Great Expectations

It seemed that life just flashes before my eyes in the past couple weeks. Since D and I both made the decision that I should go absolutely go for IT, the wheels were set in motion and everything happened so fast. It hasn't even been a month since I got my acceptance letter from the pastry school. It was only a week ago that I visited the French Consulate to get all the necessary travel paperwork out of the way. But in exactly 3 weeks, after 10 full months of "career hiatus" -
by the way, it is exactly 10 months to the day since I quit my Finance job, my career of almost 15 years - I'll be heading off to pastry school in Paris. A complete career change and one that I would not have been able to fathom 10 months ago. I still remember the reactions from some friends when I broke the news that I was quitting my job, a highly lucrative one with a Fortune top-10. Eyes wide open, the looks of shock and disbelief on some faces. From the "Oh, why so sudden?" "Did you get laid off?" questions till they realized that I've not been joking about quiting all this while and then the "You did what? At this time of economic recession! Have you gone nuts?!" looks.

10 months later, there're still times when I'd put on my Finance hat again and struggle to rationalize the possible return on investment scenarios but in the end, I owe it to myself to follow this passion.  The corporate world and finance will always be there; this opportunity to attend a world-renowed culinary school in Paris is mine to grab and take hold of at this point. It's somewhat bittersweet as I enter this next chapter of my life. The past 10 months have been one of the most invigorating period in my life, the time when I learnt to enjoy the simple pleasures of relaxing at home, the luxury of doing nothing or when I felt like it, filling up my schedules with gym workouts, lunch appointments, meet-ups, spa days or the mundane chores like cleaning and reorganizing the closet!
I'll miss my morning routines.....

I'll miss the glorious sunset views from our street during summer,

and the summer harvest from our garden,

the lazy summer days.......

and the summer parties.....

having a blast entertaining friends.....we've not had that many parties as we had in the past 10 months!
24-24-24 Makan-makan Sushi Party          Chinese New Year Party
I will miss my daily routine: baking in my kitchen, photoshoot sessions.......and then there was the weekly blogging "stints"..........

having fun making short clips

...the weekly FWB bakes

and I'll definitely miss not being able to take part in TWD actions as often as I'd like

....and then there were bakes that I did but never got around to sharing.....

It has certainly been a very gratifying and nourishing period of self-discovery and whilst I have an idea of what it means to be a lady of leisure, I'm definitely psyched about the next steps, ready to get back into action and get that adrenaline pumping again.

I have great expectations of summer in Paris. I am going to learn all I can about French pâtisserie. I will meet people and make new friends. I will get to experience life in Paris, learn the culture and speak the language. It may not be a walk in the park but  I will commit myself to be diligent and press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call!

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future ~ Jeremiah 29:11