A while ago I posted that I'd watched the movie, Julie and Julia. I wrote about the bits that inspired me to be a better blogger. And even if I didn't follow through with those plans, I at least thought about it. But that's not what inspired me the most about that movie.
Julia Child was the wife of a diplomat stationed in France at the time the movie starts. I remember a scene in particular where she is complaining that the other diplomats' wives do nothing but go buy dresses. Now, while you're stationed in Paris, the fashion capital of the world at that time, it makes sense that you'd want to buy a dress. But when you live there for three years and all you have to show for it is a closet of fashionable dresses, for me it would be a waste of three years.
That's where the cooking lessons come in. Julia Child decided to enroll in cooking school and master French cuisine. There are also scenes of her walking through the marketplace talking to all the shopkeepers in ATROCIOUS French. She is tall, loud, and stands out like a sore thumb, but it doesn't seem to faze her in the least! She presses on, and eventually her French improves a bit and she has made friends with the other chefs in her cooking class. She collaborates on her cookbook with a couple French ladies, and by the time she leaves France (to be stationed in Oslo, Norway), I'm sure she misses France-- and not just for its dresses.
I have no aspirations to write cookbooks in every country I visit-- necessarily. But I do want to leave the circle of "dress shoppers" once in a while and get to know the people of the country where I'm living. I want to learn new languages. I want my kids to have friends who are different from them. I want them to see the world, and not just the Foreign Service housing that can be so comforting yet confining. Basically, I want to leave my comfort zone.
Maybe I'll learn how to cook in foreign countries. I'll tell you about it if I do. Maybe I'll have dresses made in France. If I do, I'll have pictures to show for it. In a way, I want to be the one out swimming where some people just want to dip their toes in the water, or even worse, lie on the beach ignoring that there is even any water.
I'm really looking forward to Kevin's career. Can you tell?
And when they make a movie of my life, should I have them cast Meryl Streep or Amy Adams? I'm still torn. :)
5 comments:
I loved this movie! She inspired me too! I love that she was "old" when she started her cooking adventure--it's never too late to learn something new!
Meryl all the way, although she may be too old at that point, so I guess you'll have to settle for the adorable Amy. But without that weird haircut.
Oh Chelsea, you make me laugh. Can I live vicariously through you as you swim out with the sharks?
You should definitely choose Amy Adams since Meryl is too old for you now and will probably be dead by the time you're old enough for her to play you!
I JUST disocevered your blog via the wonder A Daring Adventure. And I love it. I ALSO loved Julie & Julia for almost the same exact reasons, and I had no clue her husband was a diplomat until seeing the movie. What a great find!
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