will be traveling with a friend, a group of people or by yourself, accommodation can be a bit pricy but there are ways and means around it. What worked for me was Airbnb because you can choose your price range and get a better idea of what everything is close to. You get to see images of the actual room/house/apartment where you’ll be staying and also see reviews from people who have actually stayed there.  Although there were plenty of other options, I opted for the Airbnb Parisian apartment (which I had all to myself) only because I wanted to have the real Parisian living experience.

If you’re on a budget, you may also consider Couchsurfing, which will enable you to stay in the house of a local and, depending on the arrangement between the two of you, you may stay on their pull-out couch or in their spare room for a few days in exchange for a little culture swapping or a little back pocket change.

Then there’s always the option of staying in a hostel, which is cheap, easy and allows you to easily make friends. Whatever option you are leaning towards, be careful, do your research and ask around.

Booking a flight 

Boy, when I booked my ticket it was undeniably one of the best days of my life – it meant that I would soon be on my way to France! So, let’s have a look at some of the flight websites that will get you the best round (or one way) ticket to your next destination. There are tons of travel specials all year round so keep punching in your email for updates for all well-known travel agencies.

Other websites to try out include, Sky Scanner and Travel Start. Both websites help you to find the best routes and best rates. You can also choose your favourite airline or have the option to mix it up in order to find the lowest fare. If keeping to your budget is important, each website is able to give you something close to your budget needs–which may include a few longer layovers. If that does not bother you, then book away! See it as another stop on the way to your destination–with more exploring time, if you’re lucky!

The visa

All countries are different when it comes to visas, and finding information about what you’ll need should be first on your list when you decide to travel. The visa process can be a bit daunting. All the processes are fairly similar although it will change depending on what visa you’re applying for. Just have a look at the requirements online or at your closest visa office and you’ll find a list of things you need for the type of visa you are applying for. Applying for a visa can take up to 4 weeks in South Africa so make sure you have everything booked and planned well in advance so that you have all the necessary documents to apply. Then, all you’ll need to do is wait.

What to pack 

I think that it’s important to pack a little bit of everything because you never know what to expect (unless you go to the French Alps in the winter time). When I was in Paris in April, the weather was supposedly ‘warm’ but there were more cold days than what I expected. Needless to say, I wore my jacket every day and even slept in it sometimes.

There were rainy days and sunny days, and because I’m use to a completely different climate and wasn’t 100% prepared, I ended up with a nice little respiratory infection cold on my flight back home. It rains a lot in France, so be sure to bring an umbrella.

A European adapter is next on my list, followed by comfortable shoes–an obvious choice for all the walking that you will be doing in-between sightseeing and metro trips. I would also suggest packing boots as they help to keep your feet dry when walking around the streets on a rainy day. We stepped in quite a few puddles and ended up with soggy socks and shoe during our sight seeing trips.

And my final little bit of advice for packing for France is to keep an eye on your belongings. I bought the smallest little body hugger bag that could only carry a few essential items like my little hand held camera, metro card, lip gloss, cell phone, credit card and money.  Pickpockets are a real thing on the metros and on the streets of Paris. Invest in a little essentials bag with minimal zips and buttons when you travel or just keep your items locked under a little travel lock.

The itinerary 

Plan ahead, get a list together of all of the things that you want to see and places that you want to visit especially if you are only in one place for a few days or hours. Get an idea more or less of where everything is and start planning your route. The queues at some of the main tourist attractions can be a bit crazy but they move along quite quickly. Do as much as you can, take in every moment–there is so much to see and do and a lot of beautiful photos to be taken. If you end up missing something or getting lost, embrace it–there is something unique around every corner even if it’s not on your ‘to see’ list.

Try to speak to some of the locals (bartenders, waitresses and shop attendants) to see if they can recommend a few places for you to explore that most tourists don’t know about. Some of the French people that we met on our routes weren’t the friendliest of people, but many of them were very lovely! I made friends in Paris that I will be meeting up with again on my next trip through to France so the old tale of all of them being rude is not entirely true.

Extra tips and advice 

1. Blend in

There is something about blending in that keeps you out of harm’s way and gives you a better experience from beginning to end. In Paris, people like to look good, so try wearing the longer shorts on a hot day if you can and leave the flip flops for your next trip to the beach.

2. Steer clear of pushy merchants

There are a few funny characters that I am sure you will come across while roaming the streets who may also be some of the friendliest too. People will try to entertain you for some change or push some Eiffel Tower ornaments in your face to make a quick buck or two, and they aren’t always bad people. There will always be a few shady ones around though who will make you feel a little less comfortable. Stay in areas with other people and say NO if they get a little too close.

3. Don’t fear the Metro

The metro may seem tricky but it’s very simple to master.  Sure, you will get on the wrong train a few times, but it will only take a 5 minute ride to get back on the right track, so don’t freak out. Keep a metro map with you at all times. If you’re really in a pickle ask the metro staff to help you.

4. Hop on, Hop Off

These busses are cheap, reliable and they take your all around Paris, with the bonus of giving you some historical commentary through a pair of headphones (that you plug into you seat) along with a bit of little French music to even out the scenery in between stops. If you want to see as much as you can in a short amount of time this is a great option!

5. Learn the Language

Be sure to dabble in a little bit of the language with phrases like Bonjour, Merci, Salute and Au revoir. Learn some words and even some phrases if you can. It makes things easier. Believe it or not but there are a lot of people that don’t speak any English (or at least they pretend not to). If all else fails there are some great apps that help you to translate text on menus, like Google Translate or Speak and Translate.

I hope this gives you a little more insight while planning your next trip to France. Above anything else, I hope you have a great time! Explore, make memories and take photos! Lose yourself in everything France has to offer!

20 Days & Counting…

Today marks my 20 days before everything literally changes. If you haven’t been up to speed on my adventure as yet,well here is the just of it. In 20 days Ill be moving out of South Africa to travel Europe, study, learn french and work part time in between the hussel and the bussel of what France has to offer me. 20 Days till I leave my comfort zone, 20 days till I get to experience true and pure freedom and 20 days till an adventure beyond any and all of my dreams start. Sounds exciting right? And it is… but its also quite daunting. I don’t think anyone (in my close nit family group) really knows how scared I actually am. I am a true lover of change, any change. I’m not a bi fan of routine all that much but when It come to packing your whole life into one suitcase to move to a country where no one really speaks English, then yes, the nerves start to set in.

You have to learn how to adapt to your new surroundings, learn a new language (or at least the basics), make new friends, find your way around without getting lost (which might be a little more tricky as I already struggle in with this in the country that I currently live in), settle into a new job, move into a new apartment etc. Its a little exhausting when you really think about it, but then again its also all part of the new adventure which I am actually looking forward to conquering. Beside all the little things that one needs to face the excitement of everything also gets my smiling from ear to ear. The toughest thing I think of it all would be the distance, not seeing the faces that I love and care about so much. Dinners with the family and weekends away or missing my best friend of 15 year’s wedding, not being there for birthdays days, holidays, Christmas or new years. Those will be days that I think I will find the hardest through this experience but in between all the bad days there will be plenty of good days too, that’s for sure. Instead of being scared if the unknown we should embrace it. There will undoubtedly be scary moments but I promise you there will also be plenty of great ones too.

20 days and counting…

Take a leap of Faith

Here I am, sitting at my desk busy typing my resignation letter thinking ‘ this is the day, the one I never thought I’d see’. Now, If you know me well (or not) I am sure you might agree that even tho I am a free spirit, I don’t do reckless things. I don’t up an decide to take a leap of faith and quit my very stable job and decide to move to a different country for a year. But I finally did it, these last few weeks of wrestling with the idea in my head that there just had to be something more to life has finally scrubbed up enough courage to finally do something about it. I am not going to lie, it has not been easy getting here and to be honest it still isn’t easy but I’m sick of feeling like I’m stuck in someones else’s master plan, and I’m sick of having people dictate to my life with phrases like ” When are you getting a mortgage?”, “When are you starting a family?” or “why aren’t you married yet?”. I’ve ended up hating life for its regular day to day routines instead of getting excited about things again, it started feeling like all I was really accomplishing in life was dying and at my ages, I am guessing that’s not really a good thing. Could I be the only one that felt this way? Is that really what life is about? Mine for the last two years since leaving university and starting a full time job has been a set routine of waking up and going to work (to a job that I did not enjoy at all) returning home to studies or multi tasking as I watched a movie while cooking dinner at the same time while ever so often deciding to go to the gym for a quick workout. Then after a quick shower I’d hop into bed and 1..2..3..tomorrow the same day repeats itself. Exciting right? Not so much. After my trip to Paris earlier this year (A trip I finally decided to take, by chance) that routine got a massive wake up call. Its crazy how a change of scenery gets you thinking, you see all this life still left in the world, in your new surroundings that it almost gets addictive.

After a 2 week holiday it was time to head back home, leaving France was devastating to me more so that the idea of going back to such mediocre lifestyle again made me fear that I’d slump right back into my old ways and this time hate life more than I did before. Was I ready for that? More importantly, was I actually OK with it? I had nothing exciting waiting back home for me, friends of mine at least had careers that they loved, their own families with a husband and children or maybe even boyfriends with exciting ‘moving in’ countdowns, but me? Nothing even resembling it. Sure, I have my parents and my sisters. But friends? or any potential in the dating pool, sadly not. All my friends funny enough were overseas in England, Dubai, France and everywhere else busy perusing their careers or taking a gap year to still ‘figure it all out’. It didn’t seem like such a bad idea to try out something like it or even something remotely similar. Apart from not drinking and partying with friend every weekend ,that didn’t phase me, but what did was that I never had the chance to make a simple ‘student’ decision while I was a student. I was never spontaneous, I never stayed out late, had trips away with friends or went on spring breaks. Basically I’ve never done anything normal young people would have done while studying, not that I never wanted to but that It just never came up, I had a life plan to focus on, goals I needed to accomplish as soon as possible, all those other things just weren’t an option.

Since being back from my trip something in me realized that being a full time working and tax paying 23 year old with responsibilities did not mean that I had to settle into life right now. I don’t have to think about kids, a family or life policies for my old age as yet, I was meant to find who I was as a person first by taking these few last years being in my 20’s and well … being happy, and If that meant taking a year abroad and quitting my comfortable (but very boring) job then that is just what I need to do. I owe it myself anyway, don’t I? So here I am, busy typing my resignation letter with hopes that this would not be the biggest mistake of my life, with hopes that I’ll be happy again and that I’d feel positive about the things to come without watching the day tick by wishing that I would have taken a different route. All my plans for my trip to France are in place, they are finally coming together, day by day getting closer to the day that I finally get onto my flight to Marseille, France for a year abroad on a little working/studying holiday.

If anyone had told me earlier this year that I would be moving abroad this year, I would have given them a little awkward giggle and thought that they were crazy. But let’s be honest, sometimes a little crazy is good…right? So, if you feel stuck, if you feel like you are just wasting away at life, or even if you just feel really unhappy in your circumstances. Find out what it is that will make you happy, be it a trip, a new hair cut, a new career or moving to a new country, work around what is holding you back, even if you think its crazy. Take that leap of faith, it might just be the best decision you will ever make! It all depends how badly you want it in the end. I promise you won’t regret it! xoxo

Live like someone left the Gate open

Passion drives us, motivation provokes us and inspiration provides us with the will to do more. Sometimes that’s not enough. Over the years, we build up habits that create our “normal.” But like a train on the wrong set of tracks, those habits prevent us from being able to reach the destination our dreams take us. Until we realize that we are in control of our own future, we do not need approval from others, conditions will never be just perfect, and we move past the paralyzing fear of failure, we are destined to be stuck right where we stand, staring at our face in the mirror and seeing only our image. Imagine how much more we could do if we were to thoroughly examine what it is exactly that holds us back from sky rocketing ahead and look at the reflection and say, “I can. I will. I must.”

“It hurts to let go. But sometimes it hurts more to hold on.”

Take a moment and ask yourself the following six questions and see if you are being held back by the answers you give to yourself. Then follow the action items provided if the question is holding you back.

Are you living in the past?

Don’t look back, you are not going that way. Rip off the rear view mirror and start to move forward. If you are living in the past, do yourself a favor and set a few short term goals and turn your brain around. Part of the issue many of us experience at one time or another in our life is that we think that yesterday is as good as it is going to get for us. Not true. Your best days are ahead. Even if you are experiencing personal problems, look beyond your troubles and focus on a bright tomorrow. You cannot bring the past back, use it as a lesson plan for a future filled with optimism, happiness and positive results.

Action item: Set 3 short short term goals that you will accomplish in the next 30 days.

Are you not smart enough to succeed?

Life is a buffet. Take from it what you need and leave the rest. Don’t go for it all, you can’t possibly succeed at eating everything. Not only will you make yourself sick, but you will make everyone around you miserable as well, if you try to do too much. Additionally, it would be awfully selfish if you didn’t leave something behind for the rest of us. As human beings, by nature we are people pleasers. We want so badly to be liked by everyone that we overcommit. In the end, our schedule, time and patience are stretched paper thin and it shows in our productivity, efficiency and results. Manage your time properly, learn not to overcommit and start enjoying the life you are living.

Action item: List 3 items on your schedule right now that you can eliminate.

Are you not smart enough to succeed?

I was a red ink kind of student and king of the “see me” note from my teacher. You have a choice, as we all have a choice, to either let the red ink define you or let the red ink motivate you. The most successful entrepreneurs are the “outside the box” thinkers. Many of us did not do well in school. Our attention was not necessarily focused on following all the rules. If you are an “A” student, congratulations, but that was not me. While you guys were studying hard, taking notes and getting good grades, I was taking apart my alarm clock and my Radio Shack TRS-80 to try and figure out how it worked. Don’t let the red ink get you down. Regarding entrepreneurial spirit, success has relatively little to do with following the traditional rules and plenty to do with your creativity and positive mindset.

Action item: Find an item within arms reach right now and use it in a way that it would not traditionally be used.

Are your ideas not unique?

Throw away the concept that says you are not unique enough or special enough to be successful. Don’t focus on having an idea that’s one in a million. Imagine the learning curve of explaining to everyone you come in contact with about the new product or service you have designed. Success comes to those successful at taking an existing idea and helping the public understand it better. Instead of inventing something new, become a better communicator and explain an existing idea to the world. Face the reality that most people’s ideas are not unique. What is unique however is their willingness to step out of the pocket, take action, spread their wings and effectively present their ideas to the world.

Action item: Write down just one idea that you would start working on if you had an unlimited budget and it was guaranteed not to fail.

Are you thinking it’s too late for you?

Walt Disney was in his fifties when his idea for Disneyland became a reality. Mick Jagger is still rockin’ and he is well into his AARP years. Although I do not claim to have attained their levels of success, I was 48 when I decided to work on my reinvention. It is never too late. If you are not happy in your current situation, professionally or personally, you owe it to yourself to figure out what you are passionate about. Life’s too short but it’s never too late. If you think that your dreams can be put off until tomorrow, think again. Stop dreaming and start doing. You will not be sorry.

Action item: If you had to offer professional advice to someone twenty years younger than you, what would that advice be? Offer yourself that same advice. Are you following it?

Are you carrying too much baggage?

Who doesn’t have history. Turn your canvas duffle bag into a Louis Vuitton luxury piece. It’s not the cards that life deals you, it’s how you play those cards. Some of the best poker players in the world are dealt poor hands every now and then. Why should you be any different? You have the ability to ask for more cards for your hand. A positive attitude and the right mindset will absolutely carry you to a better place. If you let what happened to you in the past determine your future you may be caught in a spiral of negativity and discontent. Get excited that you can finally move on from the past, and leave it right there; in the past. It is completely up to you.

Action item: Write yourself a permission slip that begins with the sentence. “I am allowed to forgive myself and others for (fill in the blank).”

Once you ask yourself the six questions above, take a moment and think about the answers you have given. Stop letting the questions and the answers hold you back. Work on understanding the answers you have given. Discovering the answers is a great beginning and will help you move towards a life that you have always wanted to live; An AWESOME one.

Follow your dreams & Stop Apologizing for them

 

Recently I have come to a point in life where I find myself re-evaluating decisions that I’ve made, not those of ‘ Should I have had that extra piece of chocolate’ or ‘ I should have asked him out for a coffee’. No, instead, I’ve had my mind on a few more meaningful things. As a 23 (almost 24 year old) I have come quite far in my life (I think) than most people my age. I successfully landed a student loan, started a diploma for an international qualification that is recognised worldwide, owned 2 cars, both of which I had purchase myself (with my own money), landed a good job with a well-recognised company that is also partners with a major international company, and manage to work full time and still study into other fields on the side.

I’ve met and rubbed shoulders with some pretty important or well-known individuals through a 12 year singing career and well still do at some events that my sister invites me too (as she is still single, and let’s face it, having your sister as your date has its perks) being a top marketing associate for one of the top mobile and home appliance companies in the world.

I’ve had a good life so far (but this is where it gets interesting). I’m not where I want to be, sure being a 23 year old means that I’m still seen as a child or somewhat as a young adult that still has all of her best years ahead of her but let me maybe put it this way. I’m not happy, my soul isn’t happy. For the last year I’ve really felt like a part me started dying, the part of me that I love the most. I’ve always been a creative and bubbly person but because what I really enjoyed doing kept that side of my fire burning even tho I was doing it at an amateur level. I had a whole career paved out for myself, almost like a picture that I drew up in my head of what it was that I would be doing, even if it was like most people something that I only wanted to try out for a couple of years.

People use the word passion to lightly these days in my opinion. What is Passion to you? What do you enjoy doing more than anything, or more importantly… what makes you happy? Really Happy? In the last two weeks I’ve been arguing with myself, trying to understand what it actually was that made me happy, me… Michelle…not anyone else. Sure, not everything that you really love doing is seen as a full blown out career, but who cares? If it’s a hobby or a side job, or if it’s something that you enjoy doing just for you.

I read this story the other day of a woman that liked to bake anything and everything she could and she had the gift for it. She always dreamt of having her own little bakery where she would sell freshly baked goods, from cupcakes to brownies, to cakes and macaroon, you name it. But no one helped her to see her dream and to turn it into a reality. Her dream of taking what she was good at and what she had a passion for was not seen as a ‘career’, maybe because she didn’t wear a collared shirt and didn’t have to wear a neatly tied bun on top of her head and that it didn’t involve clutching onto a brief case with some important client documents and running to a meeting in a pair of 6 inch heels, I don’t know.

How heart-breaking tho, sometimes we have what we need to succeed, but sometimes all that we also need is someone to see what we see in ourselves. To believe in us, believe in our dreams and to stand behind us, cheering us on along the way, or even just having someone that says ‘I am here for you, to advise you, to help you dream, and to help you turn those dreams into a reality’ Sometimes all we also want to hear is that even tho we might end up messing up there would be someone to turn to at the end of it all. Something that I personally have been scared of is disappointing people, I take their happiness into account instead of my own. What a selfless thing to do, maybe it’s because I’m a people pleaser, that I honestly just want other people to be happy so instead I do and plan around what keeps them happy in the end. Another thing that I am scared of… is failing, I’m still in that phase of my life where I’m still busy learning between what’s wrong or right, what might be the best decision and what might be the worst decision, and I’m scared to choose the option less favourable one. But of course we all are. But let’s be honest for a second, how will you know, If you don’t choose it and then see it unfold? The point I am getting to is that people might tell you not to do something, and YOU have the power to either believe them or to try it out and get your own opinion. You don’t always have to do what someone tells you, you are allowed to also find out for yourself, be it good or bad, be it that you might fall or you might fly. You won’t know till you try.

Some of us are lucky enough to have people embrace what we decide to choose, while other might see it a waits of time and sometimes even money. But here is the secret to it all…. Even if it is…..I bet you that at the end of it all or even during it, that that decision would have given you character. You would have learned something either way, and/or it would have opened up the next chapter to however many chapters there are that would lead you to your final chapter. This advice even tho I am typing is still something that I will be struggling with, and I am hoping that it would at least awaken the fire in you to keep trying and to keep fighting even when you feel like you’re stuck in one place in your life and all you want to do is break free and live.

I’ve had this on my mind for a few weeks now and even had the opportunity to discuss it with a few people, young and old …every single one of them gave me the same advice. So I know I’m right when I say that you have to do what you love, you have to listen to yourself sometimes, put yourself out there, try something new, be daring, follow your dreams, follow your passion, work hard, get excited, make your own mistakes, don’t be afraid to make them and if you do wear them with pride. Stop being a people pleaser and stop apologizing for the decisions you make.

There will be people waiting to tell you that they ‘told you so’, don’t be afraid to heard it like I was even when you do fail.

I have allowed the picture of who I SHOULD be and what I SHOULD be doing and what my life SHOULD look like to literally blind me to the joyful reality of what my life really is and what it is that I really want to do. I’ve been apologizing for so long for who I’m NOT that I haven’t allowed myself to celebrate who I AM and what it is that I really want to do. And I’m done. Finished. Absolutely through with walking through my life feeling embarrassed or inadequate or apologetic because I’m not anything other than what I am and I encourage you to do the same.

This is not to say that because I’m not apologizing for these things about myself that I don’t want to continue to grow and improve and evolve as a person. I do. I’m not going to stop growing and changing and learning and maturing and getting better. But in the meantime between who I am and who I hope to be…I’m going to let myself off the hook a little and just enjoy the moment, if I choose to drop out of a qualification that I am not passionate about to study something that puts passion back into my soul, then that is just what I am going to do, If I choose to leave the job that makes me unhappy to travel the world and get a career that is ‘not really’ a career then that is what I am going to do. Hell, If want to sweeping leaves off a street because it makes me happy, then that is what I am going to do.

Your dreams are your dreams, and if you go through life unhappy then that is because you decided to be there. YOU have the power to change that. I also figured out recently that most people don’t even know what they want to do with their lives at the age of 40, and even those that seem to like Richard Brandson for example (owner of the famous Virgin Brand), I recently read a blog of his that he even admitted that he was still trying to figure out life at the age of 63. You are allowed to fail, you are allowed to change your mind and you are allowed to mess up. I give you permission, until you find what it is that you really enjoy doing. As long as you have passion for what you do and you are hardworking, you will NEVER fail in this thing we call life. And as for the lady that love to bake, she got to open her bakery shop and is now the successful owner of a well-established franchise that is now situated all over America, she turned her passion into a career, into an art and her love and dream of baking into a profession and into a reality.

& you can do it to.

xoxo

A Love Affaire with Paris

Its officially been 5 days since I got back into South Africa from my world win adventure to Paris, France and all I can say is my heart has found its home. It might sound a little cliche being the city of love and all but It really has. Paris had nothing but good or even great memories to leave us longing back for on our long 16 hour flight back to Johannesburg.

The trip to the airport and the check in counter all seem like a distant memory, almost like a dream that was too good to wake up to. I had never been more excited as I was the morning that I got onto that first plane to Dubai knowing that the long long long lost dream of mine, traveling to meet the city that I had always imagined seeing (apart from the odd block buster that got release was finally here). It was here, and it all happened so quickly. Every moment to me was precious, waiting in the starbucks que to get that first sip of hot raved about drink was cherished, apart from my usual rush at a coffee shop at a local restaurant here in SA. There was so much to see at the airports, I successfully walked through a brand new pair of caramel cowboy boots before we even got to our final destination, after about what felt like 30 minutes we were on our way to yet another boarding gate to board our final plane to Paris.

Then finally after a few good movies and a good few hours of sleep we had arrived….and it was magical. I unbuckled my seat belt as soon as I heard the captain announce that we were arriving in Paris, I stuck my head up as close to the window as it could to get a full glimpse of the scenery out the window , the window began to fog up, not only because of all my excitement but also because it took me a few moments to catch my breath. It took it in, I took it all in… as we waited to leave the plane my friend pointed out of the window and pointed out to one of the men down below working at the airport as the ‘First french man ‘ we got to see on our trip, I still remember taking my first deep breath as I stepped off of the plane and on to the plat form, almost as if to say this is really happening.

Landing and getting through customs had me anxious to start exploring, after all the time of waiting all i really wanted to do was burst through the doors and set eyes on anything and everything that I could. We eventually caught our first metro and even tho we had no idea where to go we managed to get to the right stop on the first try, pretty impressive I might add although I think I can speak for myself and my friend that we really were a bit nervous. After waiting in a local pub down the road from the apartment that we had rented for our stay we sat in silence even after so much could have been said. It was a long and exhausting day but also one that we did not want to end.

The days seemed to pass so fast, we had day plans for everything that we wanted to see, everything you get told to see when you are in Paris. I had a few of my favorite moments but none stood out as the night we got to meet our french bar man , Mattheui. With that friendly side ways smile  that glanced at you every time your eyes would meet his as you walked into La animal,he really gave me the entire Parisian adventure that tourists dream about, we scaled buildings and sat on roof tops to watch the sun rise with a bottle of wine and two plastic cups that he had popped into his bag after his shift at 2 am at La Animal, the bar where we had met for the first time. He sang to me at the top of his voice one evening as we walked the streets of Paris , a lovers song he called it, one about true love. He cooked for me and held my hand on the metro while his other held on to his guitar case. He smiled at me when I responded to something that he had asked in afrikaans (my home language) without even noticing it and helped me pronounce some common french phrases as it clearly seemed that I was struggling. It was like something straight out of one of the movies that I had seen before, in the city where it was all more than likely to take place. I don’t know if it was the idea of him that I liked or the way that he looked right into my soul as if he had known me for years, like he was expecting to meet me but his french accent and dark brown eyes had me staring and smiling a few seconds longer than usual. I found it both exciting and mysterious. The french sure know how to love or how to make you feel loved in such a way different to what you know, that is my theory behind how Paris got to be known as the city of love, they have passion like nothing you have ever known before.

The last day in Paris was one that I hoped would never come to an end, it was a rainy day, a day that made you just want to curl up under some warm sheets and just forget about the world, but instead all I had to do was leave behind my perfect one. I took one last walk down the roads surrounding our block and touched the trees and walls as I passed them, listening to the sounds that I had gotten so use to for over a week one last and final time. I grabbed my bags , he followed me out and standing on the corner of the road on a side walk he kissed my forehead while l looked up at him with a sad but content smile as to say thank you and flipped both my bags on their wheels and walked towards the car waiting to take us to the airport without looking back.

As we got in the car and the engine started I opened my window and glimpsed back into the shop to see that welcoming smile one last time as we passed La Animal, and there it was. I teared up and squeezed my friends hand as If I had just left behind something that meant a lot more to me than what waiting back home, It wasn’t that I was upset or that I had felt like I had been torn apart from anything but that I actually didn’t want to say goodbye, you get to experience life in a certain way, with certain people and you get to build up all these bits and pieces, memories or something I like to think of as ‘First Love Moments’ the moment you fell in love with something for the first time. This trip had a lot of those moments for me. I got to see things I never though existed, cultures I never experienced before and got to meet people that walk a completely different life to what I have – two completely separate world to be exact. It really lets you reevaluate your life, what is important and what seems important. This trip helped me discover a whole new world of possibilities. I had adventures, I had wow moments, I had sadness and oh so much happiness. I had a chance to find what it was that I was looking for apart from all the good photos and vacation stories. I got to find me

Paris will always be my first love moment, my first love affair, my greatest desire and my greatest adventure.

Tu Me manques Paris

( I miss you / you are missing from me)

xoxo

Its the Day before the Day… The BIG day!

And so the count down on my phone is left with a big number ‘1’ on it. It’s been a long 189 days since I first booked my ticket to see the city of my dreams, and now it is finally here. The excitement is so unreal, I feel have butterflies, stomach pains and gitters. Not something that I quite know how to explain but what I do know id that it is all the excitement that has been building up for the past few months.

It still kind of feels like its all just a dream, like it still won’t happen…like i’ll be waking up any minute now. I’ve bee looking forward to this day for my entire life. The city of love, the city of my dreams. I finally get to explore it, taste it, smell it ….take it all in.

The feeling of excitement is one that I can not even contain. My mind is on everything to do with my trip, even tho its still a whole day of work that lies ahead of me. I don’t even think I will be able to sleep tonight…and again the butterflies set in. They are even bigger than the one’s I had when I had my first real kiss at the age of 13.

I can’t wait for it to be 4:30, I can’t wait to drive home. I can’t wait to put my bags at the door tonight or to get up at 4 to get ready to leave for the airport. I Can’t Wait!

I can’t wait to meet you Paris.

Tu me Manques ( You are missing from me)

xoxo

Michelle

God is never late, he is always on time

These last 3 month there has been some of the most stressful that I think we have, as family, been through. In the past, whenever something had not worked out or our road have been a bit rocky we  always had our eyes steady on the blessings to come. It has been tough, really tough , but as a family we have been through it all before, countless of times. In these time we found it difficult to stay positive and to keep our faith strong.

I think I have more than anyone else had my faith firmly planted in the Lord, however rough our road was…knowing that the destination would be worth the bumps along the way. There were time that I even felt like throwing in the towel but kept my head above water and tried to keep the hopes of those around me afloat as well. Along with all the worries that you know you have to face as a person, something at the back of my mind did not let these worries creep into my soul, for I knew that God had his hand over us. Like he has had all the times before.

And just when you are about to crack, he comes along just at the right time and fills the crack or even replaces the whole pot all together. I don’t think that he intentionally like to test our faith in him, but I think he does sometimes want to test the depth of our love for him. In those circumstances you just have to have faith in him…with everything that you have, no matter how low you feel like you have sunk.

The phrase ‘God is never late, he is always on time’ is really something that I love, his timing is impeccable. He is never late, even when you think that he is.His timing had been proven through my life to always come at the right time as long as I stay believing, praying and trusting.

Keep your faith strong! Your blessings are coming

xo