Tips and Tricks Archives

How To Pack for a Year in France

It’s not like I didn’t know. Over a year ago, I decided to apply to different programs where I could teach English in France. And truth be told, I didn’t look into many options outside of this dream. And despite COVID, I am heading to France to teach English to little kiddos through TAPIF and am psyched. All that to say, I have been mentally preparing for a year abroad. Yet the packing process is daunting no matter what. Today I’m walking you through how to pack for a year in France. This post includes affiliate links, which means...

view the post

How I Applied for My TAPIF Visa to France

When people would ask me about my “trip” to France, I often chuckled. Because a trip suggests short-term for the purpose of sightseeing. And because it’s entirely easier to take a trip than it is to move abroad for work. Most trips don’t include health insurance coverage, salary, rent or visas — the last of which truly distinguishes between vacationing and moving abroad. I want to start off by saying every experience and every country’s process is different. And it even varies by what type of visa you’re applying for — and they are many. Although there are a...

view the post

2 Comments

Basic French for Travelers

People like to joke about the French often, but the truth is that France is the most visited country in the world with 89 million tourists each year. And there’s good reason for it. If you know me, you know I’m obsessed with all things France and lived in Toulouse for a summer. Knowing a few key phrases for any country you visit is a great practice, and in France, these will come very much in handy. The French are known to be nicer to tourists who at least attempt French. If you’re traveling to France, here’s a quick...

view the post

0 Leave a Comment

Our Trip to France Got Canceled, Here’s What We Did Instead

COVID has changed nearly every aspect of our lives, and it can be disheartening. Last April, my mom and I started planning my graduation trip to France. We’d start in Paris and then head down to Lyon and later the Riviera. My grandpa gave me Christmas money that I set aside for snorkeling in the Mediterranean, and my sisters, mom and I worked on a Google doc with our itinerary wish lists. We spent over a year planning and paying off our trip, and COVID canceled our trip to France. Although extremely bummed, my sister had the bonne idée...

view the post

1 Comment

My Post-Grad Plans and Reflections on College

Displaced. I truly can’t think of a better word than displaced to describe the past few months but also this new life stage. It’s called college graduation. I truly can’t tell you what I expected to feel and experience, but it wasn’t this. No, this wasn’t the way I wanted to end my college career — in a global pandemic, that is. But is there really any good way to say goodbye? I hate goodbyes. They’re awkward and just make me sad; they feel forced, sometimes fake. I’m entering a new season of life, but I don’t exactly know...

view the post

1 Comment

50 Most Used French Verbs to Know + Free Flashcards

Learning a foreign language can be a doozy. Sometimes I get so frustrated by what I don’t know that it takes away the joy from what I do know. My French teacher in high school reminded us that even though we’re native English speakers, we still won’t know every last English word and rule. And it’s the same when we’re learning French. Today we’re going to learn the 50 most common French verbs. Studying the most popular words in a language is a great place to begin learning. Paul Rivenc did a study* on the most commonly used French...

view the post

0 Leave a Comment

13 Ways to Travel At Home During Quarantine

Being quarantined is a hard, emotional experience, especially if you love to travel. Although for very good reason, these travel bans can be tough to process if you got a case of wanderlust. Being a travel blogger, I feel you. It’s hard when one of the things you love most in life seems to have been taken away from you — even when you know this quarantine is for a good reason. Lucky for you, I’ve rounded up the 13 best ways to “travel” at home during quarantine. From travel podcasts to travel-themed crafts, here are the best ways...

view the post

2 Comments

9 Best Travel Makeup Products

Confession time: I am a lazy girl when it comes to makeup, especially when I’m travel makeup. Don’t get me wrong: I love getting ready and all dolled up for a night out. But at the same time, I like simple, easy, not complicated. And when I’m traveling, my days are much more involved and active than the average day at work. Whether I’m climbing the Eiffel Tower in Paris or hiking in Montserrat, Spain, I want to make sure what I apply in the morning lasts till the last call at the bar. I don’t want to constantly...

view the post

0 Leave a Comment

The Beginner’s Guide: How to Plan a Trip to Europe

I had the great privilege of traveling to 11 different countries before I even turned 21, and most of these countries are in Europe. Getting a French degree and running a travel blog, I love traveling to Europe. This May, I’ll be headed to France for the fourth time! So, if you’re wanting to learn how to plan a trip to Europe, you’re in the right spot. This is one of the questions I get most. How do I plan a trip to Europe? What do I need to know? How do I get there? What do I pack?...

view the post

2 Comments

Tips and Tricks

About