Living Through Lockdown In A New Relationship

There we were. On Monday 16 March. London theatres has just closed their doors. We’d been told to work from home. And I was facing the prospect of months locked away in a studio flat without contact with another human being…

I, like many other people in the world, had to make the decision of whether to try living with a partner who I hadn’t known for more than 6 months, or go it alone. Luckily, I was welcomed with open arms and we settled on the former.

And, let’s face it, it was risky.

We knew we got on, but we hadn’t even lived together in the best of times; where you can go to work, go see friends or just get out the house. I have read countless articles on why you shouldn’t do it, how it could all go seriously wrong, that you’d get fed up of each other, or argue about things that shouldn’t matter, you name it…

However, we’re now into week 8 and we haven’t killed each other (yet)! We’ve somehow made structure in all this, from watching quiz shows in the afternoon (yes, we’re cool), to our after lunch walk or late night The Office runs.

I’ve been denied furlough, done 2 hours of French everyday, missed friends, family, even my flat. But somehow he’s remained calm and patient with me the entire time.

I’ve been plunged into a life that feels literally foreign. A truly French family who watch French tv, eat French food and live a French lifestyle. While kind, funny and slightly mental, it can make the painfully British girl in me feel dreadfully isolated

However, it really was one of the best decisions. I feel like if one thing comes from this lockdown (apart from the 1000s of French words I now know, and a new hatred of the verb ‘to conjugate’), it’s that we’re closer than ever.

Now I stopped blogging pretty soon after coming here, from a combination of wanting to fall into a new routine and just seriously not feeling the want to need to put ‘pen to paper’ (yes, it’s on computer and that expression doesn’t work anymore) and write something. I promised myself I’d never force this. First and foremost it’s a hobby and so it should be enjoyed.

However, I’m starting to want and need some sense of normality in my life, and I’ve been doing this on and off for a few years now. While I’m not in my usual setting, and wont have access to my DSLR camera, makeup stash or marble background, I still do have my computer, and let’s face it, Spring has sprung and it looks beautiful. So I’ll make do.

Fingers crossed we’ll hear more from each other soon!

Katie x