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Round Trip Roundup: APRIL

April 30, 2019
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Anxious jitters. Constantly checking email. Working out constantly to funnel my restless energy. Unknown. April was a month of anticipation, and as it’s coming to a close, I cannot help but be overwhelmed with gratefulness. Summer plans have been up in the air, and being the type A girl who has to be in control that I am, this was an involuntary lesson in patience. Sometimes we wait for people or things that never come, but this time around, it came for me. Although the first part of the month was marked by knots in my stomach and little sleep, the second part has been filled with huge smiles and Pinterest binges. That being said, here’s what’s been going on this month:

1 . I’m moving to Dallas!

This month I accepted a summer position at a magazine in Dallas, Texas, and I could not be more stoked! Searching for jobs and internships is one of the most tiring and frustrating experiences, but it made the acceptance call all that much more exhilarating. Although I’ve been to Waco, I’ve only ever driven through Dallas, which means I’ve been living in a black hole on Pinterest looking up all the Dallas things. (Comment your favorite places, restaurants, tips, sights, etc.) I’m nervous to move to a new city, but I’m am beyond elated for this career opportunity and a new city to explore!

2 . Easter brunch + good weather (finally!)

Like I mentioned, this month has been a bit hectic. I’m so easily sucked into my own world of what ifs, to do list tasks and what’s next on the agenda. I wind up in knots by the end of the day and wonder why. It’s because life is more than just achievements and task lists; it’s about building community and friendship. On Easter, I brunched with some fun friends, and it was such a great day to celebrate Easter Sunday, linger in conversation, enjoy the sunshine and eat a gluten-free coffee cake that takes me to another world.

3 . Super fun collab on Russia

One of the things I love most about travel is the inevitability of connecting with others across the globe. On my recent tour through Europe, I met Sasha at one of our sessions in Brussels. She’s from Russia and was so kind to tend to my curiosity about a place I’ve never visited. We’ve become Instagram friends and even found that we have a mutual friend who lives in Arkansas with her. I’m telling you, it’s a small world we live in after all. I asked her to give the local’s guide to Moscow, and she tells all.

4 . Scrapbooking

I know, I know. Digital is the future, I get it. But I’m still hopelessly in love with print. I’ve been working on two scrapbooks: one made through Shutterfly on my European adventure, another with plastic sleeves for photos over the past few years. Because posting something on Instagram and printing it out are not the same thing. Print is not dying, and even if it is, I won’t give up šŸ™‚

5 . Best travel gear

This is one of the questions I get asked most, so I decided to share my favorite tips in post form. From the comfiest shoes to the best portable charger, I got you covered.

AND SURPRISE!! I’m giving my book 40 Ways to Travel Better away. Enter now!

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Share with a friend & save for a future adventure!

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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!
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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!
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(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 hoursšŸ˜ (Honestly, I probably already have!) 

šŸ“I am entirely impressed with how detailed it is, especially because my hometown of St. Louis is on the map.Ā Ā 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. 

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

šŸ‡±šŸ‡¹Although 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 mapsšŸ—ŗ

#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?!šŸ™ˆDouble tap if yo Why is being present so hard?!šŸ™ˆDouble 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.

šŸŒ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.

ā“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 lifešŸ˜ 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 compleĢ€tement 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.

šŸ¤”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 itā¬‡ļø

@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 processesšŸ™ˆ

šŸ’°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.

WhatšŸ‘tošŸ‘do?šŸ‘

āŒI 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.

āœ…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.

ā“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.

šŸ”—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 ā€œit’s a small w Have you ever had one of those ā€œit’s a small worldā€ moments?šŸŒ

ā˜€ļø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 castlešŸ°(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!)

āž”ļø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.

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

Can someone queue ā€œInvisible Stringā€ because what a small world this is that we’re all connected. Do you have any wild stories like that? Tell me in the commentsā¬‡ļø

#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?šŸ“Œ What do you like searching for on Pinterest?šŸ“Œ

āœˆļø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. 

šŸ˜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.

šŸ“ˆI 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. 

ā©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 tipsšŸ’Æ

#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: ƈzešŸ° This med Best day trips from Nice No. 4: ƈzešŸ°

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 ƈze checks all these boxesāœ… 

šŸ˜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 dā€™Ćˆze, and I can't recommend it enough. (Be sure to ask about the combo deal that includes both the garden in ƈze and the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild nearby.)

šŸš—šŸ›¤ļø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 ā¤ļø

#nicefrance #nicefr #nice #southernfrance #eze #ĆØze #ezefr #ezefrance #ezevillage #medievalvillage #seaside #seasidedining #seasidelunch #mediterraneansea #mediterranean #oceanviews #microinfluencer #tapif #tapifusa #assistantsdelangue #assistantdelangue #tefl #esl #eslteacher #teflteacher #teachabroad #teachabroadfrance #jardinexotique #microinfluencer
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