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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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Perpetual Passenger as an American Woman in France

February 6, 2013 · by Nikki

Recently a good friend asked me to join a networking group that aims to help ready Americans (and others) for a move to France. Read More →

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Let’s talk about GUNS baby… let’s talk about you and me!

January 23, 2013 · by Nikki

This blog is about what it’s like to live as an expat, peppered with posts about my travels and the cool stuff I get to see and do as someone who landed a job as a semi-jetsetter. For that reason, I have avoided posting about any topics that could be perceived as taboo. It isn’t that I don’t have opinions, but I didn’t feel that this blog was really the place to share those feelings. The funny thing is, if you know me, you know I’m pretty outspoken about what I think… I just generally don’t do it in the social media stratosphere. But recently I asked myself why I don’t share these thoughts out loud from time to time, and I didn’t like the answer I came up with: because I am scared of offending someone. But part of me feels like not saying what you think to avoid rocking the boat is kind of like lying. And I’m tired of lying to my readers… Read More →

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Interview with an Expat – Part 2

December 7, 2012 · by Nikki

As a follow up to yesterday’s post containing the first half of the interview, the rest of the “interview” is below (and if you’re seeing this for the first time, check out the Part 1 of this interview here):

Do you get homesick?

Another “yes and no.” I don’t get homesick in the sense of just wishing I could go home, or missing things to the point that I can’t enjoy my current surroundings. But there are events that happen: births, weddings, get-togethers… and I miss them all. Not to mention the events that I have in my life that my friends and family don’t get to be a part of. Plus I really miss my dog, Reese. She’s very well-taken care of, and I know that, but man I miss that silly, sweet, brown pup.

Hard to get home sick when you get to go scooting through Rome

Do you take every experience like it’s just temporary?

I think sometimes I do, yes. I try and enjoy what I’m experiencing, for sure, but I sort of have this voice in the back of my head telling me that I don’t know how long this will last. It’s good in a way; it makes me try to see and do all that I can while I’m here. But sometimes I also feel like I’m some kind of tourist-at-all-times, never interacting in great depth with the various elements in my life.

Are you scared of having to come back?

This is a tough one. I don’t know. When I came back from studying in South Africa for 3.5 months, I had extreme reverse culture shock. The adjustment was really hard for me. I don’t think that French culture is so different from the what I was living previously that I would experience that again, but I wonder about the possible long-term negative effects I might experience.

I also feel like I’ve come to think of a lot of aspects of life in Paris as endearing, though city life in general is much grittier than what I’ve experienced in small towns and suburbs. There are cities, and then there are cities. And I think if I came back, I’d need to find a place that kept me in a continuous state of wonder and awe. It doesn’t have to be another city, but it does have to have magic.

Do you feel like you’ve accomplished something by experiencing life in another country?

Not yet. I feel like I’m not finished here. First of all, I don’t speak French as well as I would like (though I’m proud to announce that I no longer say “I don’t speak French,” and now I just say “I’m not fluent in French” because dangit, I can say a lot!). Second of all, I think there’s more to gain from living and working in another country than what I’ve gotten at this point.

Do you think that everyone should experience living abroad?

No. I don’t think it’s for everyone. I have some friends who are so close with friends or family that even vacations make them nervous, and as much as I think people should try, there are plenty who would not thrive when living outside of their comfort zones. But I do think that most people don’t even know where their boundaries of comfort lie, and living abroad can be a very positive eye-opener. I think people should at least travel to other countries, and if it appeals to someone enough, they should give being an expat a try, even if it’s only temporary.

What other questions do people want to know about the life of an expat? Are some of you out there considering making the leap? What weighs on your mind?

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Paris Cupcake Wars: Scarlett’s Bakery

July 18, 2012 · by Nikki

Recently, I decided to explore the Parisian world of cupcakes. As a first step, I spent some time browsing the web to see what our old friend Google had to say in terms of where to start. I got the standard map listing of places with the word “cupcake” in the name, and then another outdated website or two pointing me the direction of a few bakeries.

Last weekend, the Frog Prince and I had plans to go out for lunch at a restaurant we really dig in a neighborhood not too far from ours (posts about this place will follow, at some point, too. There is no shortage of good food in Paris, but the trifecta of good food, great service/ambiance and good pricing can be quite the rarity). Fortunately, one of the bakeries whose name came up in my search was located conveniently in between our place and the restaurant.

To start what I hope to be a long and delicious journey, I took the liberty of stopping in at a bakery that is touted for its cupcakes (and it’s tea) in the 11th arrondissement: Scarlett’s Bakery. Here’s my rundown of what Scarlett brings to, and puts on, the table:

At first glance – I was excited by the cute, clean shop. I didn’t take any pictures of the inside because it was small, we were the only ones there (when we arrived), and I didn’t want to be rude. But the décor of the bakery is colorful, warm, welcoming, and a little quirkier than most of the neutral-colored, traditional bakeries I find myself in in Paris.

Scarlett’s Bakery on the outside. Image courtesy of http://www.scarlettsbakery-cupcakes.com

At second glance – I was a bit disappointed. Scarlett seems to focus her cupcake energy on minis, which–although they are delicious and turned out to be the perfect size for splitting and sharing–wasn’t what I was looking for, or expecting. Additionally, although the flavors she had were amazing (wait for it), and typical of those you can find among French desserts (pistachio, tiramisu, etc.), some of the classic cupcake flavors were missing: namely chocolate, vanilla and red velvet.

The box being a bit small and semi-poorly designed caused the minis to mush a bit, but they still looked nice!

At first bite – The first cupcake I went for first was cookies and cream, being that it was the closest I could get to the classic chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting, which also happens to be my favorite. The cupcake was sublime. The texture of the cake was not too dense but full of flavor, and the frosting was smooth and creamy. Frog Prince went for tiramisu and told me that “it was amazing,” and a friend went for pistache and was also impressed. Other flavors in our batch included pistache fraise (pistachio cake with strawberry cream), spéculoos (a French cookie of sorts) and caramel au beurre salé (caramel with salted butter). All were top-notch.

Toasting to the tastiness!

Tiramisu and cookies and cream… clearly I can’t handle the flavor

Overall – the shop is sweet, the selection was a bit limited, but the desserts themselves are to die for. I can’t comment on pricing just yet, as I need to try other bakeries to get a feel for the value in this category, but her minis ring up at 1.80 € a piece, with deals if you buy larger quantities.

Keeping my recommendations to a basic “GO” or “DON’T GO” level, I can give the green light to definitely GO to Scarlett’s Bakery!

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Let’s Talk About Tokyo

April 16, 2012 · by Nikki

Last month I traveled to Tokyo for the first time. I have to say that I’ve had the desire to visit Japan for a while now, but Tokyo has never been the main draw. I have been attracted to the imagery I’ve seen coming out of some of the more rustic parts of Japan, but always assumed Tokyo was just a crazier version of New York. Fortunately, the experience I had during my week-long stay has proven me wrong.

It’s true: there are definitely some striking similarities between the two cities. Ginza resembles 5th Avenue with luxury shops lining the street. Shinjuku reminded me of Times Square with it’s skyscrapers, billboards and bright lights. Shibuya takes after Soho in it’s own way, with a focus on fashion, youth, and nightlife.

Welcome to Shinjuku, reminiscent of New York City

But what’s really interesting about Tokyo is where it differs from New York. The city is alive and energetic, but calm. The streets are bustling and full of people, but quiet. And Harajuku… well, nothing compares to Harajuku. Unless, of course, there’s some part of New York City where thousands of people of all ages dress up as dolls and cartoon characters and role play every Sunday.

Colorful, to say the least

During my time there, I got to see some pretty amazing things, but I know I missed out on a lot of what the city has going on. That being said, I have to admit that I was really impressed with the Sensō-ji temple in Asakusa, the Imperial Palace in Chiyoda, the shopping at Ginza, Shibuya and Shinjuku, the amazing food, the friendly people, oh… just about everything. It could be because my expectations were low, but Tokyo really blew me away.

The only thing I wish I could have done differently is visited the city during their famous cherry blossom season–kaika is when the blossoms first open and mankai is when they are in full bloom–which we missed by only a few weeks. Nevertheless, I did manage to snap a few shots of some of these extraordinary flowers, which are one of the symbols of Japan.

Perhaps one of the most memorable things about this trip is the fact that I was there during the first anniversary of the monumentally devastating disaster known in Japan as “The Great East Earthquake.” The city was somber, yet optimistic, and I was really touched to be among people who were remembering those they had loved and lost. There was no shortage of footage of memorials, interviews, and the destruction itself which, even one year later, took my breath away.

Headlines from the English newspaper in Tokyo on the anniversary of the Great East Earthquake

To sum it all up, Tokyo was awesome. I can’t emphasize enough how friendly and hospitable the people were, and it made for such a great experience. Although I’m not one of the masses who finds Parisians rude or unbearable, it was definitely a nice change of pace to be in a city where you felt like everyone was looking out for each other–even foreigners. If you have a chance to go to Tokyo, take my advice: don’t pass it up. You won’t be disappointed.

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An Update and a Confession

April 10, 2012 · by Nikki

I have been lazy. And this isn’t even the confessional part of this post. I probably shouldn’t reveal this little secret, but the truth is that most of the posts I publish have usually been written days, and sometimes even weeks, before they reach your eyes. I’m sure this isn’t unusual, but the point is that when I published all of my pre-drafted posts, I didn’t write any new ones. So the last month has been a rather boring one here at Perpetual Passenger, and I intend to change that. 🙂

: This was me being lazy last year. Apparently it happens often.

First, I’ll start with an update on things that have transpired that I’ve yet to write about (but will do so in more depth in the very near future):

I went to Tokyo! Whoohoo! I have my little city review and a bunch of pictures to share with you.
I’m taking French lessons again! This makes for great inspiration for the quirky little language differences that I’m discovering, most of which will give you a good laugh.
I had a birthday! This is kind of old news, but actually the inch closer that I have moved toward 30 continually generates some new thoughts (read: crazy thoughts) that might be mildly entertaining to some of you.
I got a haircut! Yeah, very mundane. But the cut is pseudo-drastic, and most of my friends and family haven’t even seen it yet. Plus, switching up my style from time to time can be refreshing, and it has a way of motivating me.
I went to a concert! Love her or hate her, Florence and her Machine kick ass live.

Apart from this stuff, I’ve also decided that, although I am an American in Paris–which seems to be a fairly common situation that people have either lived and want to remember, are living right now and can relate to, or have never lived but fantasize about–which gives me lots of Paris-focused things about which to write, this blog started as a travel blog. I plan to keep writing about my life in France and all of the craziness that comes along with it, but also to try and remember the roots of this thing and include more about the places I go. I went to Prague for the first time and all you got were pictures! Sheesh. I should fire myself and hire a new writer. 🙂

And now for the confession.

I make no effort to hide that there are certain things from the US that I miss, but some of the things I miss are more embarrassing than others. Today I have been hit by the addictive force that is Mac and Cheese. I haven’t had it, or anything like it, in close to 10 months now, and a craving has come over me like a tidal wave. Don’t get me wrong–I didn’t eat a that much mac and cheese when I was in the States. But there are some things that you want simply because you can’t have them. I guess that’s how mac and cheese has re-entered my life. I preferred Annie’s Organic Shells and Cheddar, with a little tuna and some peas (Yum! More like a casserole than a dish of pasta covered in processed dairy…) and I think I’m going to crack, and… yes… maybe…

GO TO THE AMERICAN GROCERY STORE IN PARIS AND BUY SOME!

Oh gosh that was painful. I’ve already written about missing mac and cheese, and how most French people I know feel about it, here. But you should know, dear reader, that I am braving nothing less than ostracism by consuming such a dish here in Paris. You should have seen Frog Prince’s face when I told him this morning that I wanted some mac and cheese! It was like I had told him I wanted to eat a bowl of earth worms. But maybe I can convince him to make some from scratch at home (I know you’re reading this, B. Come on! Home made mac and cheese is awesome and you’re the best chef I know!!! 🙂 ). In any case, I need to get some soon or I might just lose my mind.

So there you have it… a glimpse of the posts that are to come, and a juicy confession to snicker about. I hope it was as good for you as it was for me.

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Becoming an Anti-Anti-American

January 5, 2012 · by Nikki

You know what I hate? Encountering obnoxious Americans when I’m traveling and living abroad. Obnoxious anyone, for that matter.

Image credit: isabellasnow.hubpages.com

You know what I hate even more? Encountering Americans who are traveling and living abroad slamming other Americans.

It’s true that at one point I was a bit reluctant to associate myself with Americans while traveling. I’m sure a lot of you have heard the advice “Tell everyone you’re Canadian when you travel” due to the seemingly overwhelming unpopularity of Americans when visiting countries other than their own. I’ve never fibbed about my nationality, but there have certainly been times when I’ve cringed at the stories I’ve heard about loud Americans in bars, rude Americans in restaurants, or Americans asking some really ridiculous questions (like, “Do French people use toilet paper?” COME ON PEOPLE!).

However, imagine if, in the history of the world, every single person who was ever something unpopular turned on their own kind and shunned who they are. What exactly would our global society look like if every person who had stood up to someone saying that their race/ethnicity/religion/nationality wasn’t worth defending simply agreed with whatever negativity surrounded them at the time and faded away?

So to all of my fellow Americans who are living or traveling abroad, here’s an idea: if you find yourself constantly annoyed by Americans, instead of jumping to insult them, why not try leading by example? Be the better tourist/expat, and change the opinion people have of us. Change can start with one person, so maybe it’s time for each of us to be that person. And you never know, maybe in a few years the American-abroad reputation will be so much improved that Canadians will be wearing stars and stripes on their backpacks the next time they take a Euro-trip. 🙂

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Dating, French Kissing and Finding a Frog Prince

October 14, 2011 · by Nikki

The saying goes “You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince,” but in France you may only have to kiss one. Because as soon as you do you’re committed. Whether you know it or not… Read More →

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