Oh yeah I have a blog....

I am a terrible blogger.


Sorry.


Last year, I had all the intention in the world to try and blog my adventures of living abroad in Paris. But I only really came away with thousands of photos and 10 extra kilos.

I don’t really have any good excuses for this, but here are some anyway:
•    I spent a huge part of my year traveling to 10 countries. In which I spent a good amount of time in. When I would return to Paris I was usually exhausted (I know “poor thing”), when I finally felt rested, I was off again. This turned out to not be very sustainable for having a life in Paris. And although I do not regret my travels as I have had some life changing amazing moments, I do however regret not staying put in Paris longer than a month at a time. 
•    When back in Paris, if I wasn’t working (for work back home), I was working on my art, or at least attempting to. Due to this, my creative energy was usually spent by the time I would want to blog. 
•    Mental Health. I won’t go in to it, but I was struggling with my anxiety and mild depression. Honestly, I think the reason my anxiety and depression got to me, was partly due to: the traveling exhaustion mixed with mild homesickness, my PMDD and a tiny bit of isolation.
But this is something that is my everlasting battle and burden to bare.
I mainly kept this struggle to myself most of the time. The reason being is because when you tell people you are having a hard time, when you pretty much are on an amazing adventure with zero real world issues. They tend to make you feel like a shitty person because they would kill to switch places. I know of my privilege of this last year but tell that to the anxiety monster on my back.


Anywhoo this last year was amazing, but I am very ready to go home. 


I also want to try and work on this site and blog better this year when I return home and settle back in to life. I am considering vlogging. That way you don’t have to see my horrible writing or grammar.

Currently I am in limbo in London, waiting 10 more days till I can fly home. I REALLLY hope I can get some sun before autumn kicks in. I really miss the warm sun on my skin. 
 

KEEP CLAM AND ADD BUTTER

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Photo by belchonock/iStock / Getty Images

Photo by belchonock/iStock / Getty Images

FIRSTLY, HOW FUCKING GOOD IS BUTTER?!

After years of avoiding butter due being brain-washed to use "healthier" alternatives. I've come back to  butter and learnt that, life is too short not to have a little butter in one’s life. All in moderation of course. 

M.I.A. FROM COOKING NO MORE

So I may not be able to create art lately but I have been able to create food.

It’s been a long time since I've been able to experience the joy of cooking.

My last apartment in Melbourne had a broken stove and oven, and the stress of my last two years of uni was not helpful. During the last two years the easiest solution was to eat out or eat microwave meals. This did not have a good effect on my health, weight or well-being.

But now that I am living in Paris, in an apartment that has a decent although mildly small kitchen (big by Paris standards) I have no excuse not to cook. And with all the amazing and fresh produce here, not cooking is almost a crime.

Plus, with the low Aussie dollar cooking is the best way to save my money for life’s essentials like green tea macarons or you know… traveling and stuff.

I think also cooking in your new apartment makes it a home much faster.

COOKING, CREATION AND THE SOUL

As a young child I believed that to have a fulfilling life one must create to feed the soul. You may think it’s weird to believe this at such a young age but that’s just how I was, basically a mini philosopher.

This belief that creation feeds the soul is something that I continue to hold close to my heart. 

Creation can come in many, many forms. For some it might be writing or gardening. Some might sculpt or paint. And for others they might enjoy DIY projects or even putting together IKEA furniture.

For me it’s all of the above and much more. But the simplest and the best way I find creative fulfilment is with COOKING.

Sure it’s messy, sometimes time consuming and if not done right, can be a disaster.

But I when I put the effort in to cooking a meal for me or someone else, I slowly fill that soul up with pure satisfaction. It feels a little dicky saying that, but it’s true.

There’s something magical about making something. And the best thing about cooking is that it can be really quick and easy, so it’s almost like instant gratification that not only feeds the soul, but also feeds the body.

I also believe that sharing ones creations as well as enjoying others creations has the same affect.

For example, having a really good meal at a restaurant. Even the gathering of family, friends or even sometimes randoms to partake in the sharing of a meal (or any creations) is also a way to feel that warm gooey feeling.

So basically cooking for me is another way to make art.

And the best thing about it is that anyone can do it. Sure there are bad cooks but the thing about cooking and everything for that matter, if you want to be better, you can learn and all it takes in patience’s and time to be a good cook.

M.I.A. FROM COOKING NO MORE, CONTINUED...

Anyway back to my happy return to the stove top.

I haven’t made any super exciting dishes yet but they have been good meals.

I started mainly cooking simple pasta dishes with sauces I made myself.

I’ve also cooked some amazing chicken and rice dishes with my own marinade concoctions which have been F’ing YUM!

I did however have to get a refresher cooking lesson from my friend on how to cook rice on the stove, as lazy Jarra has relied on electric rice cookers for the last 10 years. Seriously I love and miss my rice cooker.

I also learnt how to properly make scrambled eggs thanks to Jamie Oliver’s foodtube.

Basically I have been cooking them wrong this whole time. Firstly, I never realised you need to cook eggs on a low to medium heat and not high. Secondly no need to beat the eggs in a blow before hand or add cream or milk. And lastly keep clam and ADD BUTTER!
My scrambled eggs have suddenly become so amazing just from using butter. I also add Cayenne pepper and some chilli sauce for a bit of a kick

My scrambled eggs on bagel with cream cheese and salad.

My scrambled eggs on bagel with cream cheese and salad.

My hope for the future if I can budget better or win the lotto, is that I really want to take some French cooking classes here in Paris. I'd like to learn pastries.

Dad is also has been guilting me daily to learn a French dish. Which I'm thing I might do once a month or so and blog about it here.

Cooking has save my sanity in this time of creative block. And I am very grateful to my father for instilling a love and knowledge of good food and how to cook. 

Anyway that’s my ramblings for today. Sorry if it’s too long, boring and all over the place.

I actually re-read this post over and over and each time I find a spelling mistake or weird sentence. So please excuse any errors. 

I’m feel like my creative juices are slowly starting to come back to me by writing this blog so I'm definitely going to continue to write.

Plus there is something about the way my fingers bounce around the key board that I love. 

I just realised (slowly but surly) despite this being a squarespace template which has limits in customising (b.t.w. borderline frustratingly). The process of making this site and making it my own has actually been a creative exercise. And I think it's ignited a tiny (very tiny) creative spark, that I can hopefully nurture enough so it can grow in to a roaring fire.

Till next time…

JARRA

 

One Month Down

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DON'T THINK ABOUT MAKING ART, JUST GET IT DONE. LET EVERYONE ELSE DECIDE IF IT'S GOOD OR BAD, WHETHER THEY LOVE IT OR HATE IT. WHILE THEY ARE DECIDING, MAKE EVEN MORE ART. - ANDY WARHOL

So it's one month down, and here I am in bed with my laptop resting on my belly and a mountain of pillows stacked behind my back and neck.

I have no idea what to write. To say I have been creatively and mentally blocked since coming to Paris would be an understatement.

I really want to get my creative juices going but every time I try my brain just puts up this big mental block and tells me to go fuck myself.

It’s not Paris, I love it here! And I haven’t had much home sickness thanks to living with my friend and being able to Skype home. 

I'm not really sure how to fix it, I’ve gone for walks, read, done daily shitty drawings, done life drawing sessions, cooked to try and feel like at least I am creating something.

I’ve even had moments here in Paris were I have felt inspired and what I guess is pure happiness but when I pick up a pen and paper NOTHING!! And all that inspiration and joy turns in to self-loathing.

These last 4 weeks in Paris have flown by and honestly the only memories that stand out are the ones I took Instagram photos of. And of course our 3 trips to IKEA which for my sanity I shall discuss in a future post, mainly to warn any other expats not to make the same mistakes we did.

Ok so it doesn't help that before I left Australia I had wrecked myself packing up my life and stressing about moving here. And for my first week I had a really bad chest cold that knocked me flat for almost 2 weeks. 

Sorry if this post sounds all negative, I really am glad I am here in Paris and I know that eventually if I keep putting in the effort my creative block will pass.

I just really needed something to write about and my PMDD symptoms do not help with making me feel good about it all right at this time.

So that is one month down 11 more to go. The year is going to be so fast I can feel it but I would not want to be anywhere else.

Next post will be a lot more positive but not going to lie, there will be future posts that might be worst then this. I want to keep it real, more so that future Jarra can look back at this and laugh at how stupid I am.

JARRA

Welcome

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Hi,

I’m Jarra, I'm an artist and costume designer from Melbourne Australia, currently based in Paris France for a year to focus on my art and independent studies. as well as soak up all I can of the French language, culture and most of all food. 

This site is a way for me to share my love of travelling, art, design, food and adventure. And will be a great way to record my year abroad living in Paris: the city of art, culture, food, wine and love.

My hope for this blog is to help and inspire others in their travels and share my wanderlust.

 Feel free to leave a comment or follow me on social media!