• 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

France

I’m Moving to France

Currently still in shock. I started my application to teach English in France last October. It has been nearly a calendar year of many anxious months waiting to hear back from TAPIF (Teaching Assistant Program in France). COVID has delayed these decisions several times, but yesterday I got the email: I’m moving to the Académie d’Aix-Marseille in southern France to teach elementary schoolers English. And I’m over the moon excited! If you know me personally, you know that these past few months have been rough. Results were supposed to arrive in early to mid April, and the virus kept...

view the post
0
19 Comments

How to Spend A Day in Paris

I know what you’re thinking. It simply can’t be done. Pas du tout ! Listen here: if a day is all you have, take it and don’t look back. I was on a Europe tour, and France wasn’t on the list. Being the wannabe francophile I am, which shouldn’t come as a shock, I squeezed in a quick trip to the country I consider my second home. We left Brussels in the morning and made it back to our hotel later that night. Here’s a run down of how we saw the City of Lights in about 12 hours....

view the post
0
19 Comments

Confessions of a France Study Abroad Student

Sitting in an American classroom with a French textbook can only do so much.  Sure, it provides the base to succeed once abroad, but touching down on French soil is an entirely different experience.  I worked in Toulouse, France last summer but haven’t experienced a traditional study abroad experience. I reached out to Instagram friend, fellow French lover and the blogger behind Girl With A Planner Abigail Nowell. She’s living in Lille, France, this summer to work on her French minor – quelle rêve !  She is taking an intensive French class at L’Université Catholique de Lille. Abigail is working on...

view the post
0
1 Comment

Maddie Koerner on Solo Travel and Life in Europe

An Instagram picture may be worth a thousands words, but influencer Maddie Koerner knows that’s not enough.  “The people that are seeing my pictures aren’t experiencing the excitement I felt when I saw the Eiffel Tower light up or the friendships that I’ve made throughout my journeys,” she said. “This is why I believe traveling is essential for everyone.” Communal travel Maddie spent her summer in Italy as an au pair; she watched the children while the parents were at work and also practiced English with them.  Her work-free weekends included traveling to places such as Bologna, Milan, Portofino,...

view the post
0
9 Comments

16 Things They Don’t Teach You in French Class

From verb tenses to conjugations, sentence structure to grammar, there’s a lot a classroom can teach you about a foreign language.  My 13-year-old decision to take French instead of Spanish (because I didn’t want to be just like my older siblings) really was made on a whim, but it was in that classroom, G27, that I began to fall in love with the French language and culture.  And without that foundational education and my passionate teachers, my love of travel and French would probably look different; honestly, my life would look different.  While I’m grateful for my time in...

view the post
0
6 Comments

38 Things to Do in Toulouse, France

Located in the south of France, the city of Toulouse offers both the conveniences of a big city and a small town feel.  I lived in La Ville Rose, or the Pink City, for a summer and compiled a list of 30+ things to do from eats to sweets, activities to attractions (including the best A/C spots!): Eats:  Marché des Carmes + Gwadasel: Get the French farmer’s market experience and pop into this small shop connected to the market for some fresh eats. Crêperie Saint Georges: Prepare.  Your.  Self.  When in France, crêpes are a must!  And my mouth...

view the post
0
17 Comments

9 Things I Learned From My Summer Abroad

Nutella, chocolate macaroons and café au lait.  I tasted ’em all during my summer in Toulouse, France.  But beyond the good eats and stunning sights, I took in many lessons from this time abroad, ones I’ll hold close to my heart for years to come.  Here are nine things I learned from my summer abroad: 1. Routine is the essence of security.  I met with a university friend at Chipotle several weeks before my departure for France and knew bigger and better cuisine would be headed my way.  I’m eating fast-food “Mexican,” but soon I’ll be sipping on café...

view the post
0
5 Comments

How to Road Trip Through Occitanie in Southern France

There’s simply too much to see and to experience in France.  From the bustling cities to quiet villages, snow-capped mountains to roaring oceans, France truly has more to offer than you could consume in one trip.  Taking a road trip allows you to get small tastes of a wide variety of places.  And even just driving through the countryside is a sight to see.  Maximize your time and money by taking a road trip through Occitanie in the south of France. I spent a summer working in Toulouse, France, and for Bastille Day weekend, we took a road trip...

view the post
0
6 Comments

How to Dress Like a French Woman

France may only be the size of Texas, but its culture and specifically its haute couture have enamored women worldwide.  We look to coveted designers from Chanel to Dior to help us achieve that je ne sais quoi.  But no matter the little black dress or strand of pearls, one piece cannot embody an entire aura or group of people for that matter; French style is more than meets the eye.  I sat down with a French woman to explore the foundations of their culture’s fashion and discovered several dos and don’ts in the process: 1. Do think practically....

view the post
0
1 Comment
  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

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