Watch out, newbie on the loose!!

Introduce yourself, the site said.  So, here I am, Louise Strachan, ex-pat, Yorkshire girl in Provence and the Riviera.

A fast decision to come here. I realised I was bored of the UK, a culture departing from my own values by the day, becoming too risk averse, too protected, too 'precious' (maybe you have to be Yorkshire to know that meaning of the word in this context...).

Anyway, I thought a bit of sun, a new culture, the sea, the mountains, it would be a good change.  Close to Italy, I've always had an affinity for the Italians, and a bit of their blood in me anyway, but Italy itself is too frenetic for me.  I like a bit more order than that. Cotignac is great, but a bit too far out still, I'll be spending more time in the Riviera than at home, and will be moving perhaps to Valbonne when I get the chance, or taking an apartment in Nice to reduce the travelling (most of my work is on the 'strip', Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, Monte Carlo).

I'm a life coach, very direct in how I work, very passionate about what I do.  I celebrate being human, I celebrate enjoying life, and nothing works better for me than helping others do the same.

Along the way I get involved in organising and running out-of-season courses, retreats in art, coaching, writing, cooking, learning French, using large gites.  I critique web sites and write them, not really as an expert coder but as someone who understands what the readers look for and will be happy with.  Engendering trust and gaining rapport are among my primary skills, and they unlock many doors.

Enough for now, that's who I am.  I'm still at the stage of looking for friends and contacts (hopefully both together) and still need to do a lot of work on my French. But thankfully that long winter is over and it's time to fly now.

Louise x