The Aix-pat Life Continues

Hi Everyone,

 Yesterday I celebrated my 2nd year in France! Wow. I can't believe how time has flown by. We celebrated with a lemon tart à la américaine (meaning I made it). And…I know this may be upsetting to some, but after two years, it was finally time to acknowledge my Dook family (here and across the pond) and offer them a little bit of support... 

Please note: only the proper blue is allowed to touch the skin!

Here's a look back at the past 2 years:

September 2013

This is the first picture of me taken in France when Nicole and Jack came to visit on my 4th day in the country!

La Rotonde, Aix-en-Provence, France.

I visited Saint Tropez a few weeks later and got my first look at the Mediterranean Sea.

St. Tropez, France.

October 2013


My first hike to the top of Aix's only mountain.

Mt. Saint-Victoire, Aix-en-Provence, France.

This was the month I also took my first TGV train to Lyon for a conference all in French…remembering full well that I knew zero French. I recall having a lot of coffee that day. 

I also took my first trip to Paris to visit Em, a friend that had studied with us in North Carolina. 

La Tour Eiffel, Paris, France.

November 2013

Time for some research! I set off with my lab group to sample water from the Rhone river. Three hundred liters of water and two years later, I think I finally have some results.

Despite being abroad, I still enjoyed my favorite American holiday at the ICCP Thanksgiving celebration. Baked brie was a nice addition to the traditional meal! 

December 2013

This was a busy and exciting month. Besides all the festivities, I also moved into a shared apartment or "co-location" with Sophie and Camille, two French PhD students from the CEREGE.

Holiday decorations in Aix.

Adding our musical touch to the Christmas carol concert. 

Getting ready to open presents on Christmas Eve. 

January 2014

One week in London with Alessa to celebrate New Year's Eve  "English" style!

Heathrow airport, London, England.

I was so excited to have Alexis visit me! I wouldn't have believed it if someone told me when we started working together at UNC that we would be working together in France 5 years later. Who knew?

Schoenfisch lab reunion! 

February 2014

Hiking a volcano covered in snow. Puy-de-Dôme, France. 

Nice Carnival. Theme of gastronomy.

After 6 months in France, I took my first trip back to the US to do some research in Wyoming. Yes…I willingly chose to go to Wyoming…in FEBRUARY.

Airport in Denver, Colorado, USA.

March 2014

Football (soccer) is a BIG deal here. I finally made it to my first "Olympique de Marseille" game after 7 months in France. Good preparation for the World Cup that would follow!

April 2014

Château de Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France.

1st annual International Easter dinner. 

First trip to the Calanques! Calanque de Sugiton, Marseille, France.

May 2014

This was my first of 3 trips to the Gorges du Verdon. Even now, it is still my favorite place in France.

Lac de Sainte Croix, Gorges du Verdon, France.

Later that month I had the chance to go back the the US a 2nd time for a conference in Durham…at Dook ;) It was great to see all my friends and old colleagues and also to chow down on some Poole's Diner mac n' cheese!

June 2014

Lauren came to France to celebrate our birthdays! We happily left our mark on Aix, Marseille, the Gorges de Verdon, and Paris.

July 2014

World Cup. Enough said.

I finished off the month with a weekend trip to Barcelona with Alessa. Glad she will soon live even closer! That means more weekend get-aways :)

That's a LOT of Paella!

August 2014

In August our lab closes for two weeks for summer holidays. I headed to Bretagne (a region in northwestern France) to do some exploring. I also decided that since so many people had left for the summer I needed to find a way to keep practicing my French. Sure enough, France also has Meetup groups and I found an English-French conversation group that meets once per week. I guess they're an OK bunch ;)

Mt. Saint-Michel, Normandy, France.

1 Year-September 2014


Thiago and I took a day trip with our favorite tour guide, George, to Monaco. Allô Allô!

Port in Monaco.

At the end of September, I headed back to the US for the third time to do some more research in Wyoming. But I was able to make some other stops to see friends and family along the way :)

Hiking in Colorado, USA.

October 2014


One such stop- Josh and Rebecca's wedding in Charleston, South Carolina!

Alessa and I with the beautiful bride.

By the end of the month, I was back in France for another conference and another fun weekend spent with Sophie and her family in Pau. 

Flying around the Pyrénées, Pau, France.

Lighthouse at Capbreton, France.

November 2014

It just wouldn't be November without Thanksgiving. And to be honest…it's kind of nice here without the Black Friday to go along with.

Turkey time! 

December 2014


Lise and Nico's housewarming party in Nyons.

Land of olives, Nyons, France. 

My mom came to spend Christmas with me in France! We made stops in Strasbourg, Colmar, and Annecy.

January 2015


Celebrating New Year's Eve with the Meetup group. Thanks again for hosting, Andrea and Jakob!

L'Isere river in Grenoble, France.

February 2015

Time to make a piñata! Quick French fact: Paper mache in English comes from "Papier maché" in French, literally meaning "chewed paper".

First lesson in paper mache.

March 2015

Lemon Festival, Menton, France.

Venice, Italy.

April 2015

Helsinki Port, Finland.

Tallinn, Estonia.

May 2015


For our third European trip together, Alessa and I went to Rome at the beginning of May.

Rome, Italy.

Then I made my 4th trip back to the US to see friends, family, and the wonderful Tiffany Lu get married!

Tijuana, Mexico.

Finally made it to the Grand Canyon!

Celebrating Tiffany and Michael's wedding in Las Vegas.

June 2015


I made it back to France just in time for my birthday. 

Plages du Prado, Marseille, France.

And spent the rest of the month enjoying vineyards and lavender fields.

Plateau de Valensole, France.

July 2015


I spent this July 4th in Spain for Sophie's bachelorette weekend or "Enterrement de vie de jeune fille". Then two weeks later I headed back to western France for the wedding. Congratulations again, Sophie and Vincent!

Time to party! 

Dinner to celebrate finishing our French class!

July was a big month at the co-location. Camille defended her PhD, Sophie got married, and we said goodbye to Residence Pierre. 

Last party at the coloc. 

August 2015

To start off August right, I moved into a new apartment and also celebrated one year since I joined the Meetup group :)

English-French Meetup group.

Then of course, our lab closed for two weeks so I spent some vacation time in Athens. Don't worry…I'll still get around to Part II of my trip!

Parthenon, Athens, Greece.

That's it until now. Two years, 12 countries, 8400 photos, and a group of amazing friends from around the world. All I can say is take risks, follow your heart, wear a color of blue you may find utterly revolting. Take time to love and be loved. You never know what's in store. 

This probably isn't surprising for most people, but I've decided to continue my Aix-pat adventures a little longer and have accepted a 2nd contract with the same lab. We'll see where God leads after that...

A+
Danielle