Moving across town is stressful. Moving to another continent will test your mental stability. Six months ago, my French husband and I made the jump from the United States to France, and let me tell you I learned some things!
It’s been an emotional six-weeks full of events that led me to evaluate where I belong in the world and where my heart lives. Getting a job, going back to America and having bad things happen to people I love who are far away.
Fact: Parisian women are beauty goals. And even if you aren’t French, just living in Paris you will find yourself picking up their beauty habits by proximity. I started adjusting to the local beauty norms quickly, even if it wasn’t always conscious.
Are French people all eating snails in their striped shirts while smoking? Well…oui and non. Every country has its stereotypes and France probably has more than its fair share. Let’s examine some of the most common clichés about French people.
As autumn took over Paris, my honeymoon period with the city continued. Five months in I’m still charmed by this city daily. But building a complete life is taking longer than I expected before boarding the plane in New York. Newsflash: It takes much more…
Cheese is so important in France, even the citizenship test includes a couple questions on fromage. French cheese etiquette involves correct times, orders and methods that as an American I never had to learn to operate in society. But cheese manners matter here, so if…
Some French baby names are very “en vogue” right now in America (Camille, Chloé, Olivier), and others are eternally chic (Juliette, Brigitte, Louis). But some interesting French names won’t be topping American baby name lists anytime soon.
It’s a common question I get from friends coming to visit: “Where can I find the best baguette in Paris?” My answer: Your nearest bakery. However, there is a very important trick to ordering the tastiest baguette at the boulangerie.
Moving to another country can be a transformative experience, but it is not without challenges to consider. If you’re thinking about making the jump overseas, ask yourself these five questions before packing your bags.
“America is my country and Paris is my hometown.” Though she died more than 70 years ago, these words from Gertrude Stein continue to encapsulate the feelings of many Americans who followed in her footsteps. Increasingly my own as I feel more and more at…