When I began this site three years ago, I hadn’t established an identifiable voice nor did I have a clear idea where writing it would lead me. I began by venting my frustrations as an expat then moved onto dispensing tips for adapting to life here and surmounting the inevitable maze of red tape, sharing restaurant reviews, documenting my travel and revealing some of the incongruous emotions tied to living abroad (particularly in a city that is at once forward thinking and yet perpetually anchored in the past). My site has evolved tremendously as have the topics I’ve chosen to cover. I think some of the best sites reflect precise stages of an author’s life and moods, naturally changing form as they themselves grow. But if the process stops being fun or no longer represents the author’s true interests, then it’s time to switch gears.
That’s precisely what Stephanie Elle dealt with recently as she made the decision to retire her two year old blog La Belle in France, which she began in 2010 in anticipation to her move to Provence. Though still representative of a period in her life, she preferred to devote her energy to a much broader topic,…
