Why People Don’t Learn the Local Language

It’s easy to criticize people who don’t learn the local language to fluency—until you gain a bit of perspective.

Migrating, Editor's PicksLeslie FarnsworthApril 27, 2022language learning, expat Comments

What to Eat in Avignon: Our Top Food Recommendations

Avignon delivers in terms of food. The bakeries, patisseries, restaurants, chocolatiers, and cafes impressed us over and over again.

WanderingLeslie FarnsworthApril 20, 2022travel, france, food Comments

Books I've Read: Q1 2022

A review of what I read in Q1 2022. What should I read next?

JournalLeslie FarnsworthApril 13, 2022reading, literature, booksComment

Month-in-Review Highlights: March 2022

The ability to venture into the world helped me better progress on some of my goals for the year. (Go figure.)

JournalLeslie FarnsworthApril 6, 2022postmortem, goalsComment

How I Learned French: Resources for French Language Learners

Here are the most valuable resources and experiences I’ve had for learning the French language to help you in your journey.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthMarch 30, 2022language learning, france Comments

Disappointing French Delicacies: Regional Food You Can Skip

I’ve encountered certain French regional specialty foods that I am only glad I tried so that I can spare you from trying them yourselves.

WanderingLeslie FarnsworthMarch 23, 2022france, food, culture Comments

The Coronavirus Diaries: The Second Anniversary Edition

I hope I won’t need to write a third anniversary post—but I won’t speak too soon. I didn’t think I’d need to write a first anniversary post, much less one for the second anniversary.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthMarch 15, 2022coronavirus diariesComment

Trip Planning Tips and Tricks: How I Plan My Travel

While all of us have our preferences, including me, I have picked up a few best practices and shortcuts that could help almost anyone who plans to a trip.

Wandering, Most PopularLeslie FarnsworthMarch 9, 2022travel, vacation, culture Comments

Month-in-Review Highlights: February 2022

February came along to toss molasses in my path and slow me down. I still made progress across many of my objectives, but not at January’s pace.

JournalLeslie FarnsworthMarch 2, 2022postmortem, goalsComment

Why and How to Treat Your Employees like Your Clients (or Better!)

For a team to truly achieve its potential, bosses need to treat employees like clients. Not just the other way around.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthFebruary 23, 2022employees, management, leadershipComment

Best Podcasts for French Language Learners by CEFRL Level

Here are the best podcasts I used in my journey to learning French, whittling it down to the ones I found the most helpful and engaging in each CEFRL level.

ThinkingLeslie FarnsworthFebruary 16, 2022French, language learning Comments

Aix-en-Provence: The Best Bakeries and Patisseries

Here’s our current list of the bakeries and patisseries we tried and refined the selection to a few of our absolute favorites.

WanderingLeslie FarnsworthFebruary 9, 2022France, food Comments

Month-in-Review Highlights: January 2022

Who with a fresh set of annual goals doesn’t go into January all fired up?

JournalLeslie FarnsworthFebruary 2, 2022postmortem, goalsComment

The Best Books I Read in 2021

When January 2022 arrived, I struggled to create a super-shortlist of the best-of-the-best from all the books I read. Here’s what I determined.

JournalLeslie FarnsworthJanuary 26, 2022books, literature, reading Comments

What to Expect on a Winter Trip to Aix-en-Provence

Would I like Aix-en-Provence (our base of stay in Provence) as much in the winter as I did in the summer?

WanderingLeslie FarnsworthJanuary 19, 2022France, culture Comments

Books I've Read: Q4 2021

A list of the books I read in Q4 2021, with my favorites in bold. What do you recommend I read in 2022?

JournalLeslie FarnsworthJanuary 12, 2022reading, books, literatureComment

Month-in-Review Highlights: December 2021

Overall, though I didn’t accomplish everything I’d set out to do in 2021, I achieved most of it—though I missed completing two of my top objectives.

JournalLeslie FarnsworthJanuary 5, 2022postmortem, goalsComment

Weird Things that Happen to Foreigners (that Shouldn’t)

I’ve discovered that when you live as a foreigner or immigrant, certain things happen regularly that you’d wish would happen differently—for several reasons.

MigratingLeslie FarnsworthDecember 29, 2021culture, language learning Comments