Author: Cindy Chen

Blog Posts, TAPIF, Travel

By Plane, Train, and Bus: Tracking My Trip Around Central Europe

Introduction: I’m not sure if you’ll believe me when I say that living as an English teaching assistant in France isn’t as glamorous as it seems. The salary is humble, but it’s definitely been enough for me to take advantage of my time in Europe. You just have to be willing to be flexible and resourceful when it comes to travel (scan the internet for … Continue reading By Plane, Train, and Bus: Tracking My Trip Around Central Europe

Cindy Chen1 Comment
Blog Posts, TAPIF

Learning to “profites-en bien”

I can hardly believe it’s already the end of March. I still have a couple months left of my time in France, but I’m about three-fourths of the way through my experience. In February I went on a jam-packed adventure in southern France, where I got to see firsthand the diversity of regional French culture. After having survived the cold winter of northeastern France, I … Continue reading Learning to “profites-en bien”

Cindy Chen1 Comment
Blog Posts, Reviews, TAPIF, Travel, Vlog

Visiting Nancy, France Through Cafés

  Can you believe that I’ve officially been in France for 200 days?! I can’t. It feels like it was just yesterday when I was struggling to order a sandwich at my first boulangerie. In honor of my 200th day in France, I thought I would take you on a double-whammy blog/vlog tour of some of my favorite cafés in Nancy. What better way to … Continue reading Visiting Nancy, France Through Cafés

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Blog Posts, TAPIF, Travel

Blurbs from Southern France

Four cities in seven days. There’s nothing quite like being young and restless. In February, I took a trip around southern France with another assistant friend of mine. We decided to buy an Interflix bus pass, which gave us five one-way bus tickets to any cities for 99 euros. We ended up going from Metz to Paris, Paris to Toulouse, Toulouse to Marseille, Marseille to … Continue reading Blurbs from Southern France

Cindy Chen1 Comment
Blog Posts, Social Commentary

My Two Cents on the Wage Gap

Let’s share it again, everyone’s favorite debatable statistic. Women in the United States make 78 cents on the dollar compared to men1. Or more recently from a February 2017 Glamour magazine article, 82 cents on the dollar2. My post today is a direct reaction to this article because apparently, even in 2017, we still can’t seem to agree on 1) what the wage gap actually … Continue reading My Two Cents on the Wage Gap

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Blog Posts, Social Commentary

A Refusal to Give Into Polarization

The United States of America is headed in a new direction and I find myself asking the same question. How did we get to this point? As a person of color, a woman, a child of immigrants, a multi-lingual and multi-cultural person, an artist, an educator, a young person, a believer of science, a progressive, and many other identities, there are things that are happening … Continue reading A Refusal to Give Into Polarization

Cindy Chen1 Comment
Blog Posts, Social Commentary

Why I Press on Today, Tomorrow, and Always

Today is a day that many people all around the world, not just Americans, have been waiting for with bated breath. Whether out of fear or hope, there is an undeniable energy in the atmosphere. Even here in France, the teachers at my school chatter about the Inauguration in the staff room and at the cafeteria. Students from two separate classes asked me how I … Continue reading Why I Press on Today, Tomorrow, and Always

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Blog Posts, Travel, Vlog

World’s Largest Tray of Cheese: France Vlog 1

I have no intentions of becoming a vlogger, but I’ve had some videos stored on my camera and phone. I figured the best thing to do was to just compile them into a vlog. Here are some random highlights from Fall 2016. Featuring: Strasbourg, Nancy, Metz, and Berlin. And a short clip of the World’s Largest Tray of Cheese in Nancy from September 2016. I … Continue reading World’s Largest Tray of Cheese: France Vlog 1

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Blog Posts, Travel

Places and the Moments in Between: Perspectives from Traveling

It’s 11:00PM and the ticket counter at the Luxembourg train station is closed. Doors shut, no attendant, ticket dispensing machines locked behind the sliding glass. I try not to let the panic set in as I start to wonder if I’m going to be able to get back to Nancy, France. I didn’t buy my return ticket ahead of time because I wasn’t sure when … Continue reading Places and the Moments in Between: Perspectives from Traveling

Cindy Chen1 Comment