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Posts By Nikki

Welcome to my humble space here on the interwebs. I'm a young market research professional who hails from a small New Hampshire town and am now well on my way to being a world traveler. When I'm not airport hopping I am relentlessly curious about nearly everything (just ask my boyfriend), I play tennis, indulge in electronic toys of any kind, read historical fiction--especially concerning Henry VIII--and love my chocolate lab Reese.

I also add a little crunch to my life by being sure to always lean to the left, avoid eating meat, and constantly sing the praises of the value of recycling (among other things). But don't worry--I don't force feed my views on others and I don't mind if you eat steak.

Why Number 14 Needs a Post of Its Own

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

On my relatively ambitious list of things to accomplish in 2013, number 14 was added after realization that I was living in Europe, home of some of the world’s craziest football (soccer) fans, and I had yet to see a game live. Though I indicated that I wanted to see a “live sports event,” I was definitely aiming for a football match. And I got my wish.

On May 18 2013, I had the privilege of not only attending the match in which Paris celebrated their victory in the French league, but was also David Beckham’s last professional game. Needless to say, European football matches, or at least this one, lived up to the hype. I saw flags and colored scarves being waived vigorously, watched fans who were so devoted to the sport that they could, and did, name every player (on both teams), and heard songs and chants from the crowd that didn’t dull for a minute, even when the action on field did.

The energy in the stadium was electric. Paris brought home the championship after being without one for 18 years. The pictures and video below (taken by me) won’t do justice to how intense the fans were, but hopefully you’ll take my word for it. Check these out:

In sum, List # 14 was epic… but I didn’t finish there. Later that year, I sat center-court at the French Open. Just wanted to make sure I really crossed this one off. 😉

The French Open, or Roland Garros as it’s called here

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Dos and Don’ts for Expat Family & Friends

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

Chances are, you might know someone who has uprooted themselves and relocated to a foreign country. Depending on the strength of your connection to that person, your reaction may vary from vaguely annoyed/impressed, to overly thrilled/depressed at the prospect of their new life. Perhaps they’re moving somewhere exotic for an amazing job and you couldn’t be happier, or maybe they didn’t have the choice and you’re saddened by the sudden distance this move will create. Regardless of where your emotions lie on the spectrum, I’ve created a list of Dos and Don’ts for those who have expats orbiting their universe. Read More →

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The Land of Wine and Mustard

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

Here’s a funny story:

The first time I ever met my friend Jess was on New Year’s Eve, when our mutual (and awesome) friend Ashley invited her to my place for some festivities. She showed up with a bottle of wine… coming from Burgundy (huh?). Up until the last few times I saw Jess before heading across the pond, she still insisted on drinking Burgundy if it was a wine night (which it usually was). We didn’t know much about the wine, except that it was French. And it was kind of awful.

A few years ago, Frog Prince and I decided to take a mini-vacation. We first wanted to see Rome, but the tickets were too expensive. After scouring flight search engines for days, we opted to stay in France, and he planned a 5-day trip to the region of Bourgogne (pronounced Boor-GON-Yuh). Known for its great wine, stunning castles, and beautiful countryside, I was looking forward to seeing (and tasting) what Bourgogne had to offer.

It wasn’t until we arrived and were looking at postcards that it hit me: Bourgogne = Burgundy! The whole time we were planning this trip, I never put two and two together. But once there I did drink a lot of Burgundy wine. And none of it was awful.

So, dear Jessica, this one’s for you. Some wine cellars, some castles, and even something from Dijon, the home of spicy mustard. 🙂

: Les Hospices de Beaune (where the pretty roofing coloration that is often seen on Burgundy wine labels come from)

: The beds at the hospice, where they treated patients with wine. No, seriously.

: Baby grapes!

: Where the wine is at!

: Best year ever? Yes.

: Wine cave (no tripod)

: I know that ghost in the back!

: Sorry, got a soft spot for cathedral architecture.

: Monastery

: Awesome water wheel!

: Castle!

: Romantically deserted cafe

: Just a cute street

I have to say, the food in Bourgogne was just as good as the wine, and I definitely learned a lot about wine (though it was really just a drop in the bucket, considering all there is to know!). And you know what that means… #16 is officially crossed off the list!

And since I don’t like to underperform, I went ahead and crossed off #18, too. There were plenty of castles, and I explored the heck out of ’em. 🙂

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A Real Life Castle in the Clouds

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

There’s actually a place called Castle in the Clouds back in New Hampshire, not too far from where I grew up. I’ve never been, but friends have said it’s a beautiful spot, and many a wedding has been held there.

But the French version of Castle in the Clouds is a whole different creation. I apply this nickname to Mont Saint-Michel not because of its placement on a mountain or its height, but because of its proximity to the famously capricious weather that surrounds this island of a castle off the coast of Normandy. Read More →

Prepare for a Perpetual Passenger Onslaught

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

I have work to do this weekend.

Real work. The this-is-a-deadline-I-simply-cannot-miss kind of work. Why? Because in T-minus five days I leave for a three-week trip through Vietnam and Singapore, and there is much to be done, including client work, before leaving.

So what does that mean? That I’m hopelessly distracted, of course.

After not having touched this thing for nearly two years, I decided to open it back up… like a dusty old box hidden away in the bottom of a closet. So I’m taking a deep breath and blowing the layers of crud off of this thing. The result will be a handful of stuff that I had sitting in draft form being blasted at you, one right after the other.

Enjoy!

Oh yeah, and although most of whomever might be reading this already knows this, a tiny update: Still in Paris, now working for myself, check out my biz website at http://www.mindsparklab.com, and still, you know… traveling and stuff.

Bring on the dated posts and pics!

Image credit: 68leadergroup.com

Old Friends (That Aren’t Really Old)

September 12, 2013 · by Nikki

Although there haven’t been a lot of posts about the progress I’ve been making on my psuedo-Bucket List (or a lot of posts, in general), I can assure you I haven’t been sleeping on the job. A few months back I managed to accomplish one of the tasks I had given myself, despite being completely unable to predict when, how or where I would pull this off (given my current physical proximity to most of the people I grew up with): # 30–reconnect with someone from the past. Read More →

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I Know What You Did Last Summer

September 2, 2013 · by Nikki

As is customary, I am ridiculously late in posting my favorite photos from our trip to Kos last summer (yep, last summer). But I just wouldn’t feel right posting pictures of my fabulous trip to Spain last month (and it was fabulous) without first showing you how I spent last year’s “summer holiday.”

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Standing on American Soil in France

August 6, 2013 · by Nikki

[NOTE: Originally written on August 6, 2013] Today marks the anniversary of the D-Day Invasion by Allied forces in France. Since I have recently visited the very area of the world where the invasion took place, I felt today would be the perfect day to share about the sights and sounds in Normandy.

I’d heard about the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial quite a few times over the course of my life, but it wasn’t until last year when a dear friend made a visit and happened upon a grave site that bore not only my family name, but the middle name of my father, as well.

Ernest Lavoie: American Cemetary of France

After that, the memorial site was a no-brainer to be added to My List, as I was curious to discover more about the history of the war and the sacrifice of so many soldiers.

Although the cemetery wasn’t the only thing we visited on the trip, it was by far the most moving. Normandy is a beautiful region, with gorgeous seascapes, cute tourist-towns that dot the shores, and weather that is reminiscent of being back in New England. But nothing impacted me so much as the museum on-site at the cemetery.

The museum was designed to immerse visitors into the soldiers’ experience, and it does exactly that. Everything from personal objects to videos containing real footage and photographs to interviews with soldiers who served and family members of those who were lost is on display, and does nothing short of transporting you into what life must have been like around the time of the infamous D-Day.

Here’s a look at some of my favorite shots from Normandy and its impressive dedication to the soldiers who gave their lives:

On a lighter note: The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is actually staffed by American (and British) employees, and their presence is immediately felt. As soon as we pulled into the cemetery parking area, something stood out that was distinctively un-French: order and organization. From parking in designated rows (not just wherever you want), to lines that were actually kept and moved at a reasonable pace, I was easily reminded that I was on American soil. Needless to say, my short run-in with orderliness was very refreshing!

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Year Two: A Story of Progress

May 21, 2013 · by Nikki

Last year, I wrote a post reflecting on what my first year in Paris had been like. Though I acknowledged a lot of positive elements from my first year, I also described the sensation of struggling between the person I was inside and the person I was forced to be due to my lack of ability to express myself in French.

Last year it was like trying to understand these singing frogs 🙂

Now I face a whole different kind of struggle. One which I can’t really get into here (yet! but maybe if all you boys and girls are good I’ll save you a nice story for later…;) ), but mostly with money. HOLY HELL Paris is expensive. And the taxes are just, well… that’s a first world problem and I’m just going to go ahead and bite my tongue (can’t hurt any worse than those bills from the government! Ouch!).

However, I am able to happily report that, for the most part, I feel a lot more like myself than I did 365 days ago. There’s a few reasons for that, which include:

Paris is still pretty, even “under” the snow

I’ve kept a lot of the friends I met in year one, and have been able to let go of my insecurities around them. I no longer fear that they’re going to think I’m stupid if I make a mistake in French, and I no longer worry that they’re going to think I’m stupid if I butt into a conversation in English. I think they know me, now, and they’ve decided to stick around. They’re either loyal to a fault, or messy conversation isn’t all that bad.
I’ve improved my French. I mean, let’s hope so, right? Seriously, after being here for 2 years, I’d like to think I can answer my own cell phone and not have a heart attack. Okay, I’m still working on that one, but I can definitely participate in conversations now that I couldn’t before, and people remind me all the time that I’ve come a long way.
I’ve gotten into the rhythm of how life works here. Do I still get frustrated at processes that are painstakingly inefficient? You bet. But do I expect them now, and have a good laugh about it? Most of the time. And it doesn’t hurt that even on its ugliest days, Paris is still pretty.
I made some catastrophic mistakes in 2012. How can that make me feel more like myself, you ask? Well, first of all, I wouldn’t be me without some huge blunders now and then. And second, I forced myself to look at who I was and what I was doing, and realized I was starting to get off track. I have this weird philosophy about myself that I’m always changing, and I still am, but I’d like to at least be changing in positive directions. I was starting to go the other way, and was able to reroute myself.

So there you have it. I spent my Two Year France-iversary watching the rain come down outside of my apartment and watching Saving Private Ryan (for the first time) in light of our recent trip to Normandy. Oh yeah, there was wine in there, too. For what is an anniversary without a toast…

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A Change in Direction

May 15, 2013 · by Nikki

It’s been exactly one month since my last post, where I was motivated to write by the unfortunate happenings in Boston. One month may not seem long to some, but to me it felt like an eternity. Read More →

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