This week, we’re honored to feature the beautiful and talented fashion blogger, Kristina Wilde. After earning a degree in Multimedia, Design, and Development, this youtuber says, “I decided to work for myself to appease my wondering mind.” She has had great success so far, reaching over 1 million views on her YouTube channel and nearly 32K Instagram followers to date. To top that off, Kristina is also one of the sweetest people we’ve met. We know you’ll enjoy reading her story.
What’s your Paris story?
Bonjour! My name is Kristina Wilde, I am a fashion blogger/youtuber born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, California.
After visiting Europe for the first time, I had completely fallen in love with Paris. Now nearly 4 years later, a year long-distance relationship *with a frenchie*, I have now been living my dream for now 6 months! Since I was a child, I always pictured myself living internationally. I actually thought that I would end up in London since being not only was the language English, but also I had gotten accepted into a masters program for Fashion Photography at University of Arts London. Needless to say, Paris had stolen my heart and I just needed to find a way here.
I finally had made up my mind to become an Au Pair in Paris when my boyfriend and I started dating. We had decided that even though our relationship was new and now long distance, we had made up our minds that we would live together in Paris summer 2016. If I could have it my way, visa’s aside, I would have been here years ago! Being able to say that I’ve accomplished a major goal in my life is something I am so proud of and I cannot wait for where my new life in Paris takes me!
My career path has definitely been a journey! Originally studying Multimedia, Design and Development, creating websites and graphics, I had finished my degree and set off into fashion and lifestyle photography. I definitely would say that I get bored of doing the same things every day which is why working for myself, was the best things I could have done! After working in the fashion industry, being a Graphic Designer for a fashion apparel company to working as a Social Media Manager, I had decided to work for myself, to appease my wondering mind. While I was living in Los Angeles, you could say, I was doing a little of everything being a freelance Content Creator, as I was working alongside digital marketing agencies creating marketing strategies as well as shooting engaging content.
Tell us about this spot you chose.
Everywhere in Paris is so breath-taking and still to this day, I walk around and get lost in this magical city. There is always something to see and places to discover! I remember the first time I saw the Eiffel Tower sparkle, it was everything I had ever dreamed about. It was as if everything around me went completely silent and I just stared up at her beauty and in that moment, I knew that one day I will call this place my home.
I never quite felt like Los Angeles was my home. Sure I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and I am the typical California girl, but I knew that there was something missing. It wasn’t until I had lived in Paris for two months during the summer of 2014 while taking photography classes, that I had finally felt I could call a place home. When I left, I was completely heartbroken because I knew this was my home and I wasn’t sure when I would be able to return.
You could ask all my friends back home, they will swear to you I was born in the wrong country. My style definitely reflects more Parisian but still is very much that Los Angeles minimal taste. My outfits would be always fighting the sunshine in Los Angeles, so I am definitely loving being able to layer!
What is a typical day like for you here in France?
My daily routine calls for early mornings and late evenings. Currently studying french full-time while managing my social media channels, and still finding myself wanting more creative work! I have always been somewhat of an overachiever who loves doing 5 things at once, I guess you could say it’s a part of my personality.
Class starts bright and early at 8 AM and finishes at noon, leaving plenty of daylight to enjoy however most days I find myself rushing home to complete a blog post or upload a new video to my YouTube channel.
From managing my Instagram to making sure I remember all of the french tenses, you think I would be satisfied. Not quite, while working as a full-time blogger, I also am a freelance contributor where I write articles from blogs like OPI and Bloglovin. However, if I am being completely honest, work does end at some point. Most of my nights and weekends are spent with my boyfriend, and we enjoy dancing together in our tiny apartment. Oh what can I say, we’re “that” couple. hehe.
What do you like most about living abroad?
First being able to spend every minute with my love, but secondly everything from being able to buy fresh bread to view some of the world’s greatest artwork. Paris being quite small in size compared to Los Angeles, it has so much to offer! My favorite thing has to be being a tourist in my own city. It honestly never gets old and I don’t think it ever will.
What challenges do you face as an expat?
The biggest challenge for me is FRENCH GRAMMAR! No totally kidding, but it is seriously so difficult. I think one of the hardest things for me is coming from being an established blogger in Los Angeles, attending events weekly or visiting my favorite showrooms to view the new collections, to almost no one knowing my name. It has been a slow but steady process to getting my foot in the door, to meeting the right people but I must say, it becomes easier with time the more french I know! C’est la vie, the price of living a girls dream abroad in Paris.
How do you meet people in Paris?
This should be no surprise at all considering what I do for a living, social media. I have met all of my friends from Youtube or Instagram, no totally serious! The blogging community is so massive and I am so excited to meet more bloggers here who are based in Paris! The awesome thing about knowing one blogger is you’ll meet another and then you start finding that your circles are the same! It’s actually similarly to how I met my fellow blogger babes in Los Angeles too, attending the same events and constantly bumping into each other, or Instagram obsessing over their feed.
What advice would you give to others wanting to move abroad?
If living abroad is even remotely something you want to experience, DO IT. I have grown so much as a person living internationally. It might not always be exactly what you imaged, but it’s one that you will remember forever!
How can people continue following your story?
