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Expat Life

Happy Hour: USA versus France

beer and popcorn for happy hour in Paris

Happy hour may have originated in America, but France offers some fierce competition. Who does it better? Let’s compare the essential components.

Ellen September 16, 2019February 27, 2021 Daily Life & Culture, France, Paris 2 Comments Read more

Long-Stay Visa for France

long stay visa for France

I am writing this post as an American, planning to marry a Frenchman and settle in France. In the summer of 2019, I applied for and received a visa long séjour valant titre de séjour (VLS-TS), a long-stay visa that acts as a temporary residence permit after validation.

Ellen September 12, 2019January 27, 2023 Bureaucracy 37 Comments Read more

What Are You Going to Do with All Your Stuff?

c'est la vie coffee mug

This was by far one of the most frequently asked questions I received whenever I announced my big plan to move to Paris. Valid question.

Ellen September 5, 2019February 27, 2021 Daily Life & Culture 17 Comments Read more

Marrying for Papers

Jonathan and Ellen at brewery

It doesn’t sound very romantic, and we weren’t too sure about it at first, but we know it’s the only way.

Ellen August 25, 2019August 25, 2022 Bureaucracy, Love & Relationships 16 Comments Read more
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Selfie at Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte
Meet Ellen

Popular Posts

  • How to Get Out of Jury Duty as an American Abroad
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  • 7 Common Challenges of Living Abroad

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Ellen Hilton • American in France

americaine_in_france
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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