When I lived in the United States I unfailingly used the (now defunct) Hipmunk to search for flights. They use an “agony index” which scores layovers, price, etc. to give you the best option for your journey, not necessarily just … Continue reading
Author: Stephen Heiner
Picard: a Dirty Little Secret of the French
So before we arrive in La France, we non-French perhaps imagine that all French people have an advanced knowledge of wines and cheeses, and while we don’t expect the full Julia Child/Jacques Pepin experience, we expect that most native French … Continue reading
Unexpected Consequences of an International Move: Instant & Ongoing Decluttering
I’ve mentioned before on this blog that the Four Hour Work Week is a major influence on my life and was a big part of the “how” portion of the massive quality of life upgrade that was my move from … Continue reading
Meetup: a Great Way to Build a Core of Diverse Friends
This summer I went to the Fête de la Musique with a large group of friends. Though it originally started in France it’s now a worldwide annual event. As the evening closed out at our fourth musical venue out of hundreds … Continue reading
Taxes and Wise
I recently had the opportunity to meet with one of the readers of the blog over lunch. We discussed some of his strategies for staying in France but since he had just recently arrived I asked him to check with … Continue reading
You Can(‘t) Go Home Again
“What do you miss the most?” My friends smile, anticipating a favorite dish, a favorite place, or a particular time of year. “Well, you guys, of course,” I say quickly, hoping to deflect the question from my true answer: “Nothing.” … Continue reading
A Trip to the Police Station
I apologize for the very long break from the blog. It was an amazing summer — my second spent working in the spectacular beauty of Switzerland (here’s one of my favorite images from that time). I kept a journal, but … Continue reading
The Friend Turnover
I’m midway through my second year in Paris and I’ve begun to experience something I rarely did during my time in the States: losing people to moves. When I was younger this was because I was always the one on … Continue reading
The Guy Who Stole My iPad
He hangs out at night on my street with three or four of his friends. They smoke, drink, and talk about nothing, as 25-35 year-olds are wont to do. Whenever I pass him, and we manage to make eye contact, … Continue reading
Starbucks in Europe
Americans take it for granted that they can sit in most coffee shops or Panera-like establishments and work for hours, after buying one token item of food or drink. If the place is busy enough or you don’t plan to … Continue reading