Tuesday, October 22, 2013

around the world in 5.5 years

C'est my blog’s half-birthday! Yep. Five years, six months, and one day ago, I posted on www.daniellestudiesabroad.blogspot.com for the very first time. I'd only hoped to share healthful food and travels on Around the World in 340 Days as I spent two semesters studying abroad in Ecuador, Chile, and France. Who would’ve guessed we'd reach "expat" status half a decade later in Paris?
Not I. And yet, I have... or I feel like I have anyhow. I was telling Marie this past Sunday night that since I've been a full-time intern (as opposed to being a full-time grad student), I've had to create a "real life routine" here. I'm liking it. Now to answer Belinda's prompt for October's Q&As: how do your family and friends back home perceive your new life, and is it accurate?
Inaccurately, I think, but allow me to explain. "Living abroad in Paris" comes with excessive perceptive strings attached. Many Americans supplement the belief that Parisians are rude with the Haussmannian dream or avant-garde edge that the city itself distributes with pride. This is hardly ever a conscious judgement. How could the vast majority of my friends, family, and fellow citizens know otherwise? Especially when there's ample amount of evidence of beautiful buildings, well-dressed residents, and "careful pleasures" like museums, restaurants, and bicycle lanes. (Aside from those celebrating Earth Day, the latter is probably least well known). The photo above is evidence of me trying my best to blend in before revealing an adorable American accent ;).
But would they assume my apéro haunt is an English pub? Mostly because my best French-American friend works there? In addition to an awesome Zimbabwean and French-Algerian musician raised in the States? Probably not. But, that's okay. I have you, this 5.5-year-old blog (obviously we're celebrating because I missed its fifth birthday/Lara's 26th), and the lovely blog community to make up for it. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to an authentic Parisian life, sans Chanel and (often) champagne...

18 comments:

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    1. Haha, sometimes champagne! Just not as often as I'd like ;)

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  2. wow that's a long time!! happy 5 and a half birthday ;)

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    1. You're telling me! I can hardly believe it :) thank you!

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  3. Congratulations on your blogaversary! I'm happy to say that I think I've been reading your blog for most of that time! It's been quite a journey! :)

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    1. Thanks, darling! I've appreciated your support so, so much these past few years. Thank you.

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  4. That's a big birthday! Cheers to many, many Danielle :)
    P.S. If I didn't know you were a New Yorker with an adorable accent, and I saw that photo of you, I would have definitely thought you were Parisian xo

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    1. Thank you, lovely! For the cheers and the Parisian compliments ;)

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  5. You're adorable :) Belated celebratory drinks when I get back this weekend! x

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  6. Happy blog half birthday... it's been wonderful following along so far :) It's interesting the perceptions that outsiders have about almost any place in the world. In South Africa, it's often "are there lions roaming around the streets?"... ok, a bit extreme, but I have heard it more than once.

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    1. Thanks, lovely! I'm so glad to have been blogging long enough to virtually meet you. But wait... there are not lions roaming the streets in South Africa? ;) Perceptions really are a funny/ridiculous thing.

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  7. Hooray! I wonder where next year will take you?

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  8. Once that travel bug bites there is NO TURNING BACK. It's so true that people back home think crazy things about our new life. Just because I'm in proximity to Amsterdam they think I'm a wild partier while where I live it's just cows and horses eating grass :) btw. love your booties, very paris indeed.

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    1. You got that right. It sounds like you and the animals are living quite the crazy life over there ;) I love the booties, too. Don't tell anyone they came from Vermont, ha.

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  9. happy blog birthday! I'm so happy that I can say that I've been reading about your adventures, musings, life lessons for just about as long as you've been writing.

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    1. Thank you! As am I, sweetheart. I've really appreciated it! xo

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