It has only been a short while since I moved into my new home here in Houston, but it feels like my life has changed significantly now that I live in this beautiful, typically American neighborhood.
In the morning, when I wake up and look out the window, it feels like I’m in a typical American movie or TV series. I have breakfast on my terrace overlooking the garden, surrounded by flowers and tall palm trees. The weather during these mornings is always sunny, and the scorching heat that will envelop the city later in the day hasn’t arrived yet.
I recently discovered that my new neighbors are all lovely. Last weekend, my neighbor Susan left a whole basket of pastries from an Italian bakery she never fails to visit every weekend in front of my door. My landlords, an adorable couple who treat me like one of their own daughters, gifted me and my colleagues four tickets to the symphony at the park on Saturday evening.
Everything seems to be going well. Of course, in the evenings, due to the intense heat of the Texan days, strong storms often arrive, bringing with them such powerful winds that I think my little house will fly away. On these occasions, the power often goes out, and I find myself at the window, watching a heavy downpour flood the city.
Sometimes, the morning after these intense storms, I enjoy taking a quick walk before going to work. Walking before sitting all day in my chair helps me face my workday better. Just a few steps away from my neighborhood is the famous Renzo Piano building known as the Menil Collection, which houses a privately-owned collection of artworks that is open to the public for free.
It’s beautiful to visit the exterior of the building and its park when the city hasn’t yet woken up. It’s definitely one of my favorite moments of the day!
