Category: expat life
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Frenchified Thanksgiving Traditions
Thanksgiving is one of the most American holidays you can possibly think of, so being in another country can make it feel strange and even a bit difficult to celebrate. This isn’t the first time I have spent Thanksgiving in France, of course, as I also enjoyed Thanksgiving in Paris in 2018. This year, however,…
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First 4 Weeks of TAPIF
I have been living in Paris for nearly three months now, so naturally, my first four weeks of TAPIF, the Teaching Assistant Program in France, have just come to an end. Technically, my work contract began on October 1, but I spent some time doing orientation and class observations, and then I had a two…
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Parisian Café Culture
Block after block, no matter what part of the city you stumble upon, quintessential Parisian cafés are ready to welcome you with open arms and your choice of caffeine or a cocktail. A significant piece of Parisian culture is taking a seat on a terrace, facing the haussmanien buildings across the street, sipping on some…
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Getting Sick While Abroad: Round 2
Almost exactly three years ago, I shared my saga of getting a killer gastrointestinal virus in France here. Unfortunately, I had a very similar experience just a few days ago. Maybe Octobers in Paris just aren’t my thing. This time, however, a few things were different. Most notably, I encountered the addition of a fever…
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Taste of Paris Festival
The two most “French” things I can think of are French food and the French language. Sound about right? Naturally, for someone hoping to learn more about French culture, a day that successfully combines both of these things is a dream. The annual Taste of Paris festival allowed me to not only try countless incredible…
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VFS Global Visa App Experience
The only thing more stressful than moving to another country during a global pandemic was getting the visa for my trip. When I applied for my visa to study abroad in France in 2018, everything seemed unnecessarily complicated and over-the-top, and let’s just say that nothing has changed since then… And it seems like things…
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Bon Voyage
Months of planning and preparation have passed, and today is the day! I’m at Dulles International Airport, and in not long, I’m moving to Paris! The trip just to the airport was long and stressful enough (who knew that the oil needs to be changed so frequently), and things didn’t get easier at the airport.…
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I’m Moving to France!
Now that my visa has arrived and everything is officially official… I am super excited to share that I’m moving to France in under a week! This seriously seems surreal to write, especially since I’m leaving my career progress, family members, and friends in the U.S. Plus… Ever heard of COVID-19? Even though I know…
Robin Round the World 