Ah where to even begin? So much has happened and it's only been a month into 2017. There's a lot so I'll get straight to it.
After 4 awesome years I left my art director / graphic design job to pursue a new adventure in baking. When I left I had no clue what my next step was, I had zero plan in place. Aka I was unemployed (technically still am) and it's not an ideal position to be in. Panic attacks ensued. When I don’t know what I’m doing next or what’s coming down the pipe, I get anxious. It’s uncomfortable for me because I’m the type of person who likes to plan things out to the T. Making lists are my forte and scheduling gives me satisfaction. It makes me feel like I have control of my life and I really, really like that. But this time as scary as it was, I let all that planning go, threw it up in the air and trusted Jesus would take care of every single thing. And He did. Beyond better than anything I could have ever imagined or done on my own.
Around Christmas time I took a leap of faith and applied for a pâtisserie (pastry) school in Paris… I got in! I’ll be at Ferrandi Paris or the full name in french, l’Ecole Française de Gastronomie. The program starts in September and it’s a 5 month intensive program for international students with a 3-6 month internship afterwards, at a renowned pâtisserie or restaurant in Paris. Yes, it will be a challenge no doubt and I already know I’ll be crying plenty of times, but wow. This is an absolute dream come true and I’m still in shock it’s happening in real life, in my life.
And you guys were all there at just the right moment to say the most beautiful, encouraging words precisely when I needed to hear it. To go big and try rather than never try and always wonder, what if this what if that. What's stopping you now? We talked about the difference between small safe changes verses big, real life impacting changes. To not be scared and embrace change because it leads to exponential growth. It made me realize how important it is to have community, family, a close group of friends who inspire and challenge me to pursue my passions. Agh, you guys are the freaking best. My heart is full and I'm so thankful. Now I’m not saying things will be easy once I move to Paris. No way. Just look at the paperwork that’s required to move, there are finances to be covered, a new language to learn and the list of obstacles goes on. What I do know is there’s a ton of change on the horizon, it’s coming and I’m ready for it.
Next week, mon père (my father) and I will be taking a 2 week trip to France. We'll be in Paris for the first week to check out the school and visit apartments. The second week we'll be traveling up the coast of southern France, starting in Marseille and ending in Nice with a quick visit to Monaco. Lots of feasting, espressos and bakery visits will happen and all will be documented. Stretchy sweatpants will be our uniform, though I hear wearing sweatpants in public is a huge no-no in Paris. Stay tuned for more updates and follow along on Instagram. If you’re curious about anything or have any Paris recs you'd like to share, leave me a comment below!
-L