We have spent the past six months living in France. For Kelvin, this is nothing new, but for me, this has been the biggest life change (even bigger than getting married). We are living in the French Alps, close to the border of Switzerland and Italy. From gaining a whole new sense of independence to traveling all over Europe, moving to France has been one of the best things for me. While there have been a handful of difficult days here, overall it has been amazing.
It took a while to get settled into our new apartment, but it does feel like home now… although it is arguable it only feels like home because of Kelvin. I have been able to travel a lot since being here. It is still so crazy to me that I can travel from country to country so easily… I mean the most I have spent on a plane ticket since being here is 150 EUR, and that seemed like a lot compared to the 30-45 EUR flights I normally purchase.
It has definitely been a learning curve getting used to the culture and language here. Finding good friends is challenging in a new country. Not having a stable job has also been hard for me to adjust to. I am definitely someone who prefers the stability of a 9-5 job, but I have absolutely loved taking a break from work to allow myself to travel and explore the world without worrying about a schedule.
Travel
Since moving here four months ago, I have been lucky enough to travel to Italy, Switzerland England, and Hungary. I have two more trips planned to new countries before I head home as well. The Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Grimentz have been my favorite places by far!
We live about an hour from the closest airport, so taking trains or driving is sometimes the fastest way to travel. I have flown to Italy and Hungary and driven or taken trains to Switzerland and Milan. Traveling by train has become my favorite way to travel by far. We live in such a beautiful part of the world; the views from the trains are amazing and it is so relaxing for me.
The Amalfi Coast and Capri are a must-visit for anyone traveling to Italy in the spring or summer. I cannot wait to go back; four days was not enough. We spent most of our time traveling to the lesser-known locations that most tourists never visit. I cannot recommend those places enough. I will do a full blog post on both of those amazing places.
Budapest took me by surprise. I did not think I would love it as much as I did, but the people in Hungary are amazing and the city is stunning. They were some of the nicest people, and that makes such a big difference in travel experiences. Budapest is also holds so much history – I was never interested in history until I came to Europe. Now I take the time to actually learn about the history of each city which made me love Budapest even more. I was also shocked at how much English was spoken there. We spent a lot of time at the main tourist destinations, but even walking through the streets and stopping at local businesses, almost everyone spoke English.
I have traveled to Switzerland the most, going to different cities each time. The cities never fail to amaze me. They are all so unique and there is so much to do in each place. From the Swiss Alps to the incredible food, Switzerland will always hold a special place in my heart. Fun fact: Switzerland was the first country I ever traveled to outside the United States.
The experiences I have from all of these places are incredible. It is hard to describe how much traveling has impacted me, but I will remember these experiences forever. One of the coolest things about living in another country has been getting to talk to and learn about so many people! I find the differences in cultures so interesting and I love learning about them!
Since Moving to France
Besides travel, a lot has changed since we packed up and moved across the ocean. For one, I quit my dream job to come here. I decided to take some time off of work to take advantage of the freedom I have to travel. I love the life I have here, but I am also excited to be home for the summer and return to working as a PTA.
I started this blog and became a Travel Advisor for Fora Travel a few months ago. Becoming a Travel Advisor was mostly for selfish reasons, but I have loved it. I have planned some very exciting trips for people and I love getting to learn about amazing hotels around the world. Being a Travel Advisor has made my bucket list grow quite a bit… so maybe it wasn’t the best idea, but I get a discount at those hotels, so it makes it all worth it, right?
We were able to head home for Christmas and surprise our families! As shocked as our families were, it was so special for us. Kelvin has not been home for Christmas in years. When we moved here, we had no plans of coming home until the season was over. Thinking about missing Christmas was heartbreaking. It was the best feeling to get to go home.
We have had a few visitors here already and will have more this month; it is so fun getting to show the people I love most around this incredible place.
Learning French
We took French lessons when we first came here and while we still attempt to learn on our own, I don’t think my brain will ever be able to learn the language. It is so challenging! We have the very basics down and I definitely manage with the amount of French I am comfortable with… but trying to understand people speaking French is where I am truly a lost cause. The “Emily in Paris” but “Jenny in Saint Gervais” jokes are a frequent occurrence. And speaking of Emily in Paris, the actor William Abadie from the show is Mont Blanc’s biggest fan and is always at the games.
In my defense, the town we live in is a huge tourist destination for people from the UK. Now that winter is here, there is almost as much English as French. We were also told that even if we attempt French, once people realize we are American, they want to speak English with us so they can practice… it puts me out of my misery, so I allow it every time, but it does make it difficult to learn.
Our French friends are the sweetest humans for always speaking English to help us feel more comfortable. And, of course, helping us practice our French! For those of you reading this, you have no idea how much it means to us that you take your time speaking French for us to learn and then speaking English when we are a lost cause.
French things that just don’t make sense
There are so many things that have taken me by surprise after moving to France… So if you find yourself in France, be prepared for these things.
No one smiles or acknowledges people that they pass by on sidewalks. You keep your head down and avoid eye contact at all costs. It is so strange to me… and something I am still not used to. I will always be the person that smiles while walking past someone; I can’t help it.
The bathroom situation here, I just can’t wrap my head around. First, it is normal to have to pay to use public restrooms. I have been to places in France were it is someone’s job to sit outside the bathroom and collect money from people for you to use that bathroom. Second, the majority of public restrooms do not have toilet seats… I just, I have no words for that one.
The cheek kissing when you see someone you are friends with/know, or you are being introduced to someone… you know how in the US when you greet someone by shaking their hand, you always shake with your right hand. Always. Well, here, there is not a side for this. You kiss both cheeks, but there is not a predetermined side you start on, so it can lead to a lot of awkward encounters. I have asked my French friends about this one too and they have no explanation. You just deal with the awkwardness that follows picking the same side for the “social kissing”.
Plans after France
Our plans after France are still unknown; I think that is how I would prefer it now too. I love living in the moment instead of planning months in advance. Kelvin hopes to continue playing hockey which is perfect for me because I am not ready to be done traveling yet! We will be home for the summer again, but that is the extent of our plans for now.
I will be better about posting on the blog now, I just took a break to focus more on travel advising!
