from the TV screen in my hotel room, as I packed to return home.
My late husband Walter told me that when good Brazilians die, they go to Paris. I think it was F. Scott Fitzgerald who said the same thing about Americans. That works for me. What with the pandemic and some medical issues and reduced disposable income, I haven't been back since the fire. I admit that it was really not the same experience without Walter, but it was still pretty fabulous, and memorable. At that time I was still pretty ditzy with grief, and not picking up my feet sufficiently, so I was falling a lot. Every time I did so in Paris, lovely Frenchmen materialized out of the air, helped me to my feet, inquiring solicitously if I was all right, needed help, needed to be escorted to a cafe? These days, I would have taken them up on those offers, but at that time it didn't even occur to me to accept.
And since my return, I will go on and on about the goodnesses and the differences of France and the U.S. I did a good bit of anecdotal and sociological reading while we were making our earlier visits, and I formulated some Rules for Americans to Live By and even offered a three-hour intro for people who wanted more information. They felt it helped.
So, now I am working with Tresha Fay Haefner to put together a writing workshop to be held in Paris in October 2024. She will lead the workshops, and I will be the point person to explain and facilitate a good experience. Not a concierge--I do not want to babysit--but I can certainly answer questions about how to navigate the unspoken rules and expectations. I hope we can pull it off!
If you might be interested, message me. We're still working out the price point, but I'll post that when we have one.
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