BECAUSE, PARIS

And it’s ‘New Music Friday’ on Spotify which always lends itself to wasting time, writing and discovering new tunes. Even in Paris. The fact that I can articulate the day of the week is impressive at this stage of traveling. I have lacked any type of routine or structure for weeks. The last time I spent this amount of time in a single city was, oh wouldn’t you know it, Paris.

So I’m back.

With Sarah, who has been functioning {and doing a damn good job at it} in this city for the last two months. She assists in reminding me what day of the week it is. But even she gets confused, and neither of us can blame the wine, though we always will.

The truth of it is, we have both been little vagabonds this year. Living and exploring different countries. Forgetting the meaning of ‘hump day’ and ‘TGIF’. But now Sarah is completing a Masters Degree of Fashion. In Paris.

I know…

We are all viciously jealous and envious and want to live vicariously through her until she becomes the next Anna Wintour.

But more than that, I am jealous of her new routine. The fact that she has a schedule. Obligations she must make. A sense of purpose.

Traveling full time has been a dream. It has been everything I could have asked for, and more. I have ticked boxes, discovered uncharted territory, and gained a {million} new perspective{s}. But it’s done it’s job. It has allowed me to release so much of the restlessness that I carried before. The curiosity I held on to has diminished. I no longer long to follow in the footsteps of my favorite travel bloggers.

I did it.

And I made it out alive. Barely.

I am not done with traveling. God no. I will be happily infected from the travel bug until the end of my life. But I warmly welcome the prospect of finding a new routine upon my return to California. Gently settling myself into something perhaps? Maybe?

With plans to move to a new and unfamiliar city, it won’t be an ordinary ‘settling down’ experience. Not really gentle at all. Throwing myself into the unknown, as per usual.

That will never change. That is a quality about myself that I am proud of and cherish.

This entire experience has been {in the words of Sarah Safar} life-changing. From start to end. And it’s technically not over yet. But shortly it will all be coming to an end.

And when it does, I want to have another plan. Just as fabulous. Just as meaningful.

Just maybe including less international flights.

And overpacked suitcases.

We shall see.