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Expat Life

Apartment Hunting in Paris: A Complete Guide

pink apartment building in Paris

Like in any big city, finding an apartment to rent in Paris can be challenging. I’ve created this guide to help you get ready for the apartment hunt. By the end of this blog post, you should have a better idea of how to find an apartment in Paris and what paperwork you’ll need to put together for the application.

Ellen October 5, 2021June 17, 2025 Bureaucracy, Daily Life & Culture 2 Comments Read more

7 Common Challenges of Living Abroad

woman looking out over Paris from Montmartre

Whether you are making a permanent move abroad or just living abroad temporarily as an expat, it’s important to remember that life abroad, like life anywhere, has its ups and downs. Here’s a list of some of the biggest challenges you may face and how to overcome them.

Ellen September 16, 2021May 12, 2023 Daily Life & Culture 2 Comments Read more

Two-Year Blogging Anniversary

number 2 candle on a birthday cake

Has it really been two years already since this American picked up her life to join her Frenchman in France? This time has gone by so quickly, and I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it has certainly been an eventful two years. Let’s take a look at some of the ups and downs from this past year of living in France.

Ellen September 2, 2021February 17, 2022 Work & Blogging 5 Comments Read more

How to Renew Your Visa or Carte de séjour “vie privée et familiale”

récépissé (paper receipt) for a French carte de séjour (residence permit)

As the spouse of a French citizen, I recently renewed my carte de séjour “vie privée et familiale” (CdS VPF). This residence permit allows me to continue living and working in France and has a duration of two years.

Ellen August 10, 2021December 5, 2023 Bureaucracy 41 Comments Read more

What to Consider When Apartment Hunting in Paris

red geraniums in a window planter in a Paris apartment

Apartment hunting in Paris can be an exciting adventure but it can easily become an overwhelming full-time job. Before diving in, it is essential to take the time to define your criteria so you can efficiently sort through listings and rapidly identify apartments that are worth touring.

Ellen August 4, 2021July 23, 2023 Daily Life & Culture No Comments Read more

How to Get Your Numéro Fiscal as the Spouse of a French Citizen

calculator and pen on top of a small notebook

A numéro fiscal is your unique number to use when filing taxes in France. There are a couple of different ways you can get a tax identification number (TIN). I acquired one quite easily as the spouse of a French citizen, so this blog post will detail how I accomplished that.

Ellen April 28, 2021March 31, 2025 Bureaucracy 4 Comments Read more

French Grocery Stores vs. American Grocery Stores

blue rolling shopping caddy

As an American grocery shopping in France, there were definitely some things that initially surprised me. Here’s what you can expect at the grocery store in France as well as a few handy tips to make your experience better.

Ellen March 31, 2021May 19, 2022 Daily Life & Culture 8 Comments Read more

40+ Signs You Might Be a Francophile

two pigeons cuddling with the Eiffel Tower in the distance

A Francophile is someone who really loves and admires France and the French. This can include a strong interest in French culture, history, art, literature, food, lifestyle, and/or the French language. Do you consider yourself a Francophile?

Ellen March 11, 2021March 24, 2022 Daily Life & Culture No Comments Read more

Living in Paris: A List of Pros and Cons

Hotel Jeanne d'Arc in the Marais decorated with flowers and a bike outside

It’s no secret—I love living in Paris. But life here isn’t all roses and butterflies. Let’s explore the pros and the cons!

Ellen February 27, 2021August 30, 2023 Daily Life & Culture 6 Comments Read more

9 Tips for Learning a New Language

woman writing in journal with a mug of coffee and a croissant on the table

Language learning is a passion of mine. It’s why I became a French teacher. I began studying French in middle school, immediately fell in love with the language, and knew I wanted to guide others on this same journey.

If you’re interested in learning a new language, check out these practical tips to get your language-learning journey off on the right foot.

Ellen February 18, 2021September 17, 2022 Language Learning 2 Comments Read more
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Popular Posts

  • How to Get Out of Jury Duty as an American Abroad
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It’s the little things, right? 😅 Are you alr It’s the little things, right? 😅

Are you already familiar with this type of window? If you grew up or live in Europe, you may even consider this design to be very ✨basic✨ since it’s quite common here.

In the United States, I grew up primarily seeing double-hung windows in homes. They consist of two window panes that slide vertically. There are tilt-style windows in North America but they aren’t as common.

Additionally, I never encountered the ingenious tilt and turn window until I came to France. (Of course, France isn’t the only place where they exist 😉) They open two ways. You can either tilt these windows inwards for ventilation (handy on rainy days 🌧) or open them wide like a door. 

In our last Paris apartment, all of the windows were the tilt and turn kind. Our current apartment mostly has windows that just open like a door. The only tilting window is actually the one in the bathroom over our bathtub, so that’s where this reel was filmed 😅

#frenchhome #frencharchitecture #parisarchitecture #parisapartment #parisianapartment #livinginparis #dailyparislife #dailyparis #americaninparis #americansinparis #americansinfrance #americaninfrance #americansineurope #americanineurope #culturaldifferences #cultureshock #americanexpat #americanabroad #expatblogger #expatblog #myfrenchlife #lifeabroad #livingabroad #livinginfrance #lifeinfrance #dailyfrance #frenchculture
QUIZ! Can you name all 4 spots where these photos QUIZ! Can you name all 4 spots where these photos were taken?? 

These are a few of my favorite places in Paris to see magnolia trees in bloom! All 4 springtime locations are listed in order below ⬇️

1. Hôtel de Ville de Paris
2. Jardin du Palais-Royal
3. Jardin des Tuileries
4. Jardin Anne-Frank

Did you get them right? Which one is your favorite? Perhaps there’s a spot you love that’s not on this little list? 👀

Save this post so you can go looking for magnolias in Paris later 💕 

#urbansider #lovesparis #dreamingofparis #liveloveparis #fortheloveofparis #prettylittleparis #beautifulparis #springtimeinparis #springinparis #parisblog #parisblogger #paristips #discoverparis #exploreparis #wheninparis #parisisalwaysagoodidea #parisinbloom #magnolias #hoteldevilleparis #jardindupalaisroyal #jardindestuileries #jardinannefrank
This is easily one of the habits I adopted most qu This is easily one of the habits I adopted most quickly when I moved to Paris. Open-air markets such as these are not nearly as common in the United States as they are in France. In Paris, there’s at least one food market (marché alimentaire) in every arrondissement!

Are markets common where you live?

#parismarket #openairmarket #frenchmarket #marché #marchéparisien #parisvlog #parisblog #parisblogger #everydayparis #frenchculture #culturaldifferences #dailyparislife #dailyparis #livinginparis #mylifeinparis #myparisianlife #americaninparis #americanabroad #americaninfrance #howtobeparisian #myparisdiairies #inlovewithparis #wheninparis #parisification #movedtoparis #movetoparis #newlifeinparis
You know how in the United States, when you go to You know how in the United States, when you go to the gynecologist, you’re given a gown or some kind of covering for while you’re being examined? Yea, that’s not typical here in France!

😳 Talk about a culture shock if this is something that you’re not used to!

I’ll admit I was apprehensive about my first visit to a French gynecologist, but overall, the experience was not nearly as awkward as I had worked it up to be in my head!

Something that I really appreciated about the appointment here was how quick it was. My gynecologic appointment was only 20 minutes in total. You might think that that sounds rushed, but I had time to ask all of my questions, notably because I spent the entire appointment with her. There was no fuss about it. She didn’t even leave while I took off my 👚👖 (We did the bottom half, then the top half, not all at once 😉)

If it’s something that you’re anxious about, you can wear a flowy skirt or bring a scarf to throw over your knees so that you feel less exposed. I’ve heard from quite a few French women (and other Europeans) who do this and it’s not a problem at all!

Share your experiences with doctors and gynecologists in France in the comments, if you’re comfortable with it!

Everything you need to know about going to the gynecologist as an expat woman in France is over on the blog (link in bio) in the article entitled, “What It’s Like Going to the Gynecologist in France.” 

#culturaldifferences #cultureshock #americansinfrance #americaninfrance #americansineurope #americanineurope #americanabroad #americanexpat #expatblog #expatblogger #expatgirls #expatwomen #expatwoman #expatproblems #expatlife #mylifeinfrance #lifeinfrance #myfrenchlife #welcometofrance
Spring is coming which means that our “windows o Spring is coming which means that our “windows open” versus “windows closed” battle has begun between my French husband and me! 

If you spend some time in France, you’ll likely hear someone express their worry over a small draft, known as « un courant d’air » in French.

While I (an American) generally find a light breeze refreshing and pleasant, un courant d’air most often seems to be referred to in a negative way in France! 

In case you are unaware, moving air is in fact something to be feared and avoided because it is the root cause of sickness. For example, if someone in France comes down with a cold, the courant d’air wafting by the dinner table last night is seen as the most likely culprit.

Have you ever heard a French person explain that their sniffles are from the cold air that touched their neck? Have you encountered the legend of the courant d’air elsewhere? 

#americansinfrance #americaninfrance #americansineurope #americanineurope #americanexpat #expatproblems #expatblogger #expatblog #mylifeinfrance #myfrenchlife #lifeabroad #livingabroad #livinginfrance #lifeinfrance #springinfrance #frenchculture #frenchhusband #marriedafrenchman #culturaldifferences #bicultural #cultureshock
You already know this, right??? ⬇️ 🇺🇸 I You already know this, right??? ⬇️

🇺🇸 If you are a United States citizen, even if you are working and residing abroad, you are required to report on your worldwide income if you meet a certain filing threshold based on your gross income. 

The threshold is determined by your filing status (single, head of household, married, etc) and your age. The same filing threshold is used for American citizens living in the United States and American expats living abroad, so you’re likely already familiar with the chart that is used. 

Most American citizens living and working out of the country need to file US taxes.

NOTE: Filing taxes is not the same thing as PAYING taxes. Many countries, like France, have tax treaties with the United States and there are different exclusions and tax credits that you can take advantage of in order to avoid double taxation as an American living abroad. 

Does any of this surprise you? 

Read more on the blog (link in bio) in the article “US Expat Taxes: What Americans Living in France Need to Know” and be sure to consult with a tax professional for personal guidance on your specific tax situation!

#americansinfrance #americaninfrance #americansabroad #americanabroad #americanexpat #ustaxes #usexpat #expattaxes #expattax #expatlife #expatproblems #expatblog #expatblogger #mylifeabroad #movingabroad #lifeabroad #livingabroad #livinginfrance #workabroad
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