Some of you may have read my previous article about the battle I‘ve had on my hands to teach my Spanish kids English. Well, thankfully in the last month I have seen a vast improvement, and I’d like to share a few tips which might help you improve your bilingual children’s level of English. Just … Read more
I made my first international move from Baltimore, Maryland, to Waterford, Ireland, with the support of my longtime employer who’d given me the marching orders to establish an EU base for that firm. I did not choose Waterford but liked the idea of an adventure in the Old World, something I’d daydreamed about since I … Read more
Black Friday The last weekend of July is a time of massive traffic congestion, caused by les juilletistes – the people who go on holiday in July – on their way home, and les aoûtiens – the August holidaymakers – setting out for their hols. On Friday 28 July French TV channel TF1 showed a … Read more
Detailed Budgets For Your New Life In France (They’re Way Lower Than You Might Think) Years ago, when we were preparing for our move from Paris to Panama City, my husband Lief presented me with a budget showing that it would cost slightly more for our family to be in Panama City, Panama, than it … Read more
Copenhagen, Denmark, the most livable city in the world according to many, home of the best restaurant in the world in NoMa, land of tall Viking blondes. There’s much to love about Copenhagen indeed, but the cost of living, oh dear, that is a little less appealing.A common joke among visitors to Copenhagen is that … Read more
“We want to buy a house,” we told the solicitor. We’d arrived in Edinburgh the day before, and had wandered into this particular real estate office, because it was next door to the coffee shop where we’d just had our lunch.The solicitor was a kind-faced man in his late fifties, with an intelligent expression and … Read more
The World’s Best Horse Race No one knows for sure when it began or exactly why, but official record formalizes the event starting in 1310. By that time, it was already an institution. I’ve wanted to witness this spectacle firsthand since I learned of it more than 30 years ago. The Palio of the Contrade, … Read more
Benvenuti and Welcome to all my Lovely Followers, If you are new to this column I should tell you that each month I reflect back on the previous one, which in this case is June 2017. My aim is to bring you lots of fun things, and not too many serious ones.Early in the month … Read more
One Of My Favorite Things About Paris I lay still with my eyes closed wondering if there were any chance I’d be able to fall back asleep. Outside my window, in our courtyard, buzz saws were buzzing, hammers were pounding, and workmen called to each other in French. I gave up on the idea of … Read more
‘Quelle canicule!’ everyone exclaimed: ‘What a scorcher!’ June was exceptionally hot and dry, and I took to recycling our bath water to wash the car and water the geraniums on the patio. Then, on June 27, just as we were driving home from Avallon (more of that trip anon), the heavens opened. Since then it … Read more