San Francisco — The Wanderers

As many of you already know we have been planning to move across the globe for quite a long time. The entire process took nearly a year and what a year we have been through. The ups and downs of making such a big decision are no joke; the draining immigration process and our own doubts took us on a wild and unexpected journey. But you know what? We just made it!

We made it to the Bay Area (Northern California) and more specifically to San Francisco. The city itself is on a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay area. Known for its rebellious heart, its famous fog, endless outdoors spots, steep hills, incredible food and cultural scene, San Francisco is one of America’s favorite cities and I would soon enough understand why.

Leaving France was not easy, not because we weren’t sure about our decision but because of what it meant to us. France has been our safe place for the last two years, we settled down and found a healthier lifestyle (much needed after 3 years in a buzzing city like London). We built back our self confidence, found great work opportunities and strengthened our relationship. We learnt a lot about ourselves and what we wanted for our next chapter of life together. So closing for the last time our apartment door was not easy.
However, the support of our family and friends was unbelievable, it gave us the strength to carry on with our project and keep a positive mindset all along. During our last week in Paris we went from going to our embassy interview (not knowing the outcome) to packing our bags. We literally booked our flights without having our passports back! So I would be lying if I said that everything went smoothly. This transitional phase was heavy on me and I burst into tears when dropping our suitcases at the airport. I guess I needed to process this entire journey and let go of everything before jumping into a new chapter.

Hard to even explain but those tears were happy tears… it happens when you understand that your life is about to change. So we said goodbye to France and flew to our new “home” with the sole purpose of making the most out of this crazy opportunity.

Took me the entire 12 hour flight to understand what was going on. When we landed It all made sense, the struggles, the doubts, the endless conversations about potential successes or failures…it all faded away. Because the reality is that nothing worth having comes easy. We made a bold move but only because we understood the rewards, and for us they were endless.

My first week here was about acclimating to this new environment. Funnily enough I moved to a city that I’ve never been before but I kind of grasped the city vibe and knew it would definitively be a good fit. So I spent my first few days walking around the different neighborhoods and making the most out of the beautiful outdoors.

After having walked miles up and down I slowly began to get why people say that San Francisco is the best city in the States.

Surrounded by the ocean and the mountains, with a plethora of stunning parks and beaches, the city favors local shops, restaurants and food. I was amazed by the variety of food and the diversity of cultures (to be explained later in a different post). It feels like everyone here has a purpose and will do anything to achieve it.

Far from being a flawless city, everyone here is well aware about the striking economic inequalities. The tech bubbles have created a lot of brand new millionaires and attracted young talent from all around the world which inevitabely led to making housing unaffordable for the middle class.

However, I believe that San Francisco remains a city where you do not have to compromise your career for a lifestyle. People enjoy the outdoors so much it is almost like a cult; the work life balance is important here and it is not uncommon to go to the beach right after you finish your day at work.

The multi-faceted city has also been the birthplace of many significant movements (Hippie, LGBT, Tech…) and left a strong mark on some neighbourhoods and its people. I cannot wait to experience the city myself and find my own meaning.

It has been only one week but it already feels like home.

Navigating uncertain times has always been part of my life, I am hopeful that there will be better days soon and I cannot wait to share more about this fantastic city with you.

Stay tuned & stay safe!

Love,

xxx