Comments on: A Month, A Year

By: Butter and Frenglish and All Things Paris | The Hungry Yogini

Butter and Frenglish and All Things Paris | The Hungry Yogini — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:01:24 +0000

[...] are traveling a lot around France though. We took a trip to northern France to visit Normandy and other towns around there, and will be spending a week in the south of France in April – [...]

By: kim

kim — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:32:46 +0000

I happened across your blog on Facebook, and was so enthralled with your pics & storytelling that I went back and read your Parisian adventure from the beginning! I look forward to experiencing Paris vicariously with you. :-)

I also think it’s quite ironic that I am also a Floridian/UF alum…I was lucky enough to travel with my job, and remember my first experience of Europe: amazing! It’s great to re-live that feeling through your observations. I have a whole diary/photo section called “noticings” — little things about everyday life another culture (like that accordion busker on the train) that struck me as interesting. You are very wise to document this!

I especially wanted to post here, because you were talking about worrying over your future. Consider this a message from the future:

(1) Yes, be gentle with yourself — because you’ll NEVER have it all figured out. I received my engineering degree from UF, went straightaway into an engineering job, and then…12 years later…started my own company as a professional organizer! There was *no* way I could’ve seen that coming at 21. And believe me, I could give you a run for the money when it comes to Type-A. heehee! You are so right to be doing what you’re doing, which leads me to…

(2) You are *very* wise choice to do an exchange program. If I knew then what I know now, I would go back and do several international study programs. College is the perfect time to do it because (a) living on a shoestring budget is much easier/normal while you’re in college than later after you get used to a paycheck/business travel perks, (b) it’s one of the few times in life where taking months to learn about another culture just for the sake of doing it is totally okay, and (c) there are lots of other same-aged folks doing the same thing! Enjoy those European men, but keep your wits about you — they fully know the impact their accent has on American women. ;-)

(3) Getting frustrated with the language interchange is *totally normal* — after weeks on the road working in foreign countries, I got to the place where I’d actually plan for a “down day” where I didn’t have to do much verbal communication. I love your idea of doing yoga on a down day…universal language, indeed! I’m totally stealing that idea.

Happy travels!

By: hungryyogini

hungryyogini — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:36:47 +0000

Mackenzie,
Good eye! Yes, we did go to Mont St. Michel! It’s beautiful there.

By: Mackenzie @ The College Authentic

Mackenzie @ The College Authentic — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:28:25 +0000

AAAH! Did you go to Mont St. Michel?! That is my ultimate wanderlust dream.

Congrats on your 1 year! Keep on keeping on, it’s satisfying my parisian dreams! :) Love the poem. Especially useful for a college girl dealing with eating college foods :)

By: courtney

courtney — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:32:08 +0000

Congratulations!!!

By: Cole

Cole — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:59:44 +0000

Beautiful pictures, as usual!

And life is full of twists and turns. As much as we want to plan for them, the best thing to do is really embrace them. It seems like you’re doing a great job with that.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:46:06 +0000

Beautiful world indeed–and Normandy is breathtaking, n’est pas?

Congrats on your one year anniversary, could you have imagined a year ago, that you would be LIVING in Paris for a semester! Seems so unreal all that can happen over just 12 months :)

By: Tea at Dusk » Blog Archive » My hair is still in!

Tea at Dusk » Blog Archive » My hair is still in! — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:36:22 +0000

[...] was reminded of The Hungry Yogini’s post from yesterday during the craziness this morning. Reading the excerpt she added at the bottom of the post made me [...]

By: Diana (Soap & Chocolate)

Diana (Soap & Chocolate) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:47:53 +0000

Congratulations on the maturity to realize you don’t need to have everything figured out at 21. I certainly didn’t, and still don’t at almost-27! So DEFINITELY give yourself a break. That’s something I’m still working on myself. Above all, that’s what your time in Paris is for–to learn a million things you didn’t know and challenge the things you did think you knew!

Thanks for all the pictures–I am living vicariously, hoping to go there with my boyfriend one day. How romantic!

By: Heather (Heather's Dish)

Heather (Heather's Dish) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:55:38 +0000

congrats on the anniversary! that’s such a great accomplishment :) i wouldn’t worry about the yoga thing…from what i hear there are TONS of yoga studios in Paris, and once you settle in a little more i bet you’ll start practicing again :)

Normandy is gorgeous…these pictures are breathtaking!