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round trip travel and lifestyle blog

New City, New Girl

May 29, 2019
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“Hi, I’m Kristin, and I’m new here. “There are few things I dislike more than being unknown, not having my people around, being alone. And I really haven’t had to do it much. Unlike a good friend of mine whose dad was in the military and thus moved all over, I’ve lived in the same house for my entire life. (Okay, I might’ve lived at our old house for the first week of my life before moving into the current one.)

Long story short: It’s been a long time since I’ve been the new girl. And it’s not my favorite thing. I got a taste of it two summers ago when I lived abroad in Toulouse, France. And it was tough, but I’m so much stronger for it.

This summer I moved to Dallas, Texas, for an internship that I’m stoked about. But even with the most exciting of adventures, change is, well, an adjustment. I moved hundreds of miles away from my family and friends to a city I’d never even been to before.

I love exploring and organizing my room and watching nature documentaries and just catching up on me time. But there’s nothing like grabbing coffee or inviting friends over for a meal, and in a new city, that’s harder to do.

In the short time I’ve been here, I’ve been overwhelmed with the warm welcome I’ve received — southern hospitality you could call it. Some empty nesters have adopted me as their own, my brother’s friends invited me over for a brunch, a college friend happens to be from the area. It’s what I’d call a best case scenario.

Being the new girl isn’t fun.

Being the new girl isn’t easy.

Being the new girl is awkward.

Being the new girl is uncomfortable.

But being the new girl is teaching me humility (something I need and my family will tell you that) and grace. Putting yourself out there is daunting, but unfortunately, it’s really the only way to get plugged in and find a new home. I’m quick to beat myself up for not introducing myself or not reaching out to that friend of a friend that another friend gave me her number. Whew!

Oh, and also patience aka my favorite thing. I’ve been to this church twice, so where is my new bff at? It’s the third day of work — I don’t need a GPS, right? Things take time, relationships take time. And Kristin will always need a navigation system at hand. Some things never change.

The unknown gives me the creeps. Okay, confession: way more than the creeps. I hate not being in control, but it’s times like these that I remind myself there is purpose in the “uncomfy.” I know that this is exactly where I’m supposed to be and although not with difficulty and struggle, that good plans await.

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Comments

  1. Kelly Myers says

    July 18, 2019 at 11:40 am

    Girl, I can relate to you on so many levels! I moved to Nashville 2 years ago and it is still a challenge. Being away from family, and exploring really cool things ALONE is so tough. We think we can do it but then we don’t expect the challenges to just hit us in the face. The good thing is that we’ll become better for it, and we have this selfish time to do things for ourselves. We’re meant for human connection and the best way I’ve found to adjust is to get involved in things where you see the same people over and over, but also have the opportunity to meet new people. Like a kickball team, volunteer, etc. You got this, and I’m here to support because us ladies need to stick together. Love, Kel

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      July 18, 2019 at 12:55 pm

      Hello Kelly! Thank you for your sweet note. Yes, we will be so much stronger! And it can be fun to have some time to be selfish: to do whatever, watch whatever, eat whatever. Happy exploring!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Round Trip Roundup: MAY – round trip says:
    May 31, 2019 at 9:00 am

    […] one likes being the new girl, and I get real and raw in this personal essay on being the new girl in a new city I’d never been to before. I’ve spent this month exploring Dallas […]

    Reply
  2. Photo Diary: Dallas Farmers Market – round trip says:
    June 19, 2019 at 9:03 am

    […] More on moving to a new city and being the new girl. […]

    Reply
  3. Round Trip Roundup: JUNE – round trip says:
    June 30, 2019 at 2:29 pm

    […] anymore. That means reaching out about getting coffee or dinner, not waiting for someone to ask. Being the new girl is exhausting, but after six weeks here, I feel like I’m in a good groove. I have to credit […]

    Reply
  4. I Signed Up for a Hot Yoga Class By Accident – round trip says:
    August 14, 2019 at 9:00 am

    […] summer has been wave after wave of “newness.” I moved to a city I’d never been to, I started a new job, I joined a new church, I made new […]

    Reply

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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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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?

Hi, it's been a minute, and I'd love to reintroduc Hi, it's been a minute, and I'd love to reintroduce myself👋

🇺🇸I'm a Missouri girl living in southern France where I teach English to French kiddos and update my blog, Round Trip. I moved here in the height of Covid last fall, and boy, do I have some STORIES that I dish in my brand new magazine (keep scrolling for the dirty deets)

🐝I majored in magazine editing and would love to talk your ear off about the Oxford comma. Oh, and I won the school spelling bee in 7th grade. Yep, I peaked😂

💃I'm a middle child, and I don't let my family forget that. I've always loved the attention, and I suppose that manifests in my addiction to glitter and leopard print.

📖This week I launched Round Trip: The Magazine, a 20-page print + digital experience. It’s jam-packed with articles about how I moved to France during a pandemic, the best French villages to add to your bucket list and how I saved $7,000 to move abroad. I spill the tea on how travel and life abroad has taught me the best lessons about insecurity and confidence, heartbreak and love👀

So very nice to meet you! Bop over to link in bio to check out this week's magazine launch❤️

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(giveaway) What's a magazine launch week without a (giveaway) What's a magazine launch week without a giveaway?!💥 I recently announced my latest project, Round Trip: The Magazine. This 20-page physical + digital magazine is jam-packed with articles on how I made the move to France during a pandemic, the best French villages to visit, how I saved thousands of dollars to travel and the lessons I've learned through travel. And lots, lots more!

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😳Here’s a little secret for you: I was terrif 😳Here’s a little secret for you: I was terrified I would fall flat on my face. Now I’m happy and loving every second of life in France, but let’s rewind the clock back to one year ago, shall we?

⏰I was a mess. Last spring, it’d already been several months since I submitted my application to teach English in France. My heart was set on living abroad. And it was shattered as headlines and exclamation points littered the world with this virus called Covid.

🙈Between March and August, I might as well have had the words “I don’t know” tattooed on my forehead. My heart was constantly in flux: do I keep fighting for a dream that exists only in abstract? Or do I give up my dream to move abroad because life is too complicated or rather it’s just not possible?

🍳I had put all my eggs in one basket. I’d told everyone that the plan was to move to France, and now all of life’s questions could be summed up in a slew of question marks. I feared embarrassment and failure. But more than anything, I had long dreamed of living in France. It wasn’t only a question of pride but of passion.

⏩Fast forward to today: I’ve been living in France for six months, and although it’s not always perfect, I’m in love with my life here. Sincerely. I take walks around my neighborhood, look around and constantly say to myself, “Is this seriously my life?”

❓I get a lot of questions about my life in France. And for this reason along with the journey to get here, I decided to create something. This week, I'm launching Round Trip: The Magazine. It’s a 20+ page magazine (digital or physical — you pick!) filled with stories, travel tips, language learning ideas, bucket list destinations and beyond. Plus, a password-protected online portal with bonus content.

🎊And it's available now — link in bio!

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(big news!) ☎️Travel called — it wants you b (big news!) ☎️Travel called — it wants you back. The cabin fever is real as we’ve been cooped up in our homes for the past however many months. Whether you’re booking a flight ASAP or wanting to play it safe for a while, many of us have been daydreaming about travel. We miss the thrill of takeoff, the exhilaration of exploration, the elation of discovery.

✈️That's why TODAY I’m launching Round Trip: The Magazine, a 20+ page physical + digital experience. It’s jam-packed with articles about how I moved to France during a pandemic, the best French villages to add to your bucket list and how I saved $7,000 to move abroad.

❤️My heart in creating this magazine is to provide a more immersive, intimate experience than my blog posts and Instagram stories. 

🍵It’s more than just the practical tips but also the raw + real, juicy deets. I spill the tea on how travel and life abroad has taught me the best lessons about insecurity and confidence, heartbreak and love.

I’ve spent HOURS pouring my heart into these pages, and I’m confident these words will not only help you plan your future trips but also inspire you to chase your passions harder.

Today the pre-sale (and sale price!) is available to my email subscribers. Not on the list? Comment 💥and I'll add you to the list. Allez-y !

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Sometimes I just don’t believe my life🙈 Toda Sometimes I just don’t believe my life🙈

Today we took a casual 20ish minute boat ride to a nearby island I can see from my backyard. We hiked up to the ancient fort and danced to music mere feet from ruins — all with views of the Mediterranean Sea and Marseille in all her sunny glory.

I think back to a year ago when my life felt heavy and full of question marks. I think of all the hoops I jumped through and all the doors God opened for me to be here. I think of the daily prayers for answers, long walks to let out the stress and the anxious tears.

And friends, it was all worth it. What a beautiful thing reflection is! What an amazing thing it is to see the pain that was and the joy that is! 

The months leading up to moving to France were absolute mayhem, but oh, I am so beyond glad I didn’t quit when it was hard. Because I am in absolute love with my life in southern France☀️
Been kinda quiet on the socials as of late👀I've Been kinda quiet on the socials as of late👀I've been soaking up the Marseille sunshine with long walks, picnics and the not-so occasional ice cream😋

💪I've also been hard at work. For the past two months, I've been creating my latest project, Round Trip: The Magazine. I've sent out surveys, edited and workshopped this piece for hours upon hours. And I am delighted to say I am all set to launch in APRIL!!

🤔What is this so-called magazine, and why should I care? Alas, in September, I moved to France to teach English — yes, in the middle of a pandemic. It's been quite the wild ride, and along the way, I've been getting lots of questions about my journey here.

I also wanted to take my blog to the next level. As much as I love sharing my travel tips + life abroad peeks on my blog and social channels, I longed to provide a more immersive, intimate experience. Ya know, like a coffee date with your best gal pal?☕

Given that I have a degree in magazine editing, I thought it only fitting to answer the questions, share my stories and dish all the dirty deets in magazine format. And I am sooo stoked for next month's launch!! Want to be first to hear when this magazine drops and to get the pre-sale price? Comment with ⭐and I'll add you to my insiders list.

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🍷😋Best eats + sips in BORDEAUX: 🍦@glace 🍷😋Best eats + sips in BORDEAUX: 

🍦@glaceriedumas_bordeaux Tori and I stayed in Bordeaux for two nights, and we visited Glacerie Dumas twice. Long story short: it was delightful. The first night I ordered ice cream macaron sandwiches. And the second night I ordered their chocolate ice cream topped with chantilly. 

🍜@padang8padang I am always in search of a good bowl of pad thai, and this fit just the bill. My pad thai packed flavor, and I was so bummed that my tummy wasn’t big enough to finish the whole bowl. Reasonably priced and steps away from a darling square. 

🍔@cafekokomo Located in a bubbly square, Café Kokomo serves up burgers, fries, lemonade and more of your American favorites. The best part of all (okay, close) is that they handed out those gummy Krabby Patty candies with our order. AMAZE.

🍇L’Oenothèque: Tor and I decided to make our wine tasting at our Airbnb. We found a wine shop right across from Église Notre Dame de Bordeaux. The kind shopkeeper helped us pick out a selection of regional wines for our charcuterie night, and she even pointed to where they came from on her map of Bordeaux. The shop isn't super active online, so here's the address: 1 Place du Chapelet

What are you craving for your trip to Bordeaux? Save this post for your next trip to southwestern France. Link in bio has more Bordeaux food + activity recs❗

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