First day of Summer!

As you can tell this is not part of the series but just a post about summer... Sorry if summer had to begin on a Wednesday! 
Summer...
People wait for all year long for the leisure, the parties, good times with people you love. 
Summer, summer, summer... Parties, half-naked people, the sweat that runs down your face as you are trying, desperately, to walk to your favourite coffee shop. Come on now, summer isn't all great! 
Being under the heat for hours, waiting for a perfect tan which almost never happens makes people want to have summer all year long! 

Now, to me, summer hasn't been all that great, I do hold some grudges against the season and I do not plan on rebuilding a relationship with it. All I know is that Autumn is following right after, and my big smile will be right back on my face as soon as summer time is over. There is a long journey ahead...

Summer means vacations, time off from school, work, responsibilities. It means going out of the city, village, state, country! I would go straight back to Europe if I could, but I can't, unfortunately, but it doesn't mean the rest of you can't go spend some time somewhere beautiful, full of charming streets, marvellous food, and scenery, so I gathered a few places that I believe is ideal for anyone who is hungry for an adventure! 

First stop, France! I know, I know it's my birth country, but I never or rarely say I'm French, preferring to say my origins... Why choose this specific country? Well, let me explain! France isn't just PARIS! It's bigger than just a city, yes, Paris is beautiful, full of history (museums...), great places to go eat, party, and get lost in the narrow streets of the city or the metro. But, there are other places in France you could visit, regions to discover, the friendly people from the south, the wine and cheese, the fresh air by the seaside of Brittany...  It's a rich country when you take out the poor government or the stupid idiots who cannot stop complaining about the smallest things. 

Second stop, Italy! I couldn't ignore the country, like really? I've got Italian blood in me. The olive oil, the pasta, the pastries and the sunlight against giant fields, the monuments, the amazing driving skills (sarcasm, please be careful as you try to walk to the other side of the street, especially in Rome, we don't want anyone killed on vacation), the language... I could go on like this forever, but we don't have time so let's wrap it up with... It's cheap, not too expensive to run around Italy, it will be an unforgettable adventure! 


Third stop, Ireland! Another part of me, and the best part... Between the cliffs, the green fields, the gloomy days, the beer! Can't go wrong with a relax vacation by the seaside, the legends which surrounds the entire country, the language (they have Irish Gaelic and yes, I had to learn some type of Gaelic language when I was still in elementary, it's hard, all I can remember is singing happy birthday in that language). Walking around the countryside of Ireland is beautiful, charming, plus who knows if you are lucky enough you'll get to see a leprechaun. 

Fourth stop, New Zealand! Far from pretty much everywhere, and yet, I do find it awesome! It's home to the haka. Like come on, it's impressive to watch the New Zealand All Blacks play! If you love beaches, it's not simple ones, they are 90 miles beaches! Next, the Maori culture, the performances, the arts, the sculptures... And let's not talk about the scenery, it's apparently beautiful! That's on the bucket list!

Fifth stop, Montreal, Canada! Sounds weird coming from me, but please do not judge! I've always wanted to go to Canada just not during winter, I don't think I'll be able to deal with the temperature. So summer time, please let me go and enjoy the views and the culture, and the French accent that I cannot hold the laughter in. Their French is just simply perfect if you want a good laugh! 

Sixth stop, United Kingdom! That means England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland! There are too many places to stop at between London Bridge, the Loch Ness, the castles, the pubs, the streets, everything from the countryside to city side! It's the perfect combination!  There is so much to see that one summer vacation isn't enough, but there's always next year! 

The last stop for today, Germany! I know another European country, but I'm European and having a tour of Europe would be spectacular especially with a boyfriend or someone close traveling around, making memories, oh please! So I put Germany down on the list because I believe Germany would be amazing to see even if the country itself has a hard, complex history which may cause a lot of us to freak out about. Hitler is gone though, the country has changed, dramatically changed, and we should all give the country a chance to show us the unimaginable places! 

I wish I could travel a little more, see the countries where I'm from except France, I know the country well enough to miss out on it until I have to show someone special. Summer time is definitely not my favourite season, I may end up saying I hate it for the most part, mostly because there's no cuddle weather (sorry, I'm too affectionate), and you have to say hello to getting tan, I like being white, I hate tanning, sitting out in the sun for hours, get headaches because you haven't had enough water, it's not my thing, but summer time is also travel time. Until I can go share a special adventure with someone special, I will dislike summer or someone has to prove me wrong, prove me that I can stay in town and still have fun. Good luck with that though! 

Go ENJOY summer, go have fun and put sunscreen on, we wouldn't want you to get skin cancer! 

"One benefit of summer was that each day we had more light to read by." - Jeanette Walls, The Glass Castle

~Bella
Ps: Please get over the fact that I love writing certain words the British way like colours or favourite. Stop asking why I write it that way, I like it... 

Why spending euros when you can spend dollars?

As a European living in California, I have been dealing with the change of products, medications, food...

After a while, you may think I adapted to the American ways, the products, the food, and the rest, but let's be honest, I haven't completely dealt with the changes.
Food wise, I manage well, but with deodorants or medications... Not so much! Yes, I still buy my products from France, not everything, but deodorants for sure, I'm not going to ever get used to the ones in California. The medicinal part, I have been setting myself to the fact that I should stop trying to get everything from my country. It's a waste of money and time because it's costly to make the product fly over the ocean. I think that everyone who was raised around certain medications will obviously know what's good to take in certain situations, while when you come in a new country, you can't know for sure that the medication will work just like the one you have known all your life. 

I'm not entirely sure why foreigners are so determined to keep their little things up like we know you love your cereal but we have the same here as well...

I'm not complaining, but when you are used to a particular taste, it can be complex to change and get used to another one. The biggest one I had to deal with was the milk, Santa Cleopatra, I've never had to get used to something so difficult, it tastes so different that I had the hardest time to get used to the milk. Then, whenever I used to go back to my country, I couldn't really drink the milk there cause I was so used to the one in California. 
Obviously, it's more than just the milk or cereal, it's also the way you live your daily life. 

Back in my country, I used to go everywhere by walking, taking the subway, and the metro... Here, you need a car, and if you are like me afraid of driving, it can cause a little problem! The one I commonly see is how parents are always behind children when it comes to football games to go watch or to actually get involved with their school projects. In my country, don't expect your parents to come watch you all the time, they were busy doing something else. Let's be honest, I prefer the Californian way better, but then again, parents shouldn't be slaves either. The best way is to come watch your kids play, but if you really cannot, just don't come. Kids, if explained, will understand unless they are treated like kings and queens then it's a lost cause, just go watch their games! 

To end this little post, if you come from a different country, don't excuse yourself for finding everything boring, or weird, you aren't used to it all! It's different! I can only assure you that you aren't the only one is this situation. A little advice though, you should really try to find similar products from your country in California or wherever you are, you will be a lot happier. Spending Euros in America by byuing online will cost you more at the end. 

"For a foreigner, L.A. is such a big, wonderful and weird place that, until you find your niche, you feel a little bit discombobulated." - David Lyons

~ Bella