I have been to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. It was part of a teeny weeny 14-day trip. I learnt a lot in those 14 days. Or maybe because the duration was so short, I learnt something that I had always only heard and seeing it happen reaffirmed my knowledge.
Thanks to many reasons, tough immigration laws being number one, followed by a slow economy in most of Europe, it is tough for most Indians to get permanent stay visas in these places. And although I love India and would want to be in a country with a high GDP growth rate, I would want the French way of life. If only these two could combine especially in a city like Mumbai.
So I have decided to start this experiment and see how far I go.
The number one thing that tops this list in my mind is having the time to socialise with people. Over the years, our lives in Metro cities have only gotten busier. We are constantly connected yet disconnected. We are exhausted at the end of a hard day at the office and the crowd in local trains. Some of us go home and crash in front of the TV, some of us eat takeout food and some of us cook or hire maids to cook for us. But we aren't connected. We are exhausted from the busy cycle of going from home to the office and back every single day.
France is different. At least it seemed different. People socialise during their lunch breaks and after their office hours. By the looks of it, they seemed relaxed and less stressed. I know I am attempting to comment on something where I have no authority but hear me out as a tourist with rose-tinted glasses. People leave offices when the bell rings for the last hour and don't over entertain their work.
French seem to guard their personal life way more than an Indian.
They cook more than a Mumbaikar. When I reach home, I'm half in the mood to order take out every day. French love their cooking!
