What this blog is about/not about

I'm creating this page over a year after having started this blog. I'm pretty sure that my regular readers have ascertained that there are a few reaccuring themes on my blog:

1. Cultural differences. I've lived in a few European countries and have learned Spanish, Italian, French, Danish and Dutch to varying levels (and throw in British and Irish English). My posts are often influenced by my experiences in these countries.

2. Food. I love food and I love trying new foods. Some of you may be absolutely shocked by the things that I have tried, so I'll try and tone it down a bit. I've got some shockers in store, through. I also talk about the consequences of my food addiction; mainly, my weight problem.

3 The realities of living in the countries I have lived in. I like to have a balanced view so I talk about good and bad things. Honestly, I have enjoyed all the places I have lived in (with maybe Athens being the exception) and I like to talk about my experiences, but I feel it is important to talk about reality as well (well, I have become a cynic since moving to France).

What this blog is not about:

1. This is not a lifestyle blog. I don't really care about decorating and arts and crafts. Of course this doesn't mean that I hate these things! I admire people that have the passion for this, but I'm just not interested. My house is a mix and mash of furniture and decoration. It is more important for me to have a comfortable couch than to have the right decoration. I do somewhat like photography, though - I only use my own pictures on my blog.

2. This is not a fashion or shopping blog. When I moved here I made a promise that any money I had would be spent on travel and food. So I gave up the jewellery addiction that I had back in Canada (now I've worn the same jewellery for the past 5 years). I don't own one lick of make-up and I never go to the salon. I wish I could shop, but honestly it depresses me because I can't find anything that fits the bottom half of my body. So I buy the same black pants with an elastic waist and the same model of jeans and bra from Walmart that I've been wearing for the past 8 years or so. So no "girly stuff" here.

3. This is not a Paris blog. If you want to know more about living in Paris, this is not the blog for you. I don't live there and I have never lived there (although I spent a year and half going up to Paris for work once a month).

4. This blog is written by a serial introvert. I love to travel, but I love my couch and my Den (my living room is so cozy that I've joked to my husband, much to his horror, that I only need my Den and a bathroom to live comfortably). I don't like situations where there are a lot of people and while I like to drink wine, I have never been in a situation where I have had too much to drink. I lead a quiet life.

5. This is a childfree blog and will forever be. You only need to read point 4 to understand why. I love reading, I love sleeping, travelling, doing what I want and I need a quiet house at all times. I respect others who have children and I do read blogs written by parents, but you will never see me talking about children on this blog.

6. I am not a museum person. I do like a certain type of museum, though: I love visiting open-air museums, the kinds which are a re-enactment of what life was like a long time ago. I enjoy visiting interactive museums like these. You'll never catch me willingly going to a museum like the Louvre. I do read posts of people that love museums, though, so I do appreciate it from time to time. I much rather prefer walking around outside and observing the locals (and trying new food).

7. This is not a travel diary. I travel quite a bit, but I won't post about all the places I visit, with long descriptions about monuments and a detailed log about what I did. I talk more about food and certain things that surprised me about a certain place or an experience that I felt was unique (to me at least).

So there you have it!