Christine the author and creator of C’est Christine is a “Californian by birth, Francophile at heart.” She decided that in order to experience the world and live the dream life she had to pick up her life and move to beautiful Nice, France. I got the opportunity to speak with her, and found that she was even more inspiring and amazing when I was able to interview her.

What made you decide on france?

I’ve been studying French for years, but I’ve never been able to achieve fluency. I love French culture, and I’ve always felt at home in the country. I decided that if I wasn’t go to move to France now, if I wasn’t going to become fluent in French now, then when? (http://www.cestchristine.com/2010/04/a-lifelong-love-affair-with-france/)

Were you scared?

Not really. For the first time in my life, I actually felt ready to leave. I never felt scared or nervous about my decision to leave because I honestly felt in my heart that it was the right choice. I was also lucky to have incredible support from my parents and close friends.

What has been your favorite experience since you left?

I still get butterflies in my stomach when I sit on a bench across from the Mediterranean and soak up the sunshine. It’s just so supremely beautiful that I can’t believe how lucky I am to live here.

Where are you now, and what made you decide on this specific place?

I’m in Nice, France. I wanted to go to France, and I had already spent plenty of time in Paris. I decided some sunshine might be a nice change from the gray skies of Paris! The laid-back culture of Southern France is also a much better fit for my Californian personality. I don’t regret my choice at all–I love life on the French Riviera, although the huge amount of English-speaking expats makes French language immersion a bit difficult.

When do you plan on leaving and where to?

I’m flying back home in November to go to Hawaii with my family for Thanksgiving. I have no idea what I’ll be doing after that, but I hope to continue to travel. My dream would be to head down to Australia for a year, but I’d rather focus on enjoying today than worry about what I’m doing tomorrow.

What made you decide to start writing your blog?

Someone told me that if I wanted to be a writer, then all I had to do was write. How true! Blogging is a great way for me to practice writing, to get my feelings down on paper for an audience. My dream is to write a travel memoir, but I’m still working on having experiences worth writing about!

Any advice for people like yourself who want to immerse themselves in a culture?

Just do it. Go to a culture that feels like home to you. Eat the local food, even when it seems weird. Learn the language, even when it seems impossible. Watch their movies and listen to their music. Fall in love. Do whatever it takes to make you feel at home in their culture. And if you hate it, then leave.

What is your favorite thing about the French culture?

I love their relationship with food. Food is genuinely something to be enjoyed in France. It’s not about just filling yourself up with diet products and fast food. It should be about creating a social and gastronomic experience–and often that includes a nice glass of wine. Eating is such a natural experience that is meant to be enjoyed, but I think that we’ve totally screwed up our whole relationship with food in America. I love being able to eat a real meal here and not feel guilty about calories.

Have you found the language difference extremely hard?

Not really. However, I’ve been studying French for years and have always been able to maintain a conversational level. It’s a bit frustrating not being able to have in-depth conversations or completely express myself, but that just motivates me to study harder.

What is the one thing you feel that you must do before your married/have children/die (whats at the top of your pre-marriage list)?
Here is my whole pre-marriage bucket list. However, if I had to choose just ONE thing (this is realllllly hard), I think I would choose to road trip across the United States. For some reason, I picture this road trip to just be me and a girlfriend, windows down and music up, checking out everything my home country has to offer.

What has been your favorite book and why?

One of my absolute favorite books–and one that has truly inspired me to travel–is “Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert. I reread quotes from the book whenever I need a dose of motivation in life or love.

What was the most nerve-wracking about leaving and going to france?

I get tiny bouts of homesickness here and there, but overall, I couldn’t be more at ease with my decision to be in France. It was something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time, and the timing finally just felt right. The only nerve-wracking thing was the darn Iceland volcano threatening to disrupt my travel plans!

You can follow Christine at her blog, on twitter, or on facebook.

Thanks for reading,
DreamTravelerJess