Category: Ashley Abroad

In Paris, a rainy day is nothing unusual, especially in fall or winter. Yes, a rainy day can be a bummer if you have a picnic planned. But honestly, Paris can be lovely in the rain. Take it from me – I lived in Paris for a year, so I know very well what to do in Paris when it rains.

Luckily, a little rain won’t ruin your vacation. If you plan correctly, there are tons of fun things to do on a rainy day in Paris. Honestly, I think the rain just adds to the romantic atmosphere.

A few tips on how to enjoy Paris in the rain:

1. Stay inside. Paris has incredible museums, churches, and shopping — there’s no need to wander outside.
2. Dress for the weather. Pack rain gear for your trip: a rain jacket, scarf, and rain boots.
3. Embrace it. Embrace the weather by moving slower and enjoying the many rainy-weather activities Paris has to offer.

Keeping these tips in mind, here are my suggestions for things to do in Paris in the rain:

1. Explore Paris’ covered passageways

One of the best things to do on a rainy day is to explore the covered passageways, which are covered shopping areas that date back to the 19th century and are filled with bookstores, shops, and restaurants.

Two of my favorites are Passage Jouffroy and Passage des Panoramas. P.S. Did you know you can stay in a covered passageway? Hotel Chopin is a highly-rated hotel located in the middle of Passage Jouffroy. (Read reviews | Book here)

2. Warm up with hot chocolate

To beat the rain, head inside for a mug of super thick French hot chocolate. You can try it at Café Angelique, a fancy café near the Louvre, or Paul, a French bakery chain (it’s actually really good!).

3. Visit Sainte-Chapelle, a tiny and beautiful Gothic chapel

In my opinion, Sainte-Chapelle is Paris’ most under-rated attraction. Once the royal chapel within Paris’ medieval palace, Sainte-Chapelle is one of Paris’ most important churches. Though it may be tiny, it houses more than 1,000 stained glass windows. It’s breathtaking. You can purchase your Sainte-Chapelle tickets here in advance.

4. Visit Shakespeare and Company, the world-famous bookstore

Shakespeare and Company is a famous Parisian bookstore that sells English-language books. Located across from the Notre Dame, it occupies one of Paris’ prime pieces of real estate and is very popular with tourists.

5. Learn how to make macarons

Making macarons is hard (I’ve tried twice and failed!) so it’s probably best to learn from a professional. If you’re not a baker, you can also buy macarons at Ladurée or Pierre Hermé (Pierre Hermé is my preference). But if you book this class you’ll soon be making your own.

6. Have the best French onion soup of your life at Café Saint-Régis

Try authentic French onion soup Café Saint-Régis, a classic French café located on the Île Saint-Louis. It’s the best French onion soup I’ve found in France. And possibly the world?

7. Spend the afternoon in one of Paris’ smaller art museums

On a rainy day, avoid big art museums like the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay and Pompidou, as they will probably be crowded. Instead, visit one of Paris’ smaller art museums, which you may have all to yourself. Here are some of my favorites:

8. Have tea at Mariage Frères

Mariage Frères is a French gourmet tea shop that has locations all over Paris. In the main tea room, you can either have brunch or tea. If you want to pick up a souvenir, you can buy loose-leaf tea at the tea counter.

9. Taste French wines at Le Baron Rouge

Le Baron Rouge is my favorite wine bar in Paris. Frequented mostly by old French men, it’s the most unpretentious wine bar around. They have a great selection of French wines; most cost €4 or less per glass.

10. Hang out in a hipster café

Paris has tons of hipster cafés that are perfect for people-watching. Here are some of my favorites:

• Boot Café: An adorable coffee shop in Le Marais housed in a former shoe store.
• Loustic: A quaint, cozy coffee shop in the Marais with gorgeous decor.
• KB Coffee Roasters: Formerly called Kooka Boora, KB is an Aussie-inspired coffee shop in Pigalle.

11. Go shopping at an iconic Parisian department store

Escape the rain in Paris’ most famous department stores: Galeries Lafayette. Galeries Lafayette was founded in 1912 and is still selling upscale clothing, lingerie, and other goods. If you visit the Boulevard Haussmann location, you can also visit Printemps, another famous department store down the street.

12. Tour the Conciergerie, the former prison that held Marie Antoinette

The Conciergerie is a former prison that stands in the spot where the Celts erected their first fort in the 1st century. It’s also where Marie Antoinette lived out her last days. You can purchase your Conciergerie tickets here in advance.

13. Head underground to the Catacombs

The Catacombs are the creepiest place to spend a rainy afternoon in Paris. Located deep beneath Paris, the Catacombs are a series of passages and tunnels where more than 6 million Parisians were buried during the 1700s.

The Catacombs are a popular attraction so you may have to wait three or four hours. You can purchase your Catacomb tickets here in advance (which includes an audio guide).

14. Have crêpes at a cozy crêperie

Where better to escape the rain than at a cozy crêperie? My favorite crêperie is Breizh Café, a super chic spot in Le Marais that serves savory and dessert crêpes. Don’t leave without trying their salted butter caramel crêpe – it’s insanely delicious.

15. Have tea at the Grand Mosque’s tea room

One off-the-beaten-path way to spend a rainy afternoon is at the Grand Mosque’s tea room. There, you can drink mint tea and eat baklava while staying warm and dry. The Grand Mosque also houses a hammam spa (Turkish steam baths).

16. Go antique shopping at Saint-Ouen Market

Saint-Ouen is an enormous antique market just outside the northern edge of Paris. It houses a vast amount of paintings, rugs, wine glasses, and more. The majority of it is indoors, so you can visit on a rainy day. There are expensive and cheaper sections, so it’s a fun place to shop no matter your budget.

17. Escape the city

The beautiful Vaux-le-Vicomte Château

Not interested in any of these ideas of things to do in Paris when it’s raining? You can also leave Paris altogether and take a day trip. Here are some day trips you can take from Paris on a rainy day:

What to wear in Paris when it rains

Paris is a very fashionable city so it’s advisable to dress your best, no matter the weather. Here’s what I recommend packing in case of rain:

More:

5 French Expressions That Will Help You Survive Paris

10 Books to Read Before Visiting Paris

The 10 Most Crazy Delicious Foods You Must Eat in Paris

The 7 Best Picnic Spots in Paris

What do you think of my list of things to do on a rainy day in Paris? Did I miss anything?

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In the past ten years, I’ve lived abroad in three countries: Argentina, France, and most, recently, Uganda.

As a result, I’ve learned that moving to another country will change you, in ways big and small. From what you to eat to how you see the world… and possibly even your accent.

Here’s how living abroad has permanently changed me.

1. I’m grateful for the little things…

Drinking from the tap. Having air conditioning. Not needing a VPN to watch TV. Using a dishwasher. After living in Uganda, I will never take these luxuries for granted again.

2. …But I’m kind of a snob.

I blame this on living in France. Call me a snob, but I still hate seeing runny cheese served cold. And don’t even get me started on the quality of bread in America.

3. Apparently, I have had a weird accent.

Thankfully, this problem has long since gone away. But when I was 24, after two years of living and traveling abroad, I’m pretty sure I had a weird accent.

After one trip, I was staying with a friend of a friend. After FOUR DAYS of staying with her, I mentioned I was from Michigan. She replied, “Oh, I thought you were Australian!”

Needless to say, I was mortified. Had I really turned into one of those pretentious Americans who sounded vaguely transatlantic?

Guys, it’s a Michigan accent, I swear to god. I’ve never even been to Australia.

4. I still think everything’s expensive.

Do you know how much a ten-minute Uber costs in Uganda? $0.80.

5. I’m a whiz at converting currencies.

I was terrible at math in high school, but after living abroad three times, I’m now a pro at converting currencies on the fly.

6. I know how to make a proper cup of tea. Kind of.

When I was younger, my family didn’t have a kettle. So when I made tea, I used to “boil” the water in the microwave and then add the tea bag.

After living amongst many Brits over the years, I have since reformed my ways. At the very least, I now put the tea bag in the cup before I pour in the water. Which is… something?

Definitely still a coffee drinker though.

7. I bake using the metric system.

First of all, let me say that I love the metric system. Efficient, universal, easy to compute… what’s not to love?

But I especially love using the metric system for baking. Instead of fiddling around with measuring cups, you simply weigh the ingredients in one bowl using a food scale. The result? Almost no dishes to wash.

8. I try to talk to everyone in foreign languages.

If I find out you speak Spanish or French, I will probably approach you with a lame line and try to talk to you.

And if I’m drunk and you’re Brazilian, I apologize in advance for my broken Portuguese.

9. I miss a lot of places, all of the time.

This is definitely a first-class problem to have. But having lived and traveled a lot of places, I’m nostalgic for a lot of places at once.

In the course of a week, I’ll miss eating noodles while sitting on six-inch plastic stools in Southeast Asia, riding on the back of a motorcycle taxi in Uganda, walking home from the bakery with a still-warm baguette.

While missing lots of places (and for that matter, people) can make me feel melancholy at times, it also reminds me of how lucky I am.

10. I don’t know if I’ll ever be happy in one place.

I’ve moved a lot in my twenties. The longest I’ve lived anywhere, Colorado, was two years. Now that I’m nearing thirty, I wonder if I’ll ever feeling content in one place. I’m honestly not sure yet.

Have you lived abroad? How did it permanently change you?

P.S. 10 Ways That Travel Permanently Changed Me and The Truth About Dating as an Expat.

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I’ve written a lot of posts about the Camino: what to pack, what surprised me most, the life lessons I learned. But the question that I’m asked time and time again is: How much does the Camino de Santiago cost? How much should I budget for it?

I was surprised by how inexpensive the Camino was; all in all, it’s probably one of the cheapest travel experiences you can have in Europe.

How much I spent on the Camino – $1,875 USD (1700 euros)

Excluding flights, getting there, and travel insurance, I spent about $1,875 USD walking the Camino.

In this post, I will break down exactly how I spent that amount. I will also share three sample budgets, so you can estimate what you’ll spend.

Here are a few factors that will affect your budget:

• Your ideal comfort level. Sleeping in hotels, having your bag carried, and eating in nice restaurants will all cost more.
• How many days you’ll be walking. The longer you spend on the Camino, the more it will cost. For reference, I spent 36 days walking the Camino – 33 days of walking, with 3 rest days.

Whatever your budget, know that cash is king on the Camino. I recommend always having 100 euros or so of cash on you. Not every town on the Camino has an ATM!

This post is divided into several sections, so if you’re only interested in a particular part, you can jump straight to it.

Camino de Santiago Cost Breakdown

Gear – $462.95 USD

Before your Camino, it’s important to invest the right gear. I already had some of the gear I needed, but I did purchase several key items:

• Hiking backpack – $75 USD (68 euros) – At the last minute, I bought an inexpensive Quechua Forclaz Air+ 40L Backpack from Decathlon. Honestly, it was kind of the worst. If I could do it again, I would buy the Osprey Tempest 40L Pack.

• Hiking sandals – $60 USD (55 euros) – I started my Camino in trail runners which I realized were way too small in the Pyrenees. After I limped into Pamplona, a Spanish shoe salesman convinced me to ditch my trail runners for hiking sandals. He was 100% right — they were the best possible choice for the Camino. Dorky, but so comfortable.

• Arc’teryx Zeta SL Rain Jacket – $299 USD – My biggest investment for the Camino was a GORE-TEX Arc’teryx rain jacket. Well worth it for the quality.

RELATED: See my full Camino de Santiago packing guide here.

Getting There – $162 USD (147.95 euros)

Step 1: Flying to Europe – $0

If your first step is getting to Europe, I recommend checking for flights on flight aggregator sites like Google Flights, Momondo, and Skyscanner. I especially like Skyscanner because it finds deals from budget carriers that other sites miss. 

For me, this part didn’t cost anything because I flew to Europe using points from my Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

Step 2: Getting to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France – $162 USD (147.95 euros)

Adorable Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Many pilgrims start their Caminos in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, a small town at the base of the Pyrenees. It’s somewhat remote, so it can be hard to get there on a direct connection.

Here’s how I got there: I flew from Florence to San Sebastián, Spain ($105 USD), where I stayed in a hostel ($24 USD). The next morning, I took a bus using ALSA, a budget Spanish bus company, to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France for $32.85 USD.

Here are some other ways to get there:

• Fly to Paris and take the train to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. You can use SNCF (the French national rail line), which has both high-speed trains and regular trains. The train will take 5-7 hours.

• Fly anywhere in Europe, and then use a European budget airline to fly to an airport near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port such as Biarritz, Pamplona, or San Sebastián. You can use a website called Rome2Rio, a free site to find the cheapest and best ways to get there.

• Start your Camino from another city. You don’t have to start in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Some pilgrims skip the Pyrenees altogether and start in Pamplona; others start later in Burgos, Leon, or Sarria. Here’s a guide on how to get to various starting points along the Camino.

Credential and shell: $2.20 USD (2 euros)

My credential (Camino passport) that now hangs in my room.

Before starting the Camino, you will need to buy a credential. A credential is basically a pilgrim passport. Throughout the Camino, you will show your credential to churches and hostels and they will give you a stamp in return.

 You can buy a credential in the pilgrim offices and in most hostels. Don’t forget to pick up your pilgrim shell, too!

Accommodation: $395 USD (360 euros)

I spent an average of 10 euros per night on accommodation, staying in a mix of donation-based, public, and private albergues. I also spent a few nights in Airbnbs and hotels.

What are albergues?

Most pilgrims stay in pilgrim hostels, which are called albergues (pronounced: al – bear – GAYS).

Here are the types of albergues, and how much they cost:

• Public albergues – 5-6 euros ($5.50 – $6.50) – Public albergues (also called municipal albergues) cater solely to pilgrims; in order to stay at a public albergue, pilgrims are required to show their credential. Public albergues are usually quite large, sleeping dozens of pilgrims to a room. They are typicallly very bare-bones; they usually have disposable sheets and cold showers. They also do not provide towels.

• Donation-based albergues – Some albergues are donation-based (Spanish: donativo), meaning you pay what you can (though I recommend you pay at least 5 euros). Overall, donation-based albergues are a mixed bag; sometimes they’re super run-down and sketchy, other times they’re lovely and serve delicious communal meals.

• Private albergues – 10-12 euros ($11-13) – Private albergues are usually smaller and family-run. They are more expensive than the public albergues but have better food and smaller dorms. Of all the albergue options, this was my preference.

• Private double room with an ensuite bathroom in a private albergue – 20-25 euros ($22 -27). Some nights I splurged and got a private room in an albergue. Sometimes you just need sheets and a regular towel.

A simple private room on the Camino with a real towel! Exciting stuff for a pilgrim.

Food and Wine: $868 USD (792 euros)

Food and wine were my biggest expenses on the Camino; I usually spent 20-25 euros ($22-27 USD) per day.

Here’s how that breaks down:

• Breakfast – 3 euros ($3.30 USD) – Breakfast on the Camino is a simple affair; it’s usually a croissant, toast with jam, or pan con tomate (toasted baguette rubbed with garlic, tomato, and olive oil). Fresh-squeezed orange juice is an extra euro ($1.10), and coffee is 1-1.50 euros ($1.10 – $1.65 USD).

• Lunch – 4-5 euros ($4.40 – $5.50 USD) – Lunch in the small towns along the Camino is usually cold, as the restaurant kitchens don’t start preparing hot food until later in the day. Typical offerings include: a bocadillo (a baguette sandwich stuffed with chorizo, ham, or cheese), tortilla de patatas (potato omelet), or — wait for it — a bocadillo stuffed with tortilla (a.k.a. the driest, blandest combination of food on earth.)

• Snacks – 2-3 euros ($2.20 – 3.30 USD)– I recommend carrying some snacks in your pack such as cheese, sausage, or apples. Sometimes, you may walk hours without coming across a restaurant or café, so it’s best to be prepared for that.

• Dinner – 10 euros ($11 USD) –Many restaurants along the Camino serve a “Pilgrim menu” (menú del día) for dinner. This includes a first course, main course, dessert, and ½ bottle of wine. The pilgrim menus were usually pretty bland and uninspired – though I did have some that were fantastic.

The famous free wine fountain on the Camino.

• Wine – 4-5 euros ($4.40 – $5.50 USD) – You can buy a decent bottle of wine in Spain for 4-5 euros. As the expression goes, “Con pan y vino, se hace el camino.” (Roughly: “With bread and wine, one does the Camino.”)

But what about cooking? Some albergues have kitchens, so you can cook for yourself. I cooked on occasion but was usually too tired from walking all day. Bizarrely, some albergues have kitchens but no pots or pans.

Water – $0

Fun fact – I didn’t buy water once on the Camino. Every morning, I filled up my Camelbak water bladder in one of the free water fountains along the Camino and refilled it as needed during the day. After I was done walking, I put my backpack and Camelbak away and drank from my Nalgene.

Laundry: $52.60 USD (48 euros)

Doing a load of laundry usually cost 3 euros to wash and 3 euros to dry, but I usually split the cost with a friend. I did a lot of laundry on the Camino. I had to wash my clothes every other day because I only had two walking outfits.

If you get to the hostel early enough, you can hang your clothes out to dry in the sun, saving you 3 euros. You can also dry your clothes while you walk by clipping your wet clothes to your bag using carabiners.

Money-saving tip: You can save money by washing your own clothes with a Scrubba, which is a portable washing bag. (Full disclosure – I never did this but I know it worked well for other pilgrims.)

First-aid Supplies: $131 USD (120 euros)

I spent around 20 euros per week on first-aid supplies like creams, bandages, and blister care, as it took some trial and error to figure out how to prevent blisters. (The answer? An obscene amount of Vaseline.)

20 euros per week x 5 weeks = 120 euros ($131 USD)

RELATED: The medical supplies I recommend packing for the Camino.

Miscellaneous Camino de Santiago Expenses: $429 USD (392 euros)

Toiletries – 40 euros ($43 USD) – I ended up replenishing my sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash along the Camino. I’m not sure exactly what I spent on this category – maybe around 40 euros ($43) in total.

Souvenirs – 30 euros ($33 USD) – You may want to pick up a few souvenirs on your Camino. I bought one Camino t-shirt and a few pins to attach to my backpack.

Shipping some of my gear ahead Santiago – 20 euros ($22 USD) – Part-way through the Camino (León), I decided to send ahead a package of items I wasn’t using. I did this through Correos, the Spanish postal service, which offers a package shipping program for pilgrims. More info here.

SIM card – 15 euros ($16.50 USD) – I didn’t use a local SIM card on my Camino; I just used free wifi in restaurants and hostels. But if you do want one, a SIM card in Spain costs around 15 euros for 2GB of data with Vodaphone. More info here.

Backpack delivery service – 4-5 euros ($4.40 – $5.50 USD) per bag per day – Some pilgrims pay to have their bags transported to their next hotel or albergue. I never did this, but it’s a great option if you need a break from carrying your bag. More info here.

Splurges 300 euros ($329 USD) – I recommend setting aside some extra money for the unexpected expenses or splurges on the Camino. I splurged by splashing out in the cities, where I enjoyed some well-deserved luxuries such as going out for tapas and getting a full-body massage in Leon (35 euros, $38 USD).

Hanging out at the Airbnb my pilgrim friends and I rented in Burgos for two nights. I have no idea where my friend got that wig.

Travel Insurance

You should definitely factor travel insurance into your Camino budget. No matter how prepared you are, there’s always a chance you could get injured or sick. Worst case scenario, you’re stuck with buying a last-minute flight yourself or paying medical bills out of pocket. I have used World Nomads since 2013 and made sure to buy it for my Camino as well. I purchased the Standard insurance plan as it covers hiking up to 19,685 feet. Get a quote here.

3 Sample Camino de Santiago Budgets: Shoestring, Comfortable, and Luxury

I wanted to do a breakdown of 3 sample Camino budgets. I will add 300 euros ($329 USD) of wiggle room to each budget to account for miscellaneous expenses.

Note – These budgets exclude flights, gear, and travel insurance.

Camino de Santiago Cost on a Shoestring Budget: $19.30 USD (17.50 euros) per day

This is basically the cheapest you can do the Camino. Here’s how a shoestring budget breaks down:

Accommodation: 5.50 euros per day. Only stay in the cheapest accommodation available: donation-based albergues or public albergues.

Food and wine: 12 euros total per day. Cook breakfast at the albergue (2 euros), have a coffee (1 euro), have a picnic for lunch (3 euros), eat some snacks (2 euros), cook dinner at the hostel (4 euros).

Laundry: 0 euros per day. Wash your own laundry using a Scrubba.

Camino de Santiago cost on a shoestring budget: 17.50 euros x 36 days = 630 euros ($695 USD)

630 euros ($695 USD) + 300 euros of wiggle room ($330 USD) = 930 euros ($1,026 USD)

Shoestring budget grand total: 930 euros ($1,026 USD)

Camino de Santiago Cost on a Comfortable Budget: $37 USD (35 euros) per day

For the majority of pilgrims, I would budget around 35 euros a day. (This was around my budget.) Here’s how that breaks down:

Accommodation: 10 euros per night. Stay in a mix of public and private albergues, with the occasional private room.

Food and wine: 22 euros per day. Eat breakfast in a café (3 euros), have a coffee (1 euro), have lunch in a restaurant (5 euros), have a pilgrim menu for dinner (10 euros), and eat snacks throughout the day (3 euros).

Laundry: 3 euros per day.

Camino de Santiago cost on a comfortable budget: 35 euros x 36 days = 1,260 euros ($1,380 USD)

1,260 euros ($1,380 USD) + 300 euros of wiggle room ($330 USD)

Comfortable budget grand total: 1,560 euros ($1,720 USD)

Camino de Santiago Cost on a Luxury Budget: 72.50 euros ($80 USD) per day

Many of the middle-aged and elderly pilgrims I met were walking the Camino on this budget. This allows for maximum comfort while still giving you a pilgrim experience. Here’s how it breaks down:

Accommodation: 40 euros per night. Only hotel rooms or private rooms in private albergues.

Food and wine: 25 euros per day. Have breakfast in a café with fresh-squeezed orange juice (4 euros), have a coffee or two (3 euros), have lunch in a restaurant (5 euros), have a pilgrim menu for dinner (10 euros), and eat snacks throughout the day (3 euros).

Backpack delivery service – 4.50 euros per day.

Laundry: 3 euros per day.

Camino de Santiago cost on a luxury budget: 72.50 euros x 36 days = 2,610 euros ($2,855 USD)

2,610 euros ($2,855 USD) + 300 euros of wiggle room ($330 USD) = 2,910 euros ($3,209 USD)

Luxury budget grand total: 2,910 euros ($3,209 USD)

Read more:

Why I’m Walking the Camino (Starting Today)

The Ultimate Camino de Santiago Packing List

The 9 Life Lessons I Learned on the Camino de Santiago

The 15 Things That Surprised Me Most About the Camino de Santiago

Have you ever walked the Camino de Santiago? How much did the Camino de Santiago cost you?

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through on affiliate link, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for keeping Ashley Abroad going! 

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Ashley Fleckenstein

Ashley is a travel and lifestyle blogger who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since college she has au paired in Paris, backpacked the world solo, and lived in Uganda. Her work has been featured by Buzzfeed, Forbes, TripAdvisor, and Glamour Magazine.

Latest posts by Ashley Fleckenstein (see all)

In May, I spent eight days in Japan with my little sister. And truly, it was one of the best trips, if not the best trip, of my life. Japan is a magical place and I fell completely in love with it.

I’ve never met nicer people, seen more adorable objects/foods, or felt more confused but in kind of an enjoyable way. Japan is unlike anywhere else, and I am already planning a trip back.

Here are my favorite pictures from my eight days in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka:

On our first day in Tokyo we tried purikura, a photo session in a Japanese photo booth. It’s like a pretty filter x1000. Soaking up all of the lights at teamLab Borderless, a digital art museum made for Instagram. The art moves from room to room – so cool! Totoro pastries at Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory. They’re based on the character Totoro from Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro. The hat and flower denote the flavor. They were as delicious as they were adorable. A torii (gate) in Tokyo’s sprawling Yoyogi Park. Yoyogi was probably the most beautiful park I’ve ever visited, though honestly, it felt more like a forest than a park. A traditional Japanese home in Yoyogi. Whiskey barrels in Yoyogi. Crossing the street in Shinjuku. Can you spot Godzilla? Blue hour in chaotic Shinjuku. Samurais fighting with katanas at the Samurai Museum. An open door in Golden Gai, tiny bar area with bars that only seat 6-10 people. My sister walking the streets of Golden Gai. A parade we came across one morning. I still have no idea what it was for. The world’s cutest latte art at Reissue Cafe in Harajuku. As you can see, we got a seal and a Shiba Inu. My sister literally cried tears of joy when she saw hers. Also worth a stop – The Zoo ice cream shop in Harajuku. These ice cream cones were called “chicken families.” A geisha Pikachu at the Pokemon Center in Kyoto. A real geisha crossing the street in Kyoto. A street stall selling crab in Osaka. A gyoza stand in Osaka. The famous red torii at Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. The last day of a wonderful trip.

Have you ever been to Japan?

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Ashley

Ashley is a travel and lifestyle blogger who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since college she has au paired in Paris, backpacked the world solo, and lived in Uganda. Her work has been featured by Buzzfeed, Forbes, TripAdvisor, and Glamour Magazine.

Latest posts by Ashley (see all)

For this month’s American Expats series, we’re talking to Camila, a Canadian travel writer who lives in Stirling, Scotland. (P.S. I may need to change the name of this series.)

Here, she talks about celebrating Burns night, understanding the thick Scottish accent, and what she misses most from home.

Camila’s background:

I was born in Montreal, Canada, and grew up in a multicultural family as my mother is French-Canadian and my father is Chilean. I moved to Scotland in 2012 to study a Master’s in feminist literature at the University of St. Andrews in St. Andrews, Scotland. (Best decision ever!)

I ended up meeting my partner then, so I decided to stay. I currently live in Stirling, Scotland, and work as a travel writer in Edinburgh. Stirling is about an hour from Edinburgh, and I commute daily by train.

On making friends: When I was studying in St. Andrews, I met all my friends easily through university, but they all left once we graduated.

Afterward, I became lonely and tried to force myself to get out of my comfort zone, and meet people by joining clubs and going to blog meetups. Because my partner was still studying, I’ve ended up meeting most of my close friends through him.

On Scottish weather: In Canada, we have four distinct seasons, with hot summers and cold winters. In Scotland, the weather is milder all year long, with the average high in summer being 15 °C (59 °F) and rarely falling below 5 °C (41 °F). I miss the snow in winter and the hot sunny days of summer, but it’s nice not to have the extremes anymore.

On getting around: The best way to get around Scotland is definitely by train, though the bus is cheaper (but longer). If you’re not traveling between cities, driving is, unfortunately, the easiest way to get around.

On the Scottish dialect: The Scottish accent can be pretty tough to understand, and despite speaking English fluently, it took me a few years to fully understand.

There were some Scottish expressions I struggled with at the beginning, such as “carry out” (buying alcohol from the shops), “I ken” (meaning “I know”), and “brolly” (umbrella). Having been here almost six years now, I’ve been told I now say some words with a Scottish inflection.

On rent: St Andrews and Edinburgh are both quite expensive. My room in St Andrews cost £600 per month ($790 USD), our one-bedroom flat in Edinburgh cost about £650 per month ($850 USD). Now we own our home in Stirling, which is actually the most affordable city in the UK. The average monthly rent for a two-bed flat is £750 ($985 USD), but we pay a small mortgage.

On Burns Night: My favorite Scottish festival is Burns Night. Burns Night celebrates famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. It includes bagpipes, some sexist comedic toasts (Toast to the Lassies and the Reply from the Lassies), eating haggis, and ceilidh dancing (folk dancing with a live band). We try to go to a Burns supper every year because it’s a lot of fun.

On traveling around Scotland: Scotland is a fairly small country so it’s easy to get around via public transport. We travel often to Glasgow and into the Highlands. We’ve seen most of the country, except the isles (I’ve only been to three) which you usually have to take a ferry or fly to.

On healthcare: Healthcare is mostly free. Upon applying for visas you have to pay a healthcare surcharge (it’s a recent addition as I didn’t have to do it on my first two visas in 2012 and 2014). It means as an immigrant I double pay for healthcare as I also pay for it through my salary (taxes and NI contributions). It’s great that in Scotland we actually get prescriptions for free though!

On Scottish food: The seafood is so good! I highly recommend trying langoustines and mussels, but there is also delicious crab, lobster, scallops, and a huge variety of fish. Fish and chips is a must for first-time visitors to Scotland. If you want to try local seafood in Edinburgh, I recommend Loch Fyne Seafood and Grill.

On visas: I’m currently on a spouse visa. I’ve previously been on a student visa and youth mobility visa (work/holiday). The spousal visa was the most stressful process as there is a lot of proofs and documents to submit. It was also a three-month wait back in Canada, which was tough as my partner was in the UK.

On homesickness: I mostly miss my family and friends, snow in the winter, and hot summers. I also miss real maple syrup, good bagels, poutine, and just exotic choices generally as I come from a big city and now live in a small city.

On living in Scotland long-term: I can definitely see myself living in Scotland long-term. My husband and I recently bought our first home, and we have a close circle of friends. I also have a job I love.

The political climate in the UK is something else, however, so we may see how things go in the coming years. I’m not sure it’s making it harder for non-Europeans expats like me to live in the UK, but it sure doesn’t make us feel welcome. But at least in Scotland, there is a welcoming sentiment from the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon.

Thanks, Camila!

P.S. 20 Photos That Will Inspire You to Visit Scotland and What Living in London as an Expat is Really Like.

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Ashley

Ashley is a travel and lifestyle blogger who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since college she has au paired in Paris, backpacked the world solo, and lived in Uganda. Her work has been featured by Buzzfeed, Forbes, TripAdvisor, and Glamour Magazine.

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Today, our American Expats series takes us to Kyrgyzstan where we meet Brittany, an English teacher living in Kyrgyzstan with her husband and daughter. We talked about living in Central Asia’s only democracy, raising a baby abroad, and the one way Kyrgyzstan is surprisingly similar to Colorado…

Brittany’s background:

My husband and I got married in June 2013 and promptly hightailed it out of the US. Our first stop was South Korea, where we spent two years teaching in a hagwan (after-school language school) and an international school. We loved Korea, but when we got the opportunity to teach at an international school in Kyrgyzstan, we took it. We moved to Bishkek, the capital, in July 2015.

On Kyrgyzstan’s history: Kyrgyzstan has a history of being part of the Silk Road. The ancestral Kyrgyz were nomadic, a culture which is still alive in parts of the country. In the nineteenth century, Kyrgyzstan came under Soviet rule which ended in Kyrgyzstan’s independence in 1991. Revolutions in 2005 and 2010 ousted sitting presidents in protest of fraud, corruption, and economic hardships. Kyrgyzstan is widely regarded as Central Asia’s only democracy, but it is not without political and human rights issues.

On making friends: Work is a great place to meet people, but Bishkek has such a tight-knit community that soon you meet friends of friends. One of the best things about Bishkek is the concentration of so many different people – we know teachers, volunteers, engineers, chefs, professors, and ambassadors. It’s fun to see such different people in one community. The Bishkek International Women’s Club is a great resource, with women of all ages, backgrounds, and interests.

On the weather: I am from Colorado, and it is uncanny how similar the weather is to Colorado weather, just almost exactly on the other side of the world. There are four distinct seasons, with a beautiful fall (Bishkek is a city full of trees), a cold, snowy winter, a lovely lengthy spring, and a hot, hot summer.

On raising a baby in Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyzstan is very family-friendly. The beautiful mountains and open space are so perfect for children, and there are great schools with extracurriculars and community. However, for us healthcare became a big concern throughout my pregnancy, so we decided to move back to the US for our daughter’s tiny years.

On Kyrgyz food: We are vegetarian so a lot of traditional Kyrgyz foods are off-limits for us. Even things that don’t include meat are often cooked in lard. Pumpkin manti was a favorite – a dumpling stuffed with seasoned pumpkin, and we would often grab a hot manti from a street stall until we realized they weren’t truly vegetarian. Plov is another favorite if we can find it prepared vegetarian – a rice dish with garlic, onions, carrots and (traditionally) lamb. Our staple is lepyoshka, a slightly sweet round bread cooked in a tandyr oven and best steaming-hot right out of the oven.

Vodka is very popular in Kyrgyzstan, in the convention of the Soviets. More traditionally, kumis, or fermented mare’s milk, is served in the spring.

On Kyrgyz breakfasts: Yogurt, porridge, a surprising variety of jams with butter, omelet, and pancakes (blini – more like crepes). 

On traveling around Central Asia: Traveling to nearby regions is quite easy. Countries are accessible by air as well as marshrutka (minibus). Travel agencies in Bishkek are helpful in preparing visas with ease; we utilized Kyrgyz Concept for help arranging visas for a trip to Russia. We have also traveled to Almaty, Kazakhstan, by taxi and marshrutka. Kazakhstan doesn’t require pre-application for visas for US travelers, and Almaty, the capital, is only a four- or five-hour trip. There are also so many more places we want to go within Kyrgyzstan!

On local holidays: I was so surprised at how earnestly International Women’s Day is celebrated in Kyrgyzstan. It turns out that the March holiday was adopted by the Soviet Union after women gained suffrage in 1917, and it was later adopted by the UN in 1975. In Bishkek you see marketing for Women’s Day gifts before the holiday. Flowers are given, and at school students took care to give gifts to women and the staff always shared cake and flowers. This was very different from the US where I hadn’t even heard of the holiday.

Our favorite holiday is Nooruz, a spring celebration celebrated throughout the region for 3,000 years as the vernal equinox. Not only was it a long weekend holiday off school, it just felt good to celebrate the ending of a long, cold winter. Our school hosts a celebration with songs and dances incorporating regional celebrations of the holiday. Here’s my husband Ryan dressed up in a kalpak to celebrate Nooruz: 

On learning the local language(s): I have learned survival Russian to get by in the markets and chatting with taxi drivers or giving directions. There are a lot of great programs for learning Russian; we used Russian Accelerator to prepare before arriving and I didn’t make it as far as my husband but the early lessons were helpful to give me the basics I needed. Russian is nice in that there are cognates between English and Russian, but I got lost approaching even the basics of Russian grammar.

In school, we teach students mini Kyrgyz lessons so I also picked up some basics in Kyrgyz. Even more than Russian, speaking Kyrgyz phrases to local people really opens up connections and they are always happy to see foreigners trying to speak and understand the local language. Local people are almost always happy to chat in any language, though, using a smattering of English and Russian to connect with us.

On the best way to get around Kyrgyzstan: By horse! Really, there are some amazing horseback-riding trips that stop at yurts through the night that sound amazing, but I haven’t been able to do one yet (we have a dog who is not so on-board with horseback riding). Biking is also becoming another good option for travel. We biked around the city for commuting but it was always a little intimidating in the wild Bishkek streets. Taxis are so easy and affordable to get around town (or even further!) and they are a great option. Namba Taxi is the Uber of Bishkek and made it easy to get a taxi without needing to haggle a price.

On feeling safe: Generally, I feel very safe living in Kyrgyzstan. The things that make me feel less secure are things that, unfortunately, women generally have to worry about living in any large city. Walking alone at night or taking taxis alone always makes me feel uncomfortable, but those things make me feel uncomfortable almost anywhere in the world.

On healthcare: Healthcare is very very affordable. Private clinics often have doctors and nurses who speak English (or translators available). For anything serious, you’ll want to go elsewhere. 

On getting a visa: We have employment visas. Our school handled all of the paperwork for our visas and provided instructions for entering the country. We had to apply for a business visa upon arrival and pay a fee (tourist visas are free). To get our full employment visa there were some antiquated steps in the process. Each year to renew we are required to get an HIV test, which involves having blood drawn at one specific clinic in the city. We also are required to have an x-ray for a TB scan each year. Because our school had so many visa applicants, they arranged for a traveling x-ray machine to come to our school site. None of us fully trusted the rickety old machine.

On what she misses most from back home: I miss easy grocery shopping! The markets in Bishkek have the best fresh produce you can get in the country, but going to the market still feels like a tourist outing to me most of the time. It takes energy to grab a taxi to get there, walk around, ask and sometimes haggle the price of what you want, and negotiate a ride back home. Then there’s finding the pieces of what I want to make, which sometimes involves multiple stores. Sometimes I just really want to go to Target.

Since we’re vegetarian, we mostly crave a good veggie burger, but Mexican food is always at the top of our list as well. You can usually find everything you need in Bishkek to make these things, but it’s not quite the same.

On living in Kyrgyzstan long-term: Right now we are in the US since we moved here to give birth to our daughter. I’d love to go back to Bishkek one day, but it’s unlikely we’ll live there long-term. Then again, I’m certainly not where I thought I’d be even a year ago, so you never know!

Thanks, Brittany!

P.S. The Real Truth About Dating as an Expat and What Living as an Expat in Hamburg, Germany, is Really Like

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Ashley

Ashley is a travel and lifestyle blogger who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since college she has au paired in Paris, backpacked the world solo, and lived in Uganda. Her work has been featured by Buzzfeed, Forbes, TripAdvisor, and Glamour Magazine.

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For this month’s American Expats series, our next stop is Spain. Cat Gaa, a Chicago native, moved to Seville, Spain, in 2007, and now lives in Madrid with her Spanish husband and young daughter. Here, she talks about churros, unique Spanish festivals, and walking the Camino.

Cat’s background:

Straight after college, I moved to Seville, Spain, to teach English. More than a decade later, I now live in Madrid and work in recruitment and admissions for a US university. And a year and a half ago, welcomed our first child. 

On culture shock: When I moved to Seville in 2007, it was a city still stuck in the past – siestas were respected, nothing was open on Sundays and the Virgin Mary was everyone’s best friend. In Seville, and in Spain in general, things have changed to a great extent. There are more English language services, better transportation links, and greater food options. It’s now a place where expats can move somewhat easily.

On learning Spanish: Before moving to Spain, I had also studied abroad here, so I had the basics and accent down, but I wasn’t ready for the local slang. Many times, there were tears, and, in my worst blunder, I told people at a wedding that my mom was a junkie. But I am now fluent in Spanish (maybe even bilingual?) and use it daily.

On Madrid’s weather: Madrid is actually the highest capital in Europe and because of the altitude, it’s drier. We also have four seasons and it snows on occasion.

On Spanish coffee: Would you believe I didn’t drink coffee before moving to Spain? Now coffee is my ritual and my zen moment as a working mom. I take a café con leche (coffee with milk) in the morning on my way to daycare and a cortado (espresso with a few drops of milk) after lunch.

On breakfast: Spaniards often have two breakfasts: something light at home before a larger, mid-morning breakfast. In the south, breakfast is usually pan con tomate: toast with olive oil, crushed tomatoes and salt, plus a slice of acorn-fed ham.

If you’re in Madrid or further north, churros are standard fare but you can also get baked goods, a slice of Spanish omelet or toast.

On healthcare: The healthcare system here is phenomenal — it cost me 90€ to have a baby. Yes, you’ll have wait times and doctors have little bedside manner, but your employer takes the cost burden and everyone is entitled to universal healthcare.

On raising a baby in Spain: Spain is pretty baby-friendly – my biggest challenge is often what to do with my stroller if I’m out having a coffee and have to use the bathroom (most bathrooms are in the basement in central Madrid!).

That being said, raising a child in a country that isn’t your own isn’t easy. But after 21 months in the motherhood journey, I think I’ve struck a balance with cultural norms, language learning, and the in-laws.

Caa with her son in Rome, Italy

On feeling safe: I’m pretty cautious when I’m out, but Madrid – and Spain in general – is far safer than many countries. I have gotten two bikes and a laptop stolen, though. The laptop was completely my jet-lagged brain’s fault!

On the best places to travel in Spain: I am a sucker for Asturias, a region wedged between the mountains and the sea along the northern coast. I also love the the Siglo de Oro towns in Extremadura, and of course, Andalusia.

On unique Spanish festivals: Oh man, Spain is RIFE with strange traditions! There’s a festival in northern Spain where family members carry coffins to give thanks to God for saving sick relatives, another where a goat is thrown off a bell tower near Zamora and a Granada-area water fight. Many of these odd festivals have been celebrated for centuries and are rooted in religious traditions.

My favorite is the Feria de Sevilla, where locals practically camp out in makeshift bars and dance, drink sherry and ride around in horse carriages.

On walking the Camino: I walked 326 kilometers (200 miles) on the Camino del Norte, the Northern route that snakes along the coast before dipping inland towards Santiago. I walked with a close friend during a time when I felt fulfilled in many aspects of my life, so it was a joy to meet other pilgrims and just put one foot in front of the other without thinking about all of the trivial parts of life. I can’t wait to walk it again.

On homesickness: I can cope with going long stretches without going to the US. I work for an American university and hear English all day long, have a Costco membership in Spain and there a number of American food stores and chains near me. 

Now that I’m a mom, I do have moments where I get the feeling I’m depriving my parents of the grandparent moments, and that my kid may not have a real American summer (you know, summer camp and bug bites and the ice cream truck and playing in the sprinkler). When we were considering the move to Madrid, my husband budgeted in a yearly trip to the US for four people, so here’s hoping we can make that happen! And my first stop back in Chicago is usually Portillo’s for a beef hot dog and strawberry milkshake.

¡Gracias, Cat!

P.S. What Living in the Czech Republic is Really Like and The Ultimate Camino de Santiago Packing List.

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Ashley

Ashley is a travel and lifestyle blogger who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since college she has au paired in Paris, backpacked the world solo, and lived in Uganda. Her work has been featured by Buzzfeed, Forbes, TripAdvisor, and Glamour Magazine.

Latest posts by Ashley (see all)