• about
  • City Guides
    • Europe
      • Czechia
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Scotland
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
    • Canada
    • Caribbean
    • Middle East
    • New Zealand
    • USA
      • Atlanta
      • Chicago
      • COMO
      • Dallas
      • Destin
      • Kansas City
      • Los Angeles
      • NYC
      • Orlando
      • San Francisco
      • Seattle
      • St. Louis
      • Waco
      • South America
  • Tips + Tricks
  • Lifestyle
    • Blogging
  • shop

round trip travel and lifestyle blog

Round Trip Roundup: DECEMBER

December 31, 2018
Pin
Share
Share
Tweet
0 Shares

I think I’m done with holiday parties and Christmas songs but never the treats. I don’t know about you, but come the end of December, I’m ready for the new year. I promise I’m not a scrooge! December was chock-full of family and friend gatherings along with gifts I’m loving. Here’s a look:

1 . New travelin’ gear

This Christmas was a cheery one with warm family time and way too much caramel corn. It also meant some fun, new travel gear. I got Sperry’s version of duck boots. They’re durable enough for cobblestone walking and cute enough for street wear — and they’re lined with memory foam! These will accompany me to Europe in 2019, and I’m only a smidge stoked. I also found a backpack-meets-cross-body purse from Gap, and I can’t stop switching the straps around because it’s just so darn fun.

2 . Rest, rest, rest

To be honest, rest has never come easy to me.  I feel a constant pressure to be productive; vacation is tough for me.  But the end-of-semester rush meets a quiet break.  It’s given me the opportunity to be lazy, sleep in, spend time with family and just be.

3 . Goals

New year, new me. I’m not a big one for huge resolutions just for the sake of December 31, but I have set some goals for myself, and the first regards meal planning. Let’s just say there’s a reason this isn’t a food blog. My gluten intolerance limits my options, and my tendency to become hangry means I have little patience for making an elaborate meal. This year I’d like to branch out from eating pasta three times per week; instead, I hope to improve my meal prepping.

I’ve already joined a gym and go pretty regularly, but I’m hoping to diversify with some new exercise classes and more rowing.

Most importantly, I want to work more on being instead of doing. My productive mentality makes it oh-so difficult to rest, which doesn’t seem like a big deal. That’s great, right? But in actuality, it makes it difficult to be fully present. My mind is constantly swimming with what’s next, but this year I want to work on being 110 percent in the moment.

The quote I’m focusing on is one from Jim Elliot: “Wherever you are, be all there.”

4 . What’s next for Round Trip

Sometimes you want just a little more whether that’s the bottom of the ice-cream bowl or the snooze button on a Monday morning. If you’re looking for more travel, sign up for my newsletter. And starting in 2019, I’m adding a monthly travel freebie if you sign up. It’ll be additional content you can’t find on my blog such as a printable travel planner, playlist or packing list. Click the banner to sign up:

If you want to play an important part in shaping content for Round Trip in 2019, take my survey. I’d so appreciate it!

5 . Mini trip to Chicago

Who says you have to travel for months at a time? This blitz of a trip to Chicago lasted one day, but it was still a great getaway with epic views of the city nightlife and mouth-watering Italian food. Oh, and I dished all the deets.

What are you celebrating about 2018? What are you looking forward to in 2019? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Author Signature

Share with a friend & save for a future adventure!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
Pin
Share
Share
Tweet
0 Shares
0
3 Comments

My Fave Finds

Previous 8 Things I Learned in 2018
Next 5 Hacks to Grow Your Travel Budget

Related Posts

Juliana Dever on Travel, Fear and Facing the Unknown

7 Ways to Practice Self-Care in Quarantine

Flight, not Fight: An Essay on Fear

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rosie says

    January 2, 2019 at 2:31 pm

    Chicago was a real highlight of my trip to the US in 2015 🙂 I’d love to go back one day! I also find my mind often races ahead; living in the moment doesn’t always come easily. Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      January 2, 2019 at 2:48 pm

      Hi Rosie! Chicago is a great gem in the Midwest but pretty cold😬 wishing you a happy new year full of much travel!

      Reply
      • Rosie says

        January 6, 2019 at 7:47 am

        I imagine Chicago’s pretty nippy at this time of year! Hope you have a travel-filled year, too Kristin 🙂

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Bonjour

Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
learn more about my story

Ad

Top Posts & Pages

  • 50 Most Used French Verbs to Know + Free Flashcards
  • The Beginner’s Guide to Universal Studios
  • bonjour
  • about
  • Useful French Phrases

About

Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
learn more about my story

Want free access to my 30-minute travel budgeting course?

(AD) I could literally stare at my map from Trip M (AD) I could literally stare at my map from Trip Map - Push Pin Travel Maps for hours😍 (Honestly, I probably already have!) 

📍I am entirely impressed with how detailed it is, especially because my hometown of St. Louis is on the map.  I love being able to show my French friends *exactly* where I live because most maps aren’t big enough to show my mid-sized hometown of St. Louis. 

💪Although the map is plenty big – and I ordered the smallest size – it’s not excessively heavy, which makes it easy to move and install. 

🇱🇹Although their small team is based in Lithuania, they ship worldwide. They have a crazy big selection of colors and styles, and naturally, I picked the pink one. Are we surprised?

🌟As much as I love maps, a map is a map. But with Trip Map World, I can make it mine. The whole point of their maps is to personalize them, and I love that I can showcase my postcards. I love that I can grow into my Trip Map World board for years to come.

Use code KRISTIN5 for 5% off!

Link in bio has 3 ways to decorate your home with maps🗺

#tripmapworld #mytinyatlas #tapif #tapifusa #assistantdelangue #assistantsdelanuge #cartography #maps #worldmaps #worldmap #postcard #postcards #postcardlover #postcardtraveler #homedecor #homedecorideas #vivelafrance #francophile #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder10k #map
Why is being present so hard?!🙈Double tap if yo Why is being present so hard?!🙈Double tap if you agree!

It's so easy for me to get stuck in the past or focused on the future — so much so that I made this quote my lock screen for a looooong time. It's funny how forgetful we are as humans: We long for the future, but once we're there, we crave the past.

🌍I love how travel reminds me to be present. When you've saved up, planned and dreamed about a trip for so long, OF COURSE you want to savor each moment. But it's a great lesson for our everyday life, too.

❓How do you keep yourself in the present? I like keeping a gratitude journal. Tell me in the comments!

 #blogginglife #dametravel #dametraveler #blogger #girlswhotravel #travelquotes #quotes #inspirational #bloggerunder5k #bloggerlifestyle #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #bloggersgetsocial #travelblogger #instablog #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #quotable #eze #ezefr #tapif #assistantdelangue #tapifusa
Not to be dramatic or anything, but those nine day Not to be dramatic or anything, but those nine days truly changed my life😍 About 7 years ago, I was taking AP European History and heard about a summer trip to Europe with my high school. London, Paris, Florence and Rome.

Yep, we were that group of students walking around Europe with our lanyards and headsets. I got those jitters when I saw Europe in its glory for the first time. And I still do.

If you would’ve told me then that I’d move to France during a global pandemic, I’d tell you you’re complètement fou.

But here’s the thing: that trip with @EFtours stirred something inside of me, and it has yet to settle. It was a longing to see and experience the world with my own two eyes. And it inspired me to start my travel blog, to continue with my French studies, to study abroad and to move to France.

This ain't sponsored (but I sure wish it were!), and I mean with my whole heart those few days in high school set me onto this path. And for that, I am beyond grateful.

🤔What about you? Can you point to a specific moment or experience that set you on the path you're on today, all these years later? Tell me about it⬇️

@ef #eftours #efabroad #educationfirst #inspo #inspiring #efgapyear #efexplorer #completementfou #expatlife #whereicamefrom #expat #expatdiary #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder10k #francophile
One thing you rarely hear about life abroad: so mu One thing you rarely hear about life abroad: so much dang paperwork and many complicated processes🙈

💰I have several bank accounts in the U.S. and France. I'm paid in euros, but I still have recurring subscriptions on my American credit card. I'm also all about growing my savings and getting those credit card points on my American account.

What👏to👏do?👏

❌I tried sending money directly from my French bank account to my American credit card bill. It worked, but there was bigger fee. And it was only to pay off charges, not grow savings.

✅But then a friend introduced me to @TransferWise and now I am set! I can easily transfer between my different checking accounts for the lowest rates I ever did see. Plus,  I'm still able to grow my savings and investment accounts in America.

❓OK but what is it?! @TransferWise is a third-party site that transfers money between accounts from all over the world. They price compare their rates with other companies. Their site is super easy to use and explains the whole process. And the rates were crazy low and not as high as the transfer I made directly through my banks.

🔗Bop over to link in bio for the link to get a free account and the other 5 things every expat needs.

#expat #expatlife #americanabroad #americansabroad #assistantsdelangue #eslteacher #teflteacher #tefl #esl #englishteacher #americaninfrance #americansinfrance #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder1k #microinfluencer #wanderlust #tapif #tapifusa @tapifusa @assistantsdelangue #albi #albifrance #france
Have you ever had one of those “it’s a small w Have you ever had one of those “it’s a small world” moments?🌏

☀️Back in 2017, I spent a summer in Toulouse. One weekend, my friends and I went on a road trip to a slew of villages in southwestern France. They were truly some of the best days of my life: we stayed in my friend’s castle🏰(casual), we swam in the river + sunbathed, we drank wine + played games, we explored idyllic villages.

One of my favorite spots with the sweetest of nostalgic memories was in a small village called Laguépie. Population: ~600. Whenever people asked me my favorite place in France, nobody ever knew where I was talking about. It wasn’t in the magazines or travel blogs. (Ahem, it’s on mine!)

➡️Fast forward to 2020. I’m preparing to leave for France and am keeping a close eye on my teaching program’s Facebook page. An American girl posted in the group about her time in Marseille, and we began messaging. She helped me with a million and one things during my move to France, and we’ve stayed in touch and become good friends.

Earlier this month, I visited Albi to see her along with her French boyfriend, who’s from a small village. He never told me the name, but as we were sipping wine and eating saucissons, he said something about Laguépie.

“WHAT?! Did you say Laguépie? I’ve been there and fell in L O V E!” He said, no, we can’t be talking about the same place, no one ever goes to my hometown😂 But after showing him my photos, including ones the village’s castle @chateau_louvielcastel reposted, it was one and the same.

Can someone queue “Invisible String” because what a small world this is that we’re all connected. Do you have any wild stories like that? Tell me in the comments⬇️

#laguepie #laguépie #viaur #franceprofonde #lafranceprofonde #microinfluencer #tarn #garonne #occitanie #frenchvillage #vivelafrance #stmartinlaguepie #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder1k #bloggersunder10k #itsasmallworld #smallworld #jaimelafrance #patrimoine @occitanietourisme
What do you like searching for on Pinterest?📌 What do you like searching for on Pinterest?📌

✈️I love finding travel destinations + itineraries, easy recipes and decorating ideas. My guess is that you've found some blogs and ideas you love through this site. 

😍I'm even more obsessed with how @pinterest serves to grow my blog and brand.

Currently kicking myself for not getting on the Pinterest for Business train sooner because this site is truly a game changer. I went from a personal account with a wedding board and gluten-free board with recipes I’d never tried to a bustling business board with more than 400,000 monthly visitors. And most of that is not from advertising.

📈I took a free @jennakutcher webinar on how to use Pinterest for Business and saw massive growth. And the best part? You can schedule out content for an entire week in just 30 minutes to an hour. 

⏩Pinterest is my top driver of traffic, and if you want to upgrade your blog like a pro, this is where you need to invest your time, hands down.

Want to learn how you can use Pinterest to grow your blog, brand or biz? Head over to link in bio for my best blogging tips💯

#bloggergirl #blogginglife #blog #blogger #girlswhotravel #bloggingtips #bloggingadvice #getrich #sidehustle #sidegig #monetize #monetizeyourblog #bloggerunder5k #bloggerlifestyle #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #bloggersgetsocial #travelblogger #instablog #monetizeyourbrand #monetizeyourpassion #cassis #france #cassisfr
Best day trips from Nice No. 4: Èze🏰 This med Best day trips from Nice No. 4: Èze🏰

This medieval village enchanted me so much so I almost teared up as we left because I just didn’t want to go. If there are castles, sea views and charm, I’m so there. And Èze checks all these boxes✅ 

😍This medieval village is a labyrinth of cobblestone and windy paths, but the steps are worth it. There are shops and restaurants along the way to the top where you get sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea. 

🌵Once you make it to the top, you have to pay to enter the Jardin Exotique d’Èze, and I can't recommend it enough. (Be sure to ask about the combo deal that includes both the garden in Èze and the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild nearby.)

🚗🛤️Distance from Nice: 30-minute drive or 15 minute train ride

Craving more photos + day trip ideas from Nice? Head over to link in bio ❤️

#nicefrance #nicefr #nice #southernfrance #eze #èze #ezefr #ezefrance #ezevillage #medievalvillage #seaside #seasidedining #seasidelunch #mediterraneansea #mediterranean #oceanviews #microinfluencer #tapif #tapifusa #assistantsdelangue #assistantdelangue #tefl #esl #eslteacher #teflteacher #teachabroad #teachabroadfrance #jardinexotique #microinfluencer
Copyright © 2021 round trip
Theme by SheShoppes
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.