i made it happen

Saying welcome (or bienvenue) from the south of France

I’ll be far from the first to tell you this, but moving abroad is exhausting.

I never thought I’d be one to do it. I’ve always been a cautious and anxious person (mostly to my detriment), so when my husband and I mutually decided to seize the moment and move back to his hometown in France, I was nervous. I was also extremely excited, of course, but this was perhaps the biggest life change I’d ever embarked upon, and that came with some warranted apprehension.

The process isn’t easy. For us, the first step was marriage. It was the easiest way to get a long-stay visa, and even though we had planned on a much more extravagant ceremony, we always wanted a wedding. So, I had to tell my parents in a double whammy that I was leaving the country, and that I was also getting married before the end of the year.

Since then, it’s been a whirlwind. In anticipation of our imminent relocation, my husband and I first moved from our shared house in Essex back to my parents in Kent (a week before the wedding). That in itself was a big adjustment, as I hadn’t lived at home for over five years – but I loved every second of it. Getting the chance to prepare for the actual move, all the while saving money and getting my mum’s home-cooked meals nearly every night was something I feel very fortunate for. Commuting to London twice weekly for work was the downside, but in comparison to forking out hundreds for a room in someone else’s house, it was the ideal option.

Seven days later, we were in our suits, on our way to the registry office in a limousine our family had surprised us with. We had intended on just sneaking off as a duo and saying our vows, before heading to the pub afterwards to celebrate. The real wedding, sometime in the near future, would be something truly special, ideally in a French chateau (once we could afford it). However, our incredible friends and family went above and beyond to make this spontaneous occasion as perfect as it could be. Instead of just us two, there were nearly 50 people in attendance, and it was more magical than I had ever anticipated. The rain stopped just in time for us to say “I do”, and those closest to us enjoyed themselves just as much as we did.

The wedding happened, then Christmas happened, and then suddenly I had my visa appointment booked. It all started to suddenly feel real in February, when I headed to the centre in Wandsworth to hand over my paperwork and fingerprints. An arduous 10-day wait followed, whilst my husband – a French national – moved home early. But, finally, the day came and I picked up my passport with bated breath. Lo and behold, my visa was granted and the wheels were fully in motion.

Turns out, the usually cheap flights suddenly weren’t cheap, so I forked over £200 for the most affordable option. That option was the following Wednesday, which gave me seven days to pack my life into two suitcases and say my goodbyes to my family. All of a sudden I was at Luton Airport, brimming with excitement whilst the rapid pace of it all didn’t let it sink in until we touched the tarmac in Béziers.

It’s been two weeks here so far, and it’s only just starting to hit me that this is now home. I’d fantasised about it since my very first visit, whilst wandering the quiet, sunlit streets of the ancient city centre or gazing in awe at very regular things, such as the variety and quality of the food in the local supermarket. It felt like a place full of promise, somewhere to escape the dreariness of the UK, and so to finally be here permanently is a blessing beyond recognition.

The slower pace of life here is allowing me to adjust on my terms, and I’m consequently the least anxious and most hopeful I’ve been in a long time. I haven’t done much these past two weeks aside from soaking it all in, in various ways. My husband and I went for a standout brunch with a friend at Sain’plement Laura, a newly-opened spot nestled in the middle of Béziers. We went to look at new cars and we’re constantly scanning the local agence immobilières listings for our own house. I even plucked up the courage to start talking to locals at coffee shops and boulangeries – I’m picking up the language almost freakishly fast.

It’s only now that I feel pure pride and optimism, without any looming trepidation. I made it happen. Lord knows I needed to – I felt like my journey in my home country had been far from what I had envisioned for myself years prior. I made mistakes, which is natural for anyone in their twenties, but I could never escape feeling like my life was broken, in ways I couldn’t rectify. The gravity of this fresh start – this nouveau début - becomes more real by the day, even with small things such as opening a bank account or changing my current country on Facebook. For the first time in a long time, I’m excited about the future.

We’re at the beginning of a beautiful journey, and I’m thrilled to be taking you along with me. Welcome to Nouveau Début, my newsletter in which I’ll be giving you weekly updates on my new life in France, and all of the joy that comes along with it. Oh, and plenty of pictures, of course.

my new local coffee spot… not bad!

et bien plus

• I’ve made it my mission to walk for at least an hour per day – aided by the fact we’ve got plenty of sunshine down here. The influx of fantastic new music has made it a lot easier; TYLA by Tyla has been on heavy rotation, specifically Jump, Breathe Me and ART; I’m unexpectedly obsessed with the new Camila Cabello and Playboi Carti tune; and, of course, COWBOY CARTER has dominated. My current favourites from the album are YA YA, BODYGUARD and II MOST WANTED - hearing Beyoncé’s voice alongside Miley’s feels like my teenage dream come true.

• The amount of new foods I’ve tried over the past couple of weeks has been a real treat. As a mashed potato aficionado, I’m obsessed with pommes aligot – but I’ve already been banned by my husband from buying it more than once a month. Good for my health, I guess, but I fear I’ll be wanting it as a side dish every single night!

• This is also the first time in years that I haven’t been constantly thinking about money. Life here is so bafflingly affordable that it blows my mind on a daily basis. Thankfully, it opens my mind up to being able to think about other things for once, and that is refreshing beyond words.