Monday, January 9, 2012

a Facebook Romance

"You come to love by not finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly" ~ Sam Keen


I began 2010 planning for a big change in 2011.  I wasn't certain how or what it would actually end up being... but a big change in my life had to be made and I didn't know how else to do it but to make a plan and chip away at the mountain.  I took in as much freelance work as I could get my hands on and started a "Euro Fund" ... I actually had a soup tureen called my "Euro Pot" and any spare dollars or savings made from doing without something went into the "Euro Pot." After quite a bit of researching I found out that I was eligible for dual citizenship with Italy through my father.  As a citizen in the European Union I would be able to stay as long as I wanted under my Italian citizenship. It was a long and complicated process so I began the document search.  Luckily mom had a lot of things, even though I needed to get them updated.  I also started the name change process... really cheap on Legal Zoom



I still wondered about being resourceful enough to bring in some kind of income while I traveled.  For this I thought maybe blogging or submitting articles to travel websites or something over the internet so that I can work and travel at the same time.  A friend of mine, Wendy Wise is a British ex-pat living in France.  She owns a business called Facilitutors (BTW... a fabulous way to go if you have in mind an education destination... or a just a fun weekend thing that's different... a one-stop shop if you're looking for a course or a venue in France). Wendy (unknowingly playing Cupid) hooked me up with several people who blogged for a living and through one of them (thank you Keith) I connected with my "happily ever after."


Ian Watson Mitchell is a very interesting man with a very interesting past.  He has been a professional soldier with the British Army, a civil servant in London, a civil servant Army, attached to Germany, a ski instructor, and a chef... trained and worked all over Europe.  He was married for 25 years to his best friend Kate who was a nurse.  They both traveled all over the world.  Kate died in the 90's of cancer.  


I won't go into the whole romance as that is a very long story in itself. Anyway, I'm really trying to catch up to the "present" so I can start telling you about my Europe... I just wanted to give you some background. Suffice it to say, Facebook had to be invented in order for us to meet... and the webcam had to be invented in order to interact at the next best level when you can't actually BE THERE. It's a very techy romance to say the least. The years 2010/11 were our's to fall in love and work on how we could live the rest of our lives together... and we did.  Together, every step of the way.It wasn't easy... especially all the paperwork and the people who  shook their heads... so positive this was not a good thing.   But we knew better. And we knew we'd find a way. Call it coincidence, call it destiny, call it the power of thought and prayer... but here I am sitting in the south of France, just finished dinner and about to watch The Godfather (in French) with my husband (and some ice cream).


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My sister Joanne came out to help me move from Chicago to New York...
Part I of the 2-part move to France.







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5 comments:

  1. Well - I wasn't always so certain it would be possible, and we still have a long way to go in this year, but I've seen the force of a "lady in love" who wants to achieve something, and I'm there to help as much as humanly possible. Loves ya mrs.............! Hey - don't forget yer my heir..........

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  2. Good - I'll wait for the comments and the next part!

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  3. Certainly the authoress knows what she's doing......!

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  4. Beatifully written Tina..waiting for part second :)

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