September, I moved to an ancient chambre Parisenne built in the 17th century.
Playing the jazz from Yohji Ohno, I type down the phrase: Ma Chambre Parisienne on the keyboard in front of the wooden desk in the room.
People say France is a country that lack of efficiency and with some sort of attitude. Luckily, most of the people and neighbours that I encountered are nice and friendly. As for the efficiency… well, just like how the others imagine, it’s been almost four months since I applied for the social security number, of which I have yet received.
Waking up, cleaning up and freshening up 》
The first thing I see when I wake up every day are these stuff animals that I brought from Taiwan, or I bought after moving to Paris.
Crossing through the kitchen and coming to the tiny bathroom, brushing my teeth and washing my face is always on the top of the morning to-do list. Paris under five degree Celsius, I feel like the water temperature is not even at this level. But it’s just right for me to freshen up the muddled brain.
I don’t have much skincare products nor makeups. With a few drops of facial lotion and lip balm, slap, slap, slap, less than five minutes, it’s time to step out of the bathroom and prepare for breakfast.
I have a habit which all of my Western friends find it weird. In the morning, I always drink a glass of hot water with lemon extract or ginseng to warm up the body and soother the throat.
－They all think that hot water tastes disgusting.
I finally have my own space after moving to my chambre Parisienne, and the kitchen decorated with a Parisian country style had almost become my favourite place in the room.
Toasting two slices of brioche au beurre and two slices of the American pancake, my breakfast is almost the same from day to day. The only difference is that sometimes, I’d top them with smashed avocado, salt and yuzu pepper; while sometimes, I would like to have it with nutella and honey.
No matter I’m having savoury or sweet, the smell in my chambre Parisienne at this moment is filled with happiness.
The kitchen island just served as a separation of my studio. Putting down the fresh and hot homemade breakfast on the dining table and turning on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the 30-minute-breakfast-time seems so short and precious.
Preparing the beginning of the day 》
Even though it’s a sofa-bed; of course, unless I have friends visiting me, this sofa-bed well always stays in the form of a bed. Anyway, making my bed every morning is like a ceremony for me, it’s telling my brain that “Time to wake up, gotta study!”
Unless I’m going out that day, I could be in my PJ for the entire day.
Behind the bed is my cloth stand, without separating the season. In the beginning, when I moved in, I was thinking about sewing a cover for this cloth stand in order to make it look simpler; however, the room would seem too occupied with a huge white block; and plus, “minimalist” and “simplicity” never suit me.
Okay, it’s because I’m too lazy to sew one.
There is a basket of clean bedding on the corner of the cloth stand. Besides it, there’s also a bookshelf that fills with my novels, class notes and art kits.
Although I don’t have much makeup products, I feel exposed if I’m not wearing enough accessories. It’s convenient for me to place some of the most used accessories on the top of the drawers beside my bed and the hand cream that I always put on before bed.
Interestingly, I couldn’t even use half of a slice of the hand cream if I’m in Taiwan for ten years; nonetheless, after I came to European, it becomes the daily essential.
The European climate is so dry.
The corner of creation and knowledge 》
It’s time to study.
This corner is a place that I spend most of the time every day.
Being an MA student, I’m either reading the research papers or writing essays, and the television on the wall is not for the leisure purpose, it’s to extend the screen of the computer for better efficiency. To be honest, during the semester, I don’t even have time to check the Instagram, the average using time is 15 minutes only.
But this corner is not just for the use of studying. I spend plenty of time creating my favourite illustrations here as well. Whenever finishing a piece of work, I will just put it on the top shelf and admire it myself.
The novels are one of my most important inspirations.
Compared to the moodboard, I actually found myself more motivated with the descriptions in the novels, they inspire my imagination even more. Plus, putting a few of them on the top of the desk, sometimes they can be my aid when I’m running out of the ideas and creativity while writing a press release of a blog post.
It’s time to rest.
After leaving the student accommodation, I can finally light up a scented candle in my room for the relaxation.
Paris is full of Christmas atmosphere during December, and I could hear the “Jingle Bells” whenever I open the window.
At first, I was thinking about buying some Christmas decorations and lights to spice up my chambre Parisienne; but when I look out from the window every night, why do I need to spend the space when the neighbourhood is already lightened up with the pleasant decorations?
Voilà, c’est ma chambre et ma vie à Paris.
Epilogue 》
I always take the photos carefully around the studio whenever the landlord is handing me over the key. This year, I found 3 doggy pawprints on the ground. This building could be dated back to the 17th century, and the interior finish doesn’t seem to be finished in the recent 10 years.
I guess, this or these naughty dogs aren’t alive anymore.
That’s why I’m naming them as the “Doggo ancestor”.
