Hi, I'm Andrea! I'm a French-American writer currently living in New York City, after 5 years in Paris, France, a few months in Spain, and a year of study abroad in the UK. I make videos about my experiences living abroad, traveling, writing and creativity, and all the wonderfully nerdy things I love. Also...I'm a bit of an unashamed coffee addict ☕️
SUBSCRIBE for new videos!
PS: Check out my writing channel for more bookish videos!
Пікірлер
I love Québecois, the accent as well as all the differences that there are with French from France. One thing that I always find funny is that Québecois use a lot of words that would seem very "old" in France, and same with the names. Some of their very young and actual names would probably be more suited for a 50/60 yo person in France and vice versa. And some words are not to be used in the same way if you want to avoid weird looks (just have a look at what "gosse" means in French from France and Québecois ;) )
Does anyone say «computatrice»? In Spanish, it's "computadora" on this side of the Pond, but in Spain it's "ordenador", which is totally clear to me, since I also speak French. Thanks for your answer!
TBH, Paris today is a horrible city (lots of dirt, lots of rats, lots of roadworks, lots of violence, etc.). I think you're better off in Montreal than in Paris now.
Merci beaucoup pour votre réponse honnête à ma question (NY ou Paris). Je vous souhaite bonne chance et bonne santé pour l'avenir et j'attends avec impatience de voir d'autres vidéos. Thomas d'Allemagne ❤
Your french is soooo good!
I sure do enjoy your videos! So glad. So glad to have new ones!!❤
What you will notice in Quebecois, we have stuck with old French words for hundreds of years. Also old way of pronouncing it. It evolved, of course, but in general that's what happened with our French. Andrea I don't know if you have access to a car, but let us know if you want recommendations of places to visit outside of Montreal!
Super late, but WELCOME TO QUEBEC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bienvenue a Montreal Andrea! j'espère que tu apprécieras notre petit coin de pays :)
📌 SUBTITLES: To activate the English captions for the portion of the video where I speak French, you can click on the CC button at the top/bottom bar of the video. (They might also turn on automatically for you, but that depends on your settings!)
Outgrow the clique! Widen your range of influence by avoiding them, and develop relationships with everyone you work with on your own terms. You do not want to be lumped into a group. Get your own life, rise above the BS, and quit worrying about the silly judgements of people, who are too insecure to have their own independent thoughts/voice.
Hi Andrea, I was wondering if you use an e-book reader (if so, what's your opinion on that) and if you listen to audiobooks. Thomas from Germany
Dr Who!
The best!! 🤩💙
Thanks for creating this video! You’re definitely not alone in feeling this way. It’s so odd because I used to spend almost my entire weekend writing and creating bookish content at university and now I struggle with spending two hours writing. Hopefully we can all find our delusion again soon and get these creative projects done ❤
I feel that 🥹 We can do it!! 💜
I had a very similar feeling at the end of my graduate program. I got an entire PhD and my confidence in my academic and professional abilities had never been lower. It certainly feels like the more you know, the more you know how much you don’t know. And like you touched on, it’s so easy to fixate on the not knowing part versus how much you’ve grown!
Yes, exactly! If only we could keep the same confidence that we had when we were freshmen and knew so little 😂 (Congratulations on your PhD by the way! That's an incredible achievement!!)
Wow, the way that Christopher Paolini really set the bar for an entire generation of young writers...I had that exact thought and these same age-related publishing goalposts for myself, so I'm glad to know I'm not alone! At the start of this year I was feeling so disconnected from my writing / identity as a writer that I told myself I was going to take this year to really give it my all. I signed up for a nonfiction writing class at my local writer’s center, and have since discovered a beautiful community in that class, as well as renewed confidence in my ability and my identity. My delusions for the future are back, I’m dreaming again, and it’s so motivating and exciting. As lame as it sounds, having the external validation and encouragement from my fellow writers in my class has reignited that positive inner voice within myself. I think we think we should be above that, that we shouldn’t need that validation to keep going, but as the years and those markers in the sand go by, it can be hard to keep that spark alive without encouragement from others. If this isn’t something you’ve found already- a real life writing community- I’d suggest giving it a shot! It’s a beautiful thing to find those delusions of youth again. ❤️ Thank you for making this thoughtful and relatable video!
Haha I'm glad I'm not the only one who was enamored with the Paolini publishing dream! 😆 A writing community is so very important and definitely something that I'm working on building around myself! I have some amazing friends already who are writers and creatives, and my next goal is to be brave enough to share more of my actual writing with them. External validation is something that we're told we shouldn't need, but when it comes from a healthy source (friends who care!) then I think it can be a wonderful thing, especially when it's reciprocal. I'm so happy for you that you've had such a wonderful experience in your writing group! 🤩
Lovely topic! I remember finding your videos a good while back and being inspired by you to write :) I am still writing to this day, but as you said, definitely not published by 18 or 20 xD I just turned 27 not even a full week ago and... yeah. Felt a bit letdown about my "unacomplished"" goals. Some of them are works in progress, like writing/publishing (I tried publishing a few coloring books first so that was fun). Now trying to get back to posting on KZread more and writing a fresh draft of an urban fantasy :) So am working on my goals, but as you mentioned, shifted some of them and they're adjusted to who am I now (versus 18 year old me). :) Thanks for an interesting video!
That's really cool that you've published some coloring books!! I would be terrible at designing them myself haha, but I used to enjoy coloring while watching TV in the evenings; maybe I should pick it back up again 😍 Thank you for sharing about your goals, then and now! Adjustment is definitely the key: as we grow, they can too ☺️
I’ve always enjoyed your videos, and this one really struck a chord with me! I mean it applies to anything in our lives that we aspire to. 🧡
Thank you, I'm happy to hear it! And you're so right 🙌
Incredibly beautiful!
How is your accent in French compared to the accents of Paris and Montréal?
Very interesting question! I'd definitely say that my accent is shaped from my exposure to "France French", mostly from Paris but also some central regions of France. But I'd be curious to see if that changes at all after I've spent some more time in Montreal! I suspect I'm more likely to pick up Quebecois expressions/phrases or tone, rather than an actual accent, but we'll see 😆
Wow the pet permit thing is fascinating. I think I might need to look into that a bit more.
You're so beautiful
I also live abroad so love hearing other people's experiences! Best wishes for your time in Montreal😊
Thank you!! 😁
How did you find moving your cats from Europe to the US?
It was more stressful in my head than it was in practice, though it helped that my husband and I prepared well! The document requirements are generally less extensive for cats than for dogs, but we made sure we had everything we needed for our country of origin, our country (and state) of destination, and the airline, because sometimes they also have specific requirements. We gave ourselves extra time to get through security in case there were delays. You can either ask for a private room or take your cat out of their carrier and pass through the metal detector with them in your arms. That's the worst part, honestly, but our cats have handled it really well each time! (If there's a high chance of a flight risk, definitely ask for a private room, which I think most major airports can accommodate.) Overall, our cats didn't enjoy being stuck in their carriers for so many hours, but they did so well and we gave them a lot of time to decompress and adjust to their new home once we arrived! 😸
If you haven't already, do visit the Old Quebec! Ottawa can be interesting too for a day trip.
I haven't visited either yet, but both are on my list! Especially Old Quebec 🤩
I always like to see a new video, you can do some "from the street" videos :). I wish you good luck in a new country and in a special city. Thomas
Thank you! 😁
I love this type of content. I am originally from the east coast of Canada. I have lived in 4 different provinces and each one was so unique and offered a different living experience. I have lived in France now for 8 years (my husband is French). Living in different environments offers so much and enriches life in so many ways. I see some of my friends who still live close to and have grown their own families, close to their parents. Sometimes I feel jealous of that but I know that, given the chance, I wouldn’t change the path of my life. I know that experiencing life in a completely different culture and language has changed and enriched me (and my family) in so many ways. P.S. you should definitely visit my home province of Newfoundland and Labrador. ☺️
Thank you for sharing about your experiences!! You're so right. I love my family and miss them often, but despite that I wouldn't change my life's path either 🥰 I would love to visit Newfoundland and Labrador at some point - it looks beautiful! 😍
oh yeah definitely feel the pang to go to certain places like cafes and such that you’ve visited in places where u don’t currently reside! traveled to nashville recently & missing some places i went to while i was there <3 i enjoyed this video & as someone who has always wanted to move abroad it’s exciting to me to hear about your perspectives<3 also i love your sweater :)
Thank you!! I feel like we never fully know which spots are the most special to us until we move away and see which ones we miss in those random moments 🥹💜
J'ai eu des expériences similaires. Originaire pour Sydney, en Australie, j'ai depuis vécu à Londres, Paris, Chicago et Minneapolis au cours de ma vie. Mon français est de niveau B2 - C1.
C'est super ! Et c'est cool de savoir que tu as vécu dans le Midwest (et dans mon état d'Illinois !). On est souvent oublié entre New York et Californie 😂
I was talking to a clerk in French who explained my item was at the "warehouse". I asked her 3 times where? She paused, then said "Pour vous, c'est a l'entrepot."🙂
😅😅
yay, New Video!
🥳🥳
Question essentielle : si vous deviez choisir entre New York et Paris, quelle ville choisiriez-vous et pourquoi ? :)
Scoop, Journey to the end of the night, Lucky Jim and American pastoral are fantastic.
Her voice sounbds deeper than it did 12 years ago
That would be age (and getting used to talking to a camera) 😛
Glad to hear you are moving to Montreal and Canada! I think it will be a good fit for you guys. I lived in Montreal for a few years (around the time when you visited) and it's a charming city. But as an anglophone, I had to leave because all the bills and policies introduced by the current Legault gov't that punishes anglophones, and I didn't feel like paying taxes to a government that doesn't serve me. But being French speaking, you two will fit in just perfectly. Can you do a video in the future about the differences between Quebecois / Parisian accents and vocabulary that you've encounter? Also differences between NY and Mtl bagels! Best of luck on your move and hope you are enjoying Montreal!
The dynamic of French vs. English here is truly a complicated one! 😅 I'm sorry to hear that you ended up not feeling welcome. I definitely get the sense that the government/policies aren't exactly aligned with the spirit of the people, who have been so friendly (in both languages!). I will definitely talk more about Quebecois/Parisian linguistic differences, once I feel like I know a bit more haha - and the BAGELS 😍
I’m so sad you’re leaving NYC, but man i’m so excited for Montreal! I cannot wait for those videos! ❤ PS: I love that cat tree behind you! it’s so great!!
Our cats love it too! 😸💜 Thank you!!
omg i hope the move goes well! montreal seems like it will suit you! i follow another usamerican who moved to paris & stayed for many years & then her & her french husband moved to montreal a while back! sending u good vibes & looking forward to videos about your time in montreal <3
Thank you! I’m really excited to settle in and truly discover the city, especially in all its seasons. I think we’re going to enjoy it 😍 Can’t wait to post more updates!
Congrats Andrea I'm so excited for you! I can't wait to see what the next chapter holds for you.
Thank you!
All the best with the move! :) I remember your first vlogs from Montreal, really liked them.
Thank you!! 😊
You're French American, congrats! That made me think, If I ever were to get French citizenship I'd be French Canadian but I'm also already French Canadienne by ancestry. I grew up with with a Meme and Pepe.
Oo le retour vers une ville francophone! j’espère que ça vous plaira, j'ai adoré y vivre pendant un peu plus d'un an :) Hâte de voir des vidéos avec ton avis sur l'accent québecois
Oui, j’ai très hâte de pouvoir utiliser le français encore une fois dans ma vie quotidienne ! Et j’adore l’accent québécois 😍 Mais comme tous les accents qu’on connaît moins, il me faut un peu de temps pour m’habituer à toutes les différences !
As someone who was born and raised in NY and currently living in Queens, it's interesting to see other people's perspective of the city. The diversity of food and people in the city is something I will always love. Not far from where I live, there is a world food fair that I love to go to during the summer and fall. It's something you'll never see anywhere else and it's one of the reasons I'll think twice if I ever decide to leave NY. Good luck on your move to Montreal and hope you enjoy your experience there as well.
Thank you!! We absolutely loved Queens, and the diversity of people, cultures, and languages was one of the best aspects. I’m so happy we got to live there 🥰
Bon dia, quantes llengües llatines parles? Saps parlar una altra llengua germànica?
Small talk is a waste of time, and if forced, it can be very weird and leave bad aftertaste. Rarely people relly care and really want to know what you think, especially in services, they talk and are friendly because they either expect you to give tip or becaue employer demands it from employees.
As a German I can't see any phonetic similarity between the Spanish "un" and the French "une" because the French "u" sounds exactly like the German "ü". It's very interesting that it sounds similar to English native speakers.
A parking lot comes from the french meaning of "to park trains in a specific area" (une "station de train"), (a stationary area for trains) or "a parking lot" ... Parking lot: comes from "a piece of land (lot) designated for parked waggons (stationery waggons)" Im guessing you figured where "stationary" comes from at that point... (Une "station d'essence", une armée "stationnée" quelque part) A "Gas station", or the army being "stationed" somewhere, all come from the latin words "stare" (to stand) and "statio" (in position, or stationary). Put it together; "a regular stopping place on route, especially one on a railroad or military service road, with buildings surrounding it"
Very nice 💯 Vlog ❤
Hi Andrea! I find it very refreshing to see your content occasionally rather than every single day with a majority of KZreadrs 😎😊😇😂🫶💚❤️
Haha I'm glad, I could never keep up with daily posts! 😂
Love your videos for years! Merry Christmas!❤
Thank you! Merry Christmas! 🎄
Happy Christmas, Andrea! 🎄Wishing you all the best for 2024! 🎉
Thank you! Same to you! 🎈✨
Happy Holidays! Look forward to your interesting vlogs and posts. Wishing you a year of creativity in 2024!
Thank you!! You too, happy holidays! 🎊