A quote at the end of an article I read from a lifestyle brand that’s been a raging success, got me thinking. The article itself was super interesting and positive, and for some reason, the quote at the end left me feeling weird. And I didn’t know why. So to figure it out, I did what I often do when I feel that way. I walked the dog. Here’s the problem with fantasy worlds.
What has shaped your identity and made you into the person you are? Maybe things like where you grew up, your career path, your role in your community, and the people in your inner circle. Identity is complicated. Living abroad complicates it further, but it’s not all bad.
One of my readers left a comment that got me thinking. Julie wrote, “What is it about France that allows us to slow down and really appreciate the smaller things in life? I find I get excited about things that I wouldn’t even give a second thought to at home and I find myself doing things I wouldn’t think possible.” Why does France allow us to slow down and appreciate the small things? Or does it? Will a move abroad make you enjoy life more? Should it?
You may have noticed I started doing Facebook Live broadcasts not too long ago. The response has been fantastic and I couldn’t be happier with the feedback I’ve received. Let’s talk about this Facebook Live in France thing and why I decided to try it out.
As women, we’re conditioned to minimize our successes and downplay our wins. We’re made to feel like we’re bragging if we’re proud of an accomplishment. These positive moments get overshadowed by other things. Life goes on. Then something negative happens. Let’s focus on making the positives mean more.
Living abroad is full of surprises big and small. Let’s talk about some of these living in France surprises including culture, food, and stereotypes.
“Do you feel French?” someone asked me recently. I had to think about it. The question of feeling French is a complicated one and makes us think about our identity as foreigners living abroad. What makes someone feel French and how long does it take for this to change? Let’s take a closer look.
How do we move past something that still bothers us so deeply? That we still think about. Things we wish would have gone differently. This post is on forgiveness.
Looking for some good French culture stories? If you’re new here, you might have missed these stories that have made their home way back in my blog’s archives. So pour yourself a beverage and cozy up….
I’ve been living in France now for over 5 years, and little by little, it’s been changing me. These changes have crept up on me, and now looking back, I’ve noticed some distinct areas where living abroad has molded me into a model foreigner. Why is this the case and how did it happen?
Oh, la vache am I excited today! Welcome to a new look here on Oui In France! If you’re reading this on your phone or tablet, I invite you to pick this post back up when you’re on a computer so you can see what’s new!
This isn’t a fluffy feel-good post on how life in France is OMGAMAZING 24/7. Nowhere is perfect day in and day out and that’s the truth. This is a post about mental health and the dark side of expat life in France (or anywhere).
Everything is constantly changing around us, including the people. Our environment factors in to how we adapt and evolve and sometimes it’s for the best. I’ve been in France now for 5 years and life in France has changed my life for the better in ways big and small. French culture, language learning and more have made me a more open person.
When I moved to France, there are all kinds of everyday things that confuse me. I felt like my adult self was tossed back to infancy in some ways. From French culture, to the language to general know-how, moving to France as a foreigner can be pretty confusing.
Do mosquitoes feast on you when the weather gets warm? If so, we’re in the same boat. Over the past couple…
Read More
This is me reflecting on 5 years in France. Truth be told, this post has been in my drafts folder for months. I kept starting it and then deleting what i’d written not sure what I should say or how I should say it.
Depending on how long you’ve been in France and who you socialize with, French people have probably asked you some strange questions. And a bunch of normal ones as well. Here are the top questions French people ask me.
For those of us in relationships with someone from another country, meeting the family can be quite an experience. That goes double when your partner’s native language differs from your own. Here are some tips for when the foreign in-laws meet. Take a deep breath.
You live abroad and love expat blogs. You’ve toyed around with the idea of starting an expat blog yourself. Now is the time. Here’s how to start an expat blog.
So about that nation full of apologists. I’m talking about AMERICANS. YES!! And I’m just as surprised as you are. I’m writing about something we noticed after a few days in the US. It’s the frequency of Americans saying sorry for the tiniest things!