So, I know it’s been awhile…I took a bit of a self-sanctioned hiatus for the last couple of months. Partly because I was overwhelmed with everything going on in the world and in my life and partly because I needed time to figure out what direction I was going to take this site in. The good news is I’m back :)

I want to give everyone a quick update on how my life has changed during the pandemic. I find myself now living back in NYC for the immediate future, which is a big change from a year ago when I was living Paris and traveling to a different destination in Europe any chance I got. And on top of that huge life change and the corona-crazy, my father passed away at the beginning of April, which really did not inspire me to continue writing here. He was a great man who I loved fiercely and who influenced a lot of the person I am today— my love for life, zest for travel and thirst for knowledge and all things unknown are definitely gifts I inherited from him. It is extremely heartbreaking to lose any loved one, but losing someone during a global pandemic is an epic shitshow and nightmare in every way imaginable.

I have received a lot of messages and would like everyone to know that I am ok, or ok as I can be. I haven’t been in a pit of depression and too sad to write; I just needed some time and space for myself and time to adjust to my new reality, so writing has not exactly been top of mind since my life has changed drastically in less than a few months. I’m still trying to envision where I see myself in the immediate future and longterm. I know I am not done grieving and adjusting to my new reality, but I feel like I’m in a good place to start writing again because I need some normalcy in my life and connecting here is part of that normal.

SO, what exactly is the new normal? Or my new normal? I’m still trying to figure that out as I’m sure all of you are as well, and for me that changes daily. For now, I find myself stranded in NYC indefinitely with no return date to Paris or Europe in sight, as Americans are currently banned. During other times being stranded here would be everyone’s dream, but this situation has made me realize that when it comes down to it, what I want is a ton of green space, which I will not get in any city, so that is something I need to think about for my longterm plan. As much as I love NYC and Paris, I know in the end that these are not sustainable for a well rounded life I see myself living, especially if the pandemic continues to rampage on or something like this happens again.

TRAVEL

As much as travel fuels a huge part of me, traveling by plane is a no-go for me. IMHO, I don’t think it is safe to get on any plane right now unless you have a private jet. In the US, flights are still happening so people are flying domestically; however, International flights are another story as we are banned from most countries for good reason. We are the epicenter of this pandemic and each state has a different policy, so letting us in for our precious tourist dollars may not be a risk any country would want to take. Regardless of a country’s travel restrictions, I don’t see myself flying until a vaccine is readily available. If you know me or follow me, you know I haven’t been still anywhere for more than a 2 month period, so being self-quarantined in ONE PLACE since mid-March has seriously tested my sanity. Saying that, I am seeing a lot of roadtrips in my future, so follow my adventures here.

SHOPPING

I have started venturing out for walks more and it is alarming how many people in NYC are not wearing a mask. It gives me some comfort to know that Governor Cuomo has issued an executive order that allows businesses to deny service to anyone not wearing a mask. I mean, it’s not like I venture to the store much. I’m still going to be ordering most things online and having it delivered (one benefit of living in the city) as this feels safer to me than going into a physical store. I foresee the complete landscape of shopping changing with more people ordering online or by scheduled appointments or visits. I always preferred the in-store experience of trying things on and walking around, but having to online shop the past couple of months, I am now a converted and happy online aficionado.

DINING

NYC started Phase 3 this week and people are trying to go back to their life pre-pandemic, but honestly, who is ready to go back to business as usual? Or life before covid-19? Restaurants here have been open for outdoor dining for a few weeks now and I have only ate out ONCE to see one of my best friends. I will continue to cook at home (i know, who ever saw that one coming) or order takeout (i clorox everything down)—the fact is, it is just plain safer that way since you can control more of the variables. Though restaurants are not opening indoor dining in NYC as part of Phase 3 (THANK GOD), I, for one, do not plan on doing so once they do especially if they have these pods, which seems like you are begging to get corona—I mean, do you see them sanitizing these things properly after each guest? I would rather have outdoor picnics with friends I trust and have similar beliefs on how to live. When winter comes, it will be all about dinner parties with tons of vino! Saying that, I will probably only be socializing with a close knit group of friends and family. I’m even considering forming a quarantine bubble so I don’t have to wear a mask all the time when I socialize. It is an interesting concept and a good way to somewhat resume some normalcy. And at the end of the day, who really needs more than 8 close friends?

I know I’m more of an extremist in my policies and they will change as this whole situation evolves; sometimes, it changes daily. Being outside on my walks pushes me beyond my comfort levels some days because everyone has their own policies and you can’t exactly tell other people on the street what to do since we don’t live in a dictatorship. Seeing other people living freely also makes me wonder if maybe my policies are too strict and sometimes forces me to re-evaluate. I just take it day by day (or minute by minute) and do what feels right for me and what won’t endanger my loved ones.

I hope to be writing more regularly again and glad to be back. As for the content, I will still try to write and post about my past travels and Parisian life and tips when the mood inspires me or it feels relevant since I haven’t even posted half of my content! The other part will be readjusting to life back in NYC, lifestyle tips for our new world, my domestic travels and my POV on anything and everything. And of course, topics that come from you all! So, if there is anything you want to hear or see more about, send me a message here.

Le Américain Pig is back in America!