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journeys through university, life and abroad

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  • home
  • about
  • travel
    • chile
    • spain
    • france
    • italy
    • england
    • au pair diaries
    • year abroad
  • studying
    • mental health
    • food
    • cambridge
  • politics
    • feminism
  • Eiffel Tower as seen from over the Seine in Paris France
    Featured,  france,  Paris,  travel,  year abroad

    20 best things to see, do, eat and drink in Paris

    April 27, 2019 /

    Wondering what to do in Paris? I’ve got you covered! Having just spent six months in this magically busy and diverse city, I’ve tested out all the major sights and rounded up my favourites for you in a bumper list of things to do, see, eat and drink in Paris. Note that on the first Sunday of every month, a huge range of museums are completely free for absolutely everyone – so if you’re worried about prices, be sure to check if this applies to your chosen museums! CULTURE / ART 1. Musée de l’Orangerie Housing eight of Monet’s stunning waterlilies paintings in its specially-designed, airy galleries, the Muséé de…

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    Emma 2 Comments

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    COP24: Another disappointment for Planet Earth? | MINI POLITICS

    December 19, 2018
    A view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe

    How to find accommodation in Paris | YEAR ABROAD

    September 22, 2018

    Lyon in one day: the ultimate sightseeing guide

    February 10, 2019
  • Orléans Place du Martroi
    france,  travel,  year abroad

    Orléans, or how I escaped the big city | FRANCE

    November 1, 2018 /

    I had been in Paris for almost two months before I actually managed to go on a proper day trip beyond the limits of my Navigo pass. And my choice of a first day trip was one which confused my colleagues, who met my response to “que’est-ce que tu fais ce weekend?” with a slightly bewildered expression. I was going to Orléans. They probably had good reason to be confused. Orléans, 69 miles south of Paris and the capital of the Loiret department, is not the place people tend to go when visiting northern France. It is like what Ely is to Cambridge. But for someone who is used to…

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    Emma 0 Comments

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    A view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe

    How to find accommodation in Paris | YEAR ABROAD

    September 22, 2018

    What is the Loi Pacte and why are the French medias talking about it? | MINI POLITICS

    November 25, 2018
    A view over Paris from the Promenade Plantée or Coulée Verte

    The Promenade Plantée (Coulée Verte) | PARIS

    September 11, 2018
  • The keep of Château de Vincennes near Paris
    france,  Off the beaten track,  Paris,  travel

    Château de Vincennes | PARIS

    October 14, 2018 /

    If you’re looking for a relaxed and interesting day out in Paris, perfect for families, couples and solo explorers alike, I would highly recommend the Château de Vincennes. Located just beyond the borders of Paris, it is easily reachable by bus and metro and yet seems to avoid the major tourist footfall, leading to a quieter atmosphere while being far from dull. The visit consists of the Holy Chapel (Sainte Chapelle, a magnificent Gothic masterpiece) and access to the Castle Keep (le donjon) with some gorgeous views out over the surrounding area. Mini history lesson: what is the Château de Vincennes? The Chateau de Vincennes was first established as a…

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    Emma 1 Comment

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    A view over Paris from the Promenade Plantée or Coulée Verte

    The Promenade Plantée (Coulée Verte) | PARIS

    September 11, 2018
    Eiffel Tower as seen from over the Seine in Paris France

    20 best things to see, do, eat and drink in Paris

    April 27, 2019
    Orléans Place du Martroi

    Orléans, or how I escaped the big city | FRANCE

    November 1, 2018
  • The staircase at 59 Rue Rivoli Paris
    france,  Off the beaten track,  Paris,  year abroad

    The artists’ workshops at 59 Rue Rivoli | PARIS

    September 29, 2018 /

    If you’re looking for free things to do in Paris, it’s hard to find something as simultaneously awe-inspiring and unique as 59 Rue Rivoli, an artists’ workshop which is completely free and open to the public. Situated just along the road from the Hotel de Ville, the Louvre, and numerous other more well-known tourist spots, 59 Rue Rivoli is multiple floors of workspaces where artists work throughout the day as a steady footfall of visitors pass by. The walls (and sometimes the floors and ceilings) are filled with art in a huge range of styles, and in some of the workshops, small postcards and paintings are laid out for visitors…

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    Emma 0 Comments

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    Eiffel Tower as seen from over the Seine in Paris France

    20 best things to see, do, eat and drink in Paris

    April 27, 2019
    Orléans Place du Martroi

    Orléans, or how I escaped the big city | FRANCE

    November 1, 2018

    Lyon in one day: the ultimate sightseeing guide

    February 10, 2019
  • A view over Paris from the Promenade Plantée or Coulée Verte
    france,  Off the beaten track,  Paris,  year abroad

    The Promenade Plantée (Coulée Verte) | PARIS

    September 11, 2018 /

    Let me paint the scene: you emerge from below the hulking building of the Bastille Opera House in Paris, and step into the bustling square. Blinking in the bright sunlight, you turn down Rue de Lyon and begin walking. As you pass in and out of the dappled shadows which dance beneath the row of trees, you let the commotion fall behind you and soon reach a somewhat unassuming set of stairs beside the path. A sign on the side of the building reads “Viaduc des Arts”. You climb the steps, unable to see what lies at the top…   …And then, quite suddenly, you are stepping into a tranquil…

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    Emma 0 Comments

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    Eiffel Tower as seen from over the Seine in Paris France

    20 best things to see, do, eat and drink in Paris

    April 27, 2019
    A view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe

    How to find accommodation in Paris | YEAR ABROAD

    September 22, 2018
    The keep of Château de Vincennes near Paris

    Château de Vincennes | PARIS

    October 14, 2018
  • A photo taken through the window of an airplane on a stress-free journey
    travel

    The comprehensive guide to stress-free flying | TRAVEL

    July 29, 2018 /

    I am writing this in the departure hall of Leeds-Bradford airport. In about two hours, I will be sitting on a cheap flight to Girona, Spain, waiting for take off. I am already feeling quite anxious. Nevertheless, every time I fly alone, the better I get at it. And I’ve flown alone a lot by now, so I know all about the nerves and the stomach butterflies which come before, during and after the flight. I have also learnt a lot about how to combat them, and so if you’re nervous about flying, try and follow these simple steps to keep nerves to a minimum and make your journey a…

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    Emma 0 Comments

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    A photo taken through an airplane window on the way to start a year abroad, looking out over the plane wing. The inside of the plane is dark while the outside sky is bright blue.

    TRAVEL | The Year Abroad: 30 years ago, and now

    January 22, 2018
    Eiffel Tower as seen from over the Seine in Paris France

    20 best things to see, do, eat and drink in Paris

    April 27, 2019

    AU PAIR DIARIES | Day 0: thoughts from the clouds

    June 27, 2016
  • The European Balloon Festival. Shot of the sky from below, with many balloons silhouetted in the background. The foreground shows a balloon with the Catalan flag.
    au pair diaries,  spain,  travel

    TRAVEL | 22nd European Balloon Festival, Igualada, Spain

    July 14, 2018 /

    The 22nd European Balloon Festival, held in Igualada (Spain) was easily one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. There is just something so fascinating about seeing huge man-made globes of air rise off the ground and begin to float away, hanging on the horizon as if it were magic. I have wanted to ride in a hot air balloon for a while. My grandma loved balloon rides, and I can imagine why. Watching the temporary inhabitants of the balloon baskets grin in helpless exhilaration as they watched us become ant-like below them made clear that the experience was worth any fear that it might entail. Did you…

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    Emma 1 Comment

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    A picture of a host family walking in a field filled with red flowers.

    How to bond with your au pair host family | AU PAIR DIARIES

    July 12, 2018
    A picture of a small child holding the hand of their parent/carer or au pair, walking away from the camera

    TRAVEL | 5 tips for becoming an au pair

    June 13, 2018

    AU PAIR DIARIES | Exploring Barcelona for the first time

    June 28, 2016
  • A picture of a host family walking in a field filled with red flowers.
    au pair diaries,  travel

    How to bond with your au pair host family | AU PAIR DIARIES

    July 12, 2018 /

    It’s day one of my third experience of living with a host family as an au pair, and I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes one au pair experience different from another. Having now lived (/worked for) three different families abroad, and lived with another two host families while on language courses, I think the major factor which determines the outcome of the stay is the relationship you have with your host family. Just as they must learn to treat you as another member of the family – an older daughter, almost – and not just an employee or a guest, you too must treat them as a second family,…

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    Emma 0 Comments

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    A picture of a small child holding the hand of their parent/carer or au pair, walking away from the camera

    TRAVEL | 5 tips for becoming an au pair

    June 13, 2018
    The European Balloon Festival. Shot of the sky from below, with many balloons silhouetted in the background. The foreground shows a balloon with the Catalan flag.

    TRAVEL | 22nd European Balloon Festival, Igualada, Spain

    July 14, 2018

    AU PAIR DIARIES | Exploring Barcelona for the first time

    June 28, 2016
  • A picture of a small child holding the hand of their parent/carer or au pair, walking away from the camera
    au pair diaries,  Featured,  travel

    TRAVEL | 5 tips for becoming an au pair

    June 13, 2018 /

    Are you thinking about becoming an au pair, or want to know whether you would suit the role? I’ve been an au-pair two years running, a month each time with two different families in Catalonia, but before my first experience I really didn’t know what to expect. What if the kids hated me? Would I get to practise speaking Spanish? Would I be able to afford the trip on my own? In this post, I hope to answer your questions, with 5 top tips to consider before you sign up to be an au pair this summer.   1. Ask yourself if you would really enjoy all the parts of the being…

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    Emma 7 Comments

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    A picture of a host family walking in a field filled with red flowers.

    How to bond with your au pair host family | AU PAIR DIARIES

    July 12, 2018
    The European Balloon Festival. Shot of the sky from below, with many balloons silhouetted in the background. The foreground shows a balloon with the Catalan flag.

    TRAVEL | 22nd European Balloon Festival, Igualada, Spain

    July 14, 2018

    AU PAIR DIARIES | Exploring Barcelona for the first time

    June 28, 2016
  • au pair diaries,  spain,  travel

    AU PAIR DIARIES | Exploring Barcelona for the first time

    June 28, 2016 /

    “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Laozi Estoy en España! The last few days have been so chaotic that I haven’t really been able to update or write down regularly what I’ve been doing, but finally I’ve found a pocket of time to update you a little on what I’ve been up to. I still can’t really believe I’m here for another month, nor that I’ve now been here a whole week… does time really work the same way when you’re abroad? For the first couple of days, I was staying with a friend who lives in Barcelona because it was much cheaper to…

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    Emma 0 Comments

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    A picture of a host family walking in a field filled with red flowers.

    How to bond with your au pair host family | AU PAIR DIARIES

    July 12, 2018
    A picture of a small child holding the hand of their parent/carer or au pair, walking away from the camera

    TRAVEL | 5 tips for becoming an au pair

    June 13, 2018
    The European Balloon Festival. Shot of the sky from below, with many balloons silhouetted in the background. The foreground shows a balloon with the Catalan flag.

    TRAVEL | 22nd European Balloon Festival, Igualada, Spain

    July 14, 2018
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