I created this blog, Ça, C'est Bon Ça, in the summer of 2012 in the midst of my nostalgic memories of living in France. It had always been a dream of mine to live in France - and finally, my dream came true in December of 2010 when I ventured on my journey to Lille, France, a lovely city situated in the Nord-Pas de Calais region of France.
I cannot say that all six months of my journey were easy, nor all simple. In fact, my life in France was far from simply - it was full of surprises, good and bad surprises. It took quite a while to get acquainted with the city, the people, its local amenities, and the overall French way of life.
The day that I first realized that I have really come to love Lille is when I began to defend the city, which I myself once had so much trouble accepting. When I would hear negative remarks and complaints about the 'obvious' flaws of Lille, I would refute the statements, as any loyal Lillois ("an inhabitant of Lille") would do for their city. It felt good to accept the cities' flaws because I began to see the city with a whole new set of eyes. I began to discover Lille in a more personal, special way.
Anyway, going back to why I began this blog and why it is relevant to Lille. My friend, and perfect travel companion, Melissa, played a significant role in my experience of living abroad. We lived together in Lille in a little two-storey maisonette on a main street in the city. Together, we did practically everything - travelled, learned, indulged, discovered, struggled (at times), less loose (..at other times), and in everything, we constantly sought new adventures and created unforgettable memories together. I am absolutely sure that my experience would not have been nearly as amazing and as memorable if I did not have Melissa by my side. For that, thank you Melissa!
Not only did we travel, we also ate - we ate a lot and a lot of everything in each city we visited. There are hundreds of photographs to document each and every (well, almost) meal/snack/drink/dessert/etc. that either of savoured. I have a memory and story associated with practically every photo, and each photo is special in its own way.
Our combined love for GOOD food made our travel experiences the more exciting and fulfilling - fulfilling in the sense that it not only fed our tummies, but it also fed our souls. We learned to indulge in the food we eat, not just eat to satisfy our hunger. We learned to enjoy the simple pleasures of life such as... taking a walk in the park, sitting at a cafe people watching for hours and drinking coffee, sleeping in on a Sunday morning, buying fresh flowers and enjoying their presence in our home, really taking the time to pick out the perfectly ripe strawberries at a local market (and bargaining of course!)....and the list goes on and on.
So here I am, about one and a half years later, back to writing on my blog. It seems that this blog is a place of nostalgia for me. It takes me back to the past and allows me to express my memories and share them with you. I hope my blog gives you a sense of yearning, for anything it is that is meaningful to you. I also hope that my blog conveys the importance of indulging in life's simple pleasures. And maybe it will even make your tummy growl for some yummy goodness!
