February 12, 2018
In 2014, I listened to an interview with Rolf Potts on Tim Ferriss’s podcast. Potts's is the author of Vagabonding—one of my favorite books! During the conversation, Potts mentioned his month-long Creative Writing Workshop at the Paris American Academy. As he described the workshop, I immediately wanted to attend the program!
After listening to the Interview, I read about the program and seriously thought about attending. Then my inter critic started to go wild, and I talked myself out of applying because of the cost. In truth, I didn't have enough confidence to apply because I was scared.
Fast forward to 2017
In June 2017, I listened to Ferriss and Potts's conversation again. After listening to the interview again, I talked to Logan (my husband) about my desire to attend the Paris American Academy. He encouraged me to apply, so I got to work on my application!
On Wednesday, July 19, 2017, I submitted my application to the academy, and on July 31st I received my acceptance letter! Tuition is paid, and I'll buy my plane ticket this week. This adventure is beginning to feel very real!
As a bonus, Logan is going to meet me in Paris in mid-July. The timing for the trip is serendipitous because we’ll celebrate fifteen years of marriage on July 12, 2018. Celebrating our love and commitment in The City of Light is fitting and in line with one of our core values: invest in experiences, not stuff.
I learned the hard way that buying stuff doesn't lead to personal happiness or fulfillment. Instead, investing in adventures like traveling, education, delicious food and coffee, and more have imbued an immense feeling of joy in my daily life.
Learning about the craft of writing at the Paris American Academy will be an incredible adventure! I'm grateful for the opportunity, and I'm looking forward to improving my writing skills and connecting with fellow students and teachers in Paris.
I'll leave you with a quote from A Writer’s Paris by Eric Maisel:
"...a degree in Paris is more important than a degree in creative writing. Paris is a physical place defined by its beauty and its openness to strolling. It is home to the entire intellectual history of the West, the place where modern art, modern writing, and modern philosophy were born. Paris is a place where artists gather, where a Czech filmmaker, a Russian choreographer, an African painter, and a poet from Providence are most likely to collide. Paris is a place of associations: It moves the mind, stirs the heart, and resonates forever. More importantly, Paris is the place you go when you mean to put your creative life first."