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Firefly Festival 2018
Firefly Music Festival was the first camping festival I attended, in 2016.Β I went with a handful of friends and we camped on a 30-person lot.Β I had so much fun at this festival, I’d been dying to go back!Β Last summer I was still broke from living in France, but this summer I was committed to going again! I paid for a 6-person camping site, because I thought some friends would be joining.Β Note to self, you probably should not spend money on a shared camping site unless your “fellow campers” actually buy their festival tickets as well.Β As we got closer and closer to the festival weekend, it…
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Life Is What You Make It
Hello! It’s been several months since my last post – have I mentioned I am a procrastinator? As of May 15th, I have been home for a full year! I’m still very happy with my decision to stay rather than return to teach in France again. There is just something about financial stability, am I right? The past year has flown by! Especially once I became employed again. I’ve been in my current job for six months, and I really enjoy it! I’m excited about the work that I do and I am learning a lot – in my preferred career field, no less! Thinking back on my year as a…
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Well I Guess this is Growing Up
I’ve been listening to a lot of Blink 182 recently, and I felt like this phrase was a great way to sum up the past several months of my failed adult-ing. In a previous post, I described various reasons that I decided to decline my contract to teach in France again. One very real reason was that I used all of my Savings account last year to travel and to live more comfortably. (Y’all it is hard to live on a disposable income of 400 euros per month!!). Also, I had to start thinking about my future.Β I turned 26 this winter, officially losing the ability to be on my…
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Solo Travel: Why am I Comfortable Traveling Alone?
This spring, a group of my closeΒ college friends came to visit me.Β On the first night back together, we obviously had a lot to talk about!Β One of my friends asked me how I feel so comfortable traveling by myself.Β I had, after all, just traveled through Eastern Europe for two weeks by myself.Β Her question is natural – it does seem strange to feel comfortable doing such a thing.Β As I answered her, I realized that at some point over the past couple of years it had just become normal for me. When I studied abroad for 6 weeks, I made sure to coordinate with another student so that…
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Do I Stay or Do I Go?
When I first returned, it was so nice to be surrounded by my amazing friends and family. I wanted to enjoy their company as much as possible during the summer, knowing that I would be leaving again. However, after a few weeks I started getting what I can only describe as a gut feeling that I did not want to leave. I surprised myself in even considering staying! Then the more I reflected on the options, the more it made sense to me. Part of me had forgotten how much I love this area!Β Not only is my community here, but DC is such an amazing area full of diversity.…
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TAPIF Takeaways
As I finished my last week of work, I felt it was an appropriate time to reflect on the past seven months working here. Despite the difficulty getting settled in the beginning (thank you, French administration), I have had a pretty amazing year!Β I feel so lucky to have met so many amazing people!Β Although I am very happy to see my family soon, I’m really sad to be leaving this community.Β Lille has certainly become my home away from home. I feel like I hit the jackpot with my school assignment.Β I really can’t envision a better group of colleagues to have welcomed me.Β When I saw I was…
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An Afternoon in Honfleur, France
When I visited Γtretat last month, we rented an Airbnb in Le Havre. Β Apparently, my landlady grew up in that town! During an afternoon apΓ©ritif with my family at their home next door, she recommended that we stop in Honfleur! She said it was a beautiful and historic french town.Β Β It turned out to be great advice, as Honfleur is only ten minutes out of the way driving from Le Havre to Paris. Β We decided to spend a quick afternoon there, before heading to Paris for the weekend. Honfleur is in the French Department of Calvados. Β It sits rightΒ at the estuary that connects the Seine to the English Channel, just…
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Γtretat, Normandy: My Return Visit
When I was 16 years old, I had an opportunity to go on a ten day trip to Northern France through my high school! Though I feel like I wasn’t old/mature enough to truly appreciate it, the trip was amazing. Β We went to Paris (of course!) and then proceeded to other areas in the north. Β There are bits that I remember more vividly than others. The one town that absolutely stuck out to me was Γtretat! In this town we had a lot of free time. Β I broke off from the group with a couple friends and we climbed up to the top of one of the falaises and explored!…
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Prague Highlights: What to See in the City of Spires
Following my visits to the capitals of Hungary and Austria, I finished my February holiday with several days in Prague! Β Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and is nicknamed “The City of a Hundred Spires.” Β I was actually surprised at how small the historic center was! Β Though it is a large city, it has a small town feel with very well preserved architecture. Prague is a beautiful city with lots of history. Of course, I went on a walking tour as soon as I arrived (shocker!). There are Sandemans Free Tours in Prague, including a longer walking tour (3 hours). This was longer than most walking tours I…
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From Heurige to SchΓΆnbrunn: Discovering Vienna, Austria
Vienna is the capital of Austria, but I might describe it as the cultural capital of Eastern Europe. I’ve never had such a culture-filled visit! There are so many amazing things to do and see in Vienna. The only downside is that it’s a pretty expensive city! The prices seemed especially daunting after visiting Budapest, where one euro is 300 Hungarian forint! This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. If youβre planning a trip, check out myΒ hotel recommendations for some great places to stay in Vienna. Heurige Vienna was so fun to visit! During my February holiday, I was traveling solo.…
