Arriving at the Castle-event | Day 105 of my 2023 Journal

Another world-schooling family has had the great idea to make pop-up communities all over the world, sharing weeks with other families.

When we planned out our year (a first for us to plan a full year), we decided to participate in one in Normandie, as it was on our horizon to look for more like-minded people and because it was a live-in experience.

We do not enjoy excursions in big groups very much; we want to visit museums, landmarks, nature sites, and cities just the five of us, and the company will mainly be overstimulation. What we long for is conversations, board games, and shared meals with other travelers. So the live-in option of the castle stay was perfect for us.

For some reason, maybe the same as ours, this event, in particular, was very popular, and many families will attend. So the anticipation and excitement were very high, and we were all happy the day finally came when we would arrive and begin to meet people.

And how was it then? Overwhelming yet peaceful. The place itself is simple and beautiful, very rural. The landscape of marsh, trees, birds singing, and storks. Green beautiful springtime. The castle is cozy and welcoming. And the people were, for some part, people we had already met, some of them new to us.

There was only one thing to do. Get started talking to people, cook the meals, and enjoy the time. It is not complicated. Everyone, in some form, lives the lifestyle we live. We all have so much in common, yet so many different stories to share.

I sit back and feel it. The Narnia feeling. The new field of not having to explain, not impressing anyone with what we do, not being the odd one out. It is lovely. As in very lovely. Peaceful.

Love and light

Cecilie Conrad

# 105 of my 2023 writing challenge - Read them all here