Can you believe it? This weekend marks one year since we started our expat journey in France. So what has it been like as an American living in France for one year? Scary, challenging, exciting, and delicious are the first words that come to our minds. According to Jordan, "fortunately, I've been able to mask my emotions." … Continue reading Living in France for a Year
The pandemic is raging on in France. News outlets remind us of the grim situation. Confirmed cases are higher than they should be, a third lockdown is looming, and vaccinations are delayed. The death count is high, and the number of beds available in hospitals is decreasing. Each day, we are required to be in … Continue reading Living With a Curfew in France
They say when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. But what happens when you drink too much of it? Is too much of a good thing actually a bad thing? All that acidity is sure to damage your teeth, and there's a lot of sugar in lemonade. We've been making a lot of lemonade lately in Lyon, … Continue reading How Much Lemonade Can Be Made From Lemons?
According to Jordan, "it's not Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from Nakatomi plaza." So to officially kick off the Christmas season in the Shane household, we watched the movie Die Hard. If you aren't familiar with the thirty-two-year-old movie, let's break it down. The story follows John McClane, a police officer who decides to visit his wife … Continue reading A COVID Christmas Season
It's Thanksgiving in France, which means it's just another ordinary day. That is if there are any ordinary days while in confinement. It was a comfortable 55-degrees outside, and we enjoyed all the sunshine we could during the one-hour allotment at lunch. I had the day off work and "enjoyed" listening to Jordan on his long conference … Continue reading Our First Thanksgiving in France
It's been three weeks since France implemented a second lockdown. Not that I'm counting. The lockdown is planned to end on December 1, but all indicators point that this will not actually happen. We initially mentioned how we planned to spend our time in the second lockdown. What we are actually doing may surprise you. Read all … Continue reading How We Spend Our Time in the Second Lockdown
The time is here. Election season. The most contentious time of year. And as Americans, we have the right to vote, even if we are currently living halfway around the world. While we cannot physically be at the polls, there are still options to allow us to vote while living abroad. It's easier than you think. … Continue reading How We Voted While Living Abroad
It happened. After months of President Macron repeating that France will avoid a lockdown at all costs, we are back to this point. The second lockdown begins today. On Wednesday night, we tuned in with the rest of France to learn our fate. Macron was planning to speak to the nation on the current COVID … Continue reading Déjà vu? France is Back in Lockdown
As aspiring francophiles, Jordan and I are arguably in the best position to learn French. The hardest part is already done! By moving to France, we have immersed ourselves in the French language and culture. Or immersed ourselves as much as we can, following the constantly changing COVID restrictions. Our friends ask us if we … Continue reading Our Journey to Become Fluent in French
I set a goal for myself. I told Jordan that if I could make $1.00 on my blog in two months, I would like to be a full-time blogger. Jordan was understandably skeptical, but supportive. It's not like I was quitting a job to try this; I was already unemployed! The past two months were … Continue reading The Making of a Full-Time Blogger
