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Round Trip Roundup: SEPTEMBER

October 2, 2019
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It was one of those months where I felt I needed at least 25 hours in a day to accomplish everything. My school schedule has been incredibly taxing and left little room to breathe. Fortunately, I had some fun and restful moments throughout the month including the Jonas Brothers concert (!) and a weekend retreat. In all my spare time (jokes), I’ve been toiling away at my next big project, which is set to launch in October. Eep! Here’s my top 5 for the month of September:

1. Weekend retreat

I felt like a sleepwalking zombie for the majority of the month and while I was excited for a weekend retreat, I was stressed about everything that needed to get done beforehand. I took a full 48 hours off from homework, which is something I haven’t done all semester. The retreat pushed my reset button and refreshed me so that I could do my work once I returned. 10/10 recommend taking a break, spending time with friends, having a crafternoon and reflecting on faith.

2. Big project ’bouta drop

I’ve published two books, but hear me out: this is my biggest project yet. I’ve been toiling away on this secret project since the summer and had several people test it out. People ask me all the time how they can budget and save for travel, and out of that desire to share what I’ve done, I created this project. I will announce it later in October, but if you want to be first to know, I’m giving my email subscribers early access!

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In the meantime, if you’re looking for some quick ways to maximize your travel fund, I have just the post for you.

3. Jonas Brothers concert

Y’all. I’m a changed woman after attending the Jonas Brothers’ Happiness Begins Tour. All of sixth-grader Kristin’s dreams came true, and it was better than I ever could have imagined. I had a Jonas Brothers’ fan club in middle school, and I was president, duh. There were newsletters, contests, Sharpie-ed trading cards I scented with lotion and eep, fan fiction. I still have posters of them on my door. This is a no-shame zone, thank you very much.

They sold specialty cocktails at the venue, and at least in St. Louis, it was the Lovebug: a concoction of coconut rum, cranberry juice, orange juice and lemon-lime soda. I spent $50 on a tie-dye lime green t-shirt, which I’m sure was meant to be ironic, and although it hurt a bit to fork over so much for something that probably cost $3 to make, I can’t say I regret the decision. Joe, if you’re reading this, it was a magical night. To my sisters and my fan club VP and secretary with whom I reunited for this evening, I don’t apologize for the calorie-burning screaming and flailing-arm dance moves.

4. Making travel smoother

This month on Round Trip, I focused on very practical advice when it comes to planning a trip. Whether it was my post on my favorite travel apps or my Q&A with my friend who quit her job to travel the world with her husband, this month’s content is chock full of helpful tips and tricks as you’re planning your next adventure. Maybe you don’t have any upcoming trips but are looking to redecorate or find some new blog post ideas.

5. Spontaneity

Noun: not in Kristin’s vocabulary

But also something she’s working on. Especially when I’m under a lot of stress, I’m not one to procrastinate; I’m one to bury myself in my room and toil away, for better and for worse. But we all need breaks, and I’m growing in allowing myself to have breaks. I’d planned out a night of homework, but the roommates suggested a late-night run to Target this past week. I’m learning and reminding myself that relationships are more important than accomplishments and to-do lists. For this Enneagram 3-gal with an achiever’s soul, this is hard to apply when it feels as if your task list is a mile long, but it’s a lesson worth learning.

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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

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Let's talk crushes😍Ever been somewhere that giv Let's talk crushes😍Ever been somewhere that gives you butterflies in your tummy and a warm sensation in your heart? Truly all the signs of a crush, but it's a place, not a person.

🛤️This weekend I visited Bordeaux for the first time, and let me tell you, I am ~CrUsHiNg~ This charming city sported a vibrant attitude, and its cobblestone streets leaked hints of modernity and irreverence. @ToriHantak and I strolled the streets, and we just looked at each other and said, "I am in love with this place."

💗From the kindest wine shop owner who was eager to chat about our move to France to the cute, old man at the boucherie who jokingly invited himself to our charcuterie night, Tor and I were smitten.

🍷We drank wine in our jammies, ate ice cream in a bubbly square and sauntered along La Garonne. For a few moments, life felt normal. Two young twenty-something gal pals running around southern France, giggling endlessly and getting impromptu piercings.

💟Ever have those moments in crush-worthy places that send you into an enchanting trance? I will cherish this dreamy Bordeaux weekend with a sweet college friend.
__
#bordeaux #bordeauxcity #bordeauxfr #bordeauxfrance #bordeauxwine #citycrush #countrycrush #francophile #francophone #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #tapif #tapifusa #assistantsdelangue #assistantdelangue #teflteacher #chaseyourpassion #doyourthing #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder10k #vivelafrance #franceprofonde #lafrance #crushing #crushinghard #loveisintheair
Do we have any adrenaline junkies here?🙋The one Do we have any adrenaline junkies here?🙋The one who loved the thrill of the high diving board growing up? The human who loves being thrown every which way on a rollercoaster? The person who wants to skydiving for their birthday?

💥Sometimes I like that adrenaline rush, but when it really comes down to it, I like being comfortable. It's so much easier to stay in the familiar: the same routine, town, friends, furniture arrangement.

😐It's really hard to step outside your comfort zone and do something hard, even if you know it's good for you. But that's where growth and discovery happen!

Last year, I moved to France to teach English. Yes, during a global pandemic🙈 

😶The months of waiting and preparing were tough. Would I still get to go? Would my dream of living in France come true? Would I be able to make friends in a pandemic? Was I crazy to move 4,000 miles from home during a pandemic?

And when I finally boarded my flight, I still wasn't sure how it would turn out. It could've been une catastrophe, truly. But even with the bumps and bruises, I have reaped a much bigger reward than if I'd stayed in the comfortable + familiar.

⭐It ain't perfect, but I'm living my dream. And that is worth the leap of faith!

 #blogginglife #dametravel #dametraveler #blogger #girlswhotravel #travelquotes #quotes #inspirational #bloggerunder5k #bloggerlifestyle #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #bloggersgetsocial #travelblogger #instablog #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #quotable #antibes #antibesfr #francetravel #france #tapif #assistantdelangue #tapifusa
One year ago, @torihantak and I were in a freezing One year ago, @torihantak and I were in a freezing cold queue line to get into crowded, sweaty bar👀 Just a few weeks before the world turned upside down.

We’d taken several French classes together and recently submitted our TAPIF applications to teach English in France.

We dreamed that night with our fun French exchange pal @manon_salgues about all the amazing adventures we’d have in Europe together over our hard apple ciders and vodka Sprites.

Wow, a lot can change in a year🙈 A year later, Tori and I find ourselves in Bordeaux eating ice cream, eating charcuterie + cheese, and soaking up the southern French sun. 

Sure, this year hasn’t looked the way we expected, but what a sweet privilege it is to look back and see how our leap of faith has allowed us to follow our dreams.

Je suis trop reconnaissante pour les amis comme Tori avec qui je peux rêver et vivre la vie française✨
Say YES more💯A few weeks ago, I was bopping aro Say YES more💯A few weeks ago, I was bopping around LinkedIn, which isn't too typical these days. I happened to notice that there was a connection recommendation for a girl I went to high school with. I didn't know her too well in high school — I can't recall any specific conversation or even a certain class we had together — but her title was English Teaching Assistant.

🤔Intrigued, I popped onto her profile and saw she too was doing the #TAPIF program. I slid into the LinkedIn DMs and said, hey it's been a minute, but I think we're doing the same thing!

💬We quickly connected on WhatsApp and decided to meet up in Lyon this past weekend. We drank good wine, ate amazing Thai food, saw the sights and froze our lil booties off in the snow.

🌎Quel petit monde ! The world is a lot smaller than we give it credit for. Don't be afraid to say yes and to slide into someone's LinkedIn DMs because you might just make a new friend, or rather reconnect with an old acquaintance.

#lyon #lyonfrance #lyonfr #slakecoffee #slake #france #quelpetitmonde #smallworld #itsasmallworld #blogeuse #dametraveler #snow #assistantsdelangue #assistantdelangue #tapifusa #highschool #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder10k #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #sayyes #americansabroad #americanabroad #americansinfrance #americaninfrance #ouioui
How has travel grown you as a human?🌏 Travel h How has travel grown you as a human?🌏

Travel has introduced me to people from literally all over the world. I think about the summer I spent in Toulouse, France, where I lived in a « foyer » , which is basically a long-term hostel.

🇺🇸I was the only American. It was hard at times when it came to feeling at home, language and culture wise. But it was unbelievably cool to have neighbors from all👏over👏the👏world👏

I lived, dined and block partied with people from Poland, Syria, Uzbekistan, China, Spain, Germany, Comoros, Guinea — the list goes on and ON!

It helped me understand that my way of life was not everybody's way of life. And that's not a bad thing! It was so special to make friends from all over the world, and that experience gave me perspective. Stepping out of your comfort zones through travel + cultural immersion is truly one of the best ways to grow💯

 #blogginglife #dametravel #dametraveler #blogger #girlswhotravel #travelquotes #quotes #inspirational #bloggerunder5k #bloggerlifestyle #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #bloggersgetsocial #travelblogger #instablog #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #quotable #nice #nicefr #francetravel #tapif #assistantdelangue #tapifusa
Home decor pro tip: Repurpose what you already hav Home decor pro tip: Repurpose what you already have💯

🌴When I traveled to Nice, I picked up a map of my French department, and it just sat in my armoire for months. I just didn’t know what to do with it, until I got my shelf. 

🗺️I had this inkling of an idea to put the map behind the open shelf. And I immediately fell in love with its muted yet classy touch to my shelf. I simply taped my map to the back of the shelf; consider layering another if it’s not long enough. Subtle yet chic (*queue the track of the Grinch saying "ooh, ahh, mmm" iykyk)

✅Styling tip: Pick a road map, any road map. And simply use clear tape to create a backdrop for your open bookshelf.

Link in bio has other ways to decorate your home with maps + where you can find similar shelves to create this look✨

#homedesign #homedecor #wanderlustinspo #interiordesign #shelfdesign #shelfideas #maps #map #roadmap #roadmaps #designidea #designideas #bedroom #bedroominspo #livingroom #livingroominspo #globe #traveladdict #travelhome #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder10k
Sometimes the best trips are the ones not filled w Sometimes the best trips are the ones not filled with endless activities but with low-key nights of rom coms and charcuterie boards❤️

If you've ever met me, you know I'm a go, go, go kinda girl. Like, where are the brakes?😂And when it comes to travel, I'm always thinking about how I can do more, see more, taste more, experience more.

But several weekends ago, I visited a college friend in Narbonne, a small town nearby. We took a mini day trip to (also) nearby Carcassonne, but truth be told, not much was open. At first, I felt a little defeated that this spot on my bucket list had little to offer, thanks to Covid😢

💡But then I started to shift my perspective. I got to walk around a medieval town and talk about life with a friend I've known for 5 years. I got to explore her town, make the most delectable charcuterie board you ever did see, watch a chick flick in our jammies and take a long, sunny walk along the river.

💥News flash: life will always disappoint it if we let it. There's a time to grieve our frustrations, but there's also a time to give yourself a kick in the butt and say knock👏it👏off👏

🌹Wake up and smell the roses because blessings still abound. Even things as simple as laughter, walks, sunshine, ocean views, a good glass of wine and tv shows that make us feel like we're really there.

My Enneagram 3 has struggled to accept this slower pace of life, but I've been working on taking it day by day and living in the present⭐

#carcassonne #carcassonnefr #southernfrance #narbonne #occitanie #aude #adventuring #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder10k #bloggersunder20k #tapif #tapifusa #assistantsdelangue #assistantdelangue #mytinyatlas #enneagram3 #francophile #francelover #francophone #americansinfrance #americansabroad #americaninfrance #americanabroad
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