Carolyne Kauser-Abbot is a freelance writer who has a passion for food, travel and Provence and shares many wonderful things to see and do here in the lifestyle travel magazine Perfectly Provence as well as a food and travel related blog Ginger and Nutmeg.
Recently she asked me how I came to be a writer/blogger and Aromatherapist in Provence.
If you click on the photo below you can read the article:
Claire’s Christmas Aromatherapy Remedies
I hope you enjoyed the diversion from reading a book review.
Word by Word 
Loved reading about your journey. Pics are beautiful, too. Beautiful you.
Karin
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Thank you Karin, so happy that you have been and continue to be a part of it! 🙂
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How lovely to find out a bit more about you, Claire. I left Oz when I was 29, travelled around Europe and UK for 3 months, got a job in London for what I thought would be maximum of a year, and now, 16 years later, I’m still here! It helped I had a British passport, thanks to an English-born father.
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I recognise you Kim, another me 🙂 I did return to NZ for 3 years but then decided to give France a go when the children were small, swapping a full time job for freelancing and I love it. The language was a hurdle, but so worth it to persevere. I discovered I could obtain British residency on compassionate grounds, another story in the pipeline I shall write one day, that was quite a letter I had to write that resulted in me being able to become a European citizen. I do feel very much at home here too.
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What a delight to read more about you . . . .I had the pleasure of visiting New Zealand in 2007 when my daughter was doing her junior year abroad, and I was so taken with it. She was in Auckland but of course we took an excursion to Queenstown, and drove to Mt. Cook. So much extraordinary scenery. That little place called Paradise (a stop on a Dart River Safari tour) is forever imprinted. And, yes, I have been know to visit Provence 😉 That would have been before I knew you. Next time, for sure, you’ll get a heads up.
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That would be wonderful if you or your daughter were to visit Provence Deborah! I hope you’re making plans. 😉 How lovely that she got to spend a year down under and you got to visit and travel around a little. Queenstown is a special place indeed, the South Island very beautiful and so uninhabited.
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What a cool way to become more acquainted with you! Diversions are good (tee-hee)
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Thanks for taking the diversion Leslie 🙂 There’s more to life than just books? They’re my plaything 🙂
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Wow Claire you’ve really been through quite a lot. I’m sure there are many novels in the works too. Can’t wait! You are definitely a woman of many talents and that’s fantastic! One day we’ll have to meet. I’m sure we’ll have a lot to talk about….. 😉
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Hi Claire. I enjoyed the post about your life very much. I lived in New Zealand for almost two years, so I’ve lived and worked in three different countries… Aromatherapy intrigues me. I know nothing about it. Keep writing. Cheers.
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Expat living was not easy…I know. Home is not always where you’ve come from, but where you are now. Not a place…a feeling. The only regret is when I do visit ‘where I come from’ I feel that I don’t fit in anymore. Great article….lovely read!
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Claire, I enjoyed reading all about you, your journeys and your wonderful work as an aromatherapist. Wow! How I wish I lived near you so I could come for some treats. You are beautiful, my dear. 🙂
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Wonderful to read more about your life, Claire. A shame our paths never crossed when you were in London. I love the name for your massage practice – what a wonderful word for coming into ourselves. And the location for your treatments looks idyllic. Thanks for sharing this.
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It was really nice getting to know a bit more about you, Claire:)
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Thanks Rowena, a rare diversion 🙂
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I adore aromatherapy although I’m not an expert by any means! I’m always mixing up stuff:)
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I love it, I’m sure I was a medicine woman in another life 🙂 Just love making potions and here in France they’re really into it, except you have to be a GP or a pharmacist to call yourself an Aromatherapist, they’re more into the medical and culinary aspects, but they are coming around to the more pleasurable concoctions and applications.
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Haha, I always say I would have been burned at the stake had I been in France or England 500 years ago:) I think I inherited an interest in plants and herbs from my grandfather. I need to make a trip to Provence one of these days!
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