I could not help myself with this title, vent of course is the French word for wind. In the past couple of days, it has been quite breezy here in Aix despite a stretch of lovely, sunny days appearing a bit more frequently. Apparently, Aix tends to have 300 days of sunshine per year which made the recent bout of rain all the more surprising. That’s alright with me though, given variety is the spice of life and the rain makes for delightful cozying up with a cup of tea weather. The air feels a lot drier here too, so it was nice to have a little bit of moisture. 

For this reflection, I sat alone at my sit spot, something I’ve been doing more often. I’ve been trying to go out more by myself. Sometimes that means sitting here in the garden while other times it’s at a cafe with a cup of hot chocolate or an espresso watching the world go by and soaking in the sun. It has been good for my observational skills and has given me time to let my mind wander without listening to music. Because Aix-en-Provence is in the South of France, it is generally on the warmer side (or at least warm compared to Boston). As a result, much of life takes place outside. Meals happen on terraces, markets show off fresh produce, and everyone walks everywhere. Therefore, embracing the culture means getting out there. 

This is not to say that it’s all sunshine and strolls through Parc Jourdan. Aix-en-Provence and the general region often faces the challenge of droughts, so residents need to be cognizant of their water consumption. It reminds me of when I used to live in Southern California and droughts were large causes for concern. 

This past weekend we visited a farm where we talked a little bit about water consumption and the ecosystem in general. The farmers said that while they felt like they could get enough water, land is super expensive and it is really difficult to be a farmer if you are not a huge agricultural enterprise. This is something that I am hoping to understand better over the course of the visit. There is a struggle for small farmers and yet they are so important to the cultural and historical fabric of the region. The markets with their bright orange clementines and luscious green lettuce would not be possible without the farmers who grow the food. I’m looking forward to talking more with locals here and learning more about food, its production, and how people think about these two aspects together.