In the United States, I always felt like Christmas Day was the moment the world would finally explode from the built-up frenzy of pre-holiday hysteria. Weeks of anticipation, coordinated outfits, school concerts, office parties, shipping deadlines, sugar, lights, and questionable inflatable lawn decorations all seemed to gather force until there was nowhere left for the energy to go. Here in France, it is a bit different. The great national acceleration does not happen in Dec

You may not need a support group. There’s no right way to “expat.” Maybe it’s enough support for you to head to an Irish bar for a pint and watch a game, or to meet up with other English speakers over an apéritif. Those things matter. They help us integrate, laugh, exchange tips, and feel a little less alone. And yet, some parts of living abroad are hard to bring into casual conversation at informal gatherings. It can be difficult to simply say this is really, really hard. It