After three years living in Aix-en-Provence, Kim returned to the U.S. for three weeks and found herself seeing American life with completely new eyes.

From enormous iced coffees, packed schedules and noisy restaurants to generous strangers, family reunions and the unmistakable warmth of American culture, she reflects on the things that suddenly stood out after becoming accustomed to a slower pace of life in France.

Kim shares what she noticed about American attitudes toward time, food, parenting, convenience and productivity, along with the French habits she has come to appreciate, including lingering over meals, embracing downtime and being more present in everyday life.

Rather than deciding one culture has it figured out, she reflects on what both France and America have taught her about living well, and why sometimes leaving home is exactly what helps you see it more clearly.

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Produced by NOVA

What if the moments that matter most aren’t the extravagant trips or perfectly planned experiences, but the quiet ones happening right in front of us?

Kim begins by sharing the very American collection of food, medicine, beauty products and everyday essentials she brings back to France after visiting the U.S. Then, she reflects on how living in Provence has changed her understanding of an “extraordinary” life.

From camping under the stars in the backyard and watching movies projected onto the ceiling to late-night swims, messy summer days and an unexpectedly memorable trip to McDonald’s, Kim shares why ordinary moments often become the ones we remember most. She also talks about letting go of overscheduling, asking what her family actually needs and learning to be fully present for the life they’re already living.

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Produced by NOVA

Kim is back with the second half of her listener Q&A, recorded after a technical issue cut the video short during the original session. She answers questions about building a life in France, from the biggest changes she has experienced as a mother to the realities of French paperwork and starting a business abroad.

Kim shares why parenting in France has helped her worry less, give her children more independence and step away from the pressure to fill their schedules. She also talks about the preservation of childhood, France’s slower adoption of screens in schools, the friendships she has formed with other mothers and what French women really think about the world’s fascination with them.

Plus, Kim shares the French fashion brands she wears most including Sézane, Soeur, Ysé, Stella & Suzie, Zara, J.Crew and Tuckernuck, her approach to building a wardrobe and what she learned while navigating visas, freelance work and the French administrative system.

Resources:

• Sézane

• Soeur

• Ysé

• Maison Stella & Suzie

• Zara

• J.Crew

• Tuckernuck

• France-Visas: International Talent Visas

• France-Visas: Self-Employed or Liberal Activity

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Produced by NOVA

Kim is joined by her sister, Courtney Ochs, a first-grade teacher from Chicago, to compare the American and French school systems from both a teacher’s and a parent’s perspective.

They get into the major differences they’ve noticed in school schedules, vacations, lunches, recess and classroom technology. Courtney shares what teaching looks like in an American public school, while Kim explains the more traditional approach her children experience at an international school in France.

They also compare classroom discipline, support for different learning needs, communication with teachers and the very different expectations around parental involvement. From three-course French school lunches and handwritten cursive homework to classroom iPads and parents competing for volunteer spots, both systems have benefits, drawbacks and plenty they could learn from each other.

Resources:

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Produced by NOVA

Daily life in France: errands, doctors, groceries and all the little surprises.

Kim is sharing what daily life in France actually looks like, beyond the postcard version. After an ant infestation in her old French house sends her on a very un-American errand, she starts unpacking all the little ways everyday routines feel different in France.

From booking doctors on Doctolib and picking up vaccines at the pharmacy to shopping at the market, carrying groceries in an “old lady cart,” figuring out weekday lunches, navigating the bank and comparing prices between France and the U.S., this episode is a realistic look at the slower, more local rhythm of life in France.

Resources:

• Doctolib

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Produced by NOVA

After three years in France, Kim is reflecting on the American habits she did not fully notice until she had enough distance to see them clearly.

In this episode, she talks about rushing through the day, measuring life by productivity, feeling pressure to “keep busy,” overthinking parenting, buying too much, delaying rest, and treating pleasure like something that has to be earned. France has not magically cured any of these habits, but it has helped her question the fears, assumptions, and expectations that shaped so much of how she lived before.

She also shares a summer travel chat about where people in France and Europe actually go on vacation, from Greek islands to Malta, Italy, Croatia, and Turkey.

Resources:

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In this episode of Conversations From Paris: Kim sits down with Oliver Gee, the creator of The Earful Tower, one of the most beloved English-language podcasts about Paris. Oliver shares how he went from Australian journalist in Paris to storyteller, podcaster, walking tour host, author, and unofficial expert on the city’s hidden corners.

Together, Kim and Oliver talk about what visitors often get wrong about Paris, why the best travel moments usually happen when you leave room for surprise, and how to experience the city beyond TikTok lists and tourist checkboxes. They also get into raising kids in France, learning French in real life, the beauty of small museums, and why Paris never runs out of stories.

Resources:

• The Earful Tower Official Website

• The Earful Tower Podcast

• The Earful Tower Walking Tours

• Activities for Kids in Paris: Kapla Centre, Color Room, Atelier des Lumieres 

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After three years living in Provence, Kim is sharing the things she’d like to say to the French, respectfully, as an American living in France.

From the quiet intimidation of speaking French as an adult to the structure, rules and rhythms that shape daily life in France, she reflects on what it feels like to live between two cultures. She also shares what France has taught her about slowing down, protecting pleasure, noticing beauty, and questioning the parts of American life she once accepted without thinking.

Plus, Kim shares her packing advice for summer travel in France, so hopes that’s helpful to anyone coming to Europe soon!

Resources:

• Packing Cubes

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Produced by NOVA

Kim is answering listener questions about what life in France really looks like day to day, from summer camps in Provence and her slower morning routine to motherhood, making friends, style, fitness, writing, and the question everyone asks: will her family stay in France?

She shares how living in Aix-en-Provence has changed the way she thinks about work, parenting, creativity, and raising third-culture kids. She also gets into the practical side of moving abroad, including choosing France, navigating visas, starting a freelance business, and finding a new rhythm far from the American rush.

Resources:

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Living abroad is not one big romantic leap. It is a process, and Kim is breaking it down into the stages she has experienced after moving from California to France.

In this episode, Kim shares what life is like in the first year. She shares how these can often feel like the “toddler years” of expat life, when everything feels magical, confusing and slightly humiliating, from speaking in broken sentences to surviving the French post office. She also talks about the second-year homesickness that can hit when the novelty wears off, the cultural traditions you start to miss, and the deeper questions that come with building a new life far from home.

Now in her third year, Kim reflects on the quiet confidence that comes with feeling more settled, speaking French more comfortably, letting go of old expectations, and noticing the small moments that make life feel fuller. From Aperol spritzes and sugary French cocktails to raising kids abroad and rediscovering herself, this is an honest look at what it really feels like to grow into a life in another country.

Resources:

• Episode mentioned: Are These the Best Years of Our Lives?

• Episode mentioned: What No One Tells You About Moving Abroad

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