Between Brussels and Barbizon

Here we go! This is my very first posting on my very first blog. I must admit I'm still wondering if I want to share my thoughts, doings, etc with "who knows" on the web....But there's a "trigger" for all of this! In January 2008 I'm moving to France for 6 or 7 months, and I feel that my friends and family should be able to keep up with this exciting event!

The situation-summary :
- P has just started an MBA at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France.
- We found a gorgeous apartment in Barbizon.
- In January, I'm leaving my job for 6 months, and will be joining P to enjoy life in France.

There, that's all in a (tiny) nutshell! (I promise I won't bother you with all the emotional roller coasters I've been on between P deciding to do an MBA and me deciding to join him for 6 months - all of them together would make the greatest amusement parc in the history of mankind).

I've just been in Barbizon for three weeks, and here's an overview of my first experiences of living in a little french town....
Sunday, 26 Aug. : arriving in Barbizon with an overloaded car, one hour later we're at our first chateau-party in Montmelian.
1. Welcome week : P finds his way through campus, and I'm doing some discoveries of my own. I drive around the Fontainebleau Forest for 2 hours, in search of the Carrefour supermarket. I'm not giving up, finally returning to the Tourist Information Center of Fonty to ask the directions :-)
(more on this supermarket later, I promise)
First weekend : P has classes all Saturday. Ok, am I allowed to sulk, rage, feel lonely,etc..? On Sunday, a gorgeous walk through the forest....
2. Week 2 : ok, I need a break from unpacking, from the Carrefour, from cleaning, etc. My parents are in the Ardeche, and I'm joining them for 4 days.. Aahhhhh. Pure bliss!
On Friday, I'm back, and I decide to go shopping in Paris (this is my summer holiday after all!!)
Weekend : being pampered by BCG and enjoying a full weekend in a chateau.
3. Week 3 : the weather is really spoiling us, and our little terrace becomes "Plage Barbizon".
I read, I sleep, I'm soaking up the sun, and I'm taking my bike to drive through the forest a few times, joining P for lunch at the campus.
Last weekend: packing and feeling sad...But P finds the ultimate way to sheer me up, taking me to "Caré Senart", one of the biggest shopping malls in the area :-)

And now it's back to Brussels, back to work, back to reality.....!