Who are we?

We are a Franco-Chinese couple, one from Burgundy and the other from Shanghai. Although coming from two different countries and universes, we found ourselves around two passions:

- Discovery
- And gastronomy

Newly married, we decided to swap the classic honeymoon (on a beach with fine sand) for a long trip for one year.

The portraits:

XIA by Raphaël

She was born and raised in Shanghai. Contrary to what I thought the day I met her, she is not the fragile and shy little girl that I imagined. But not at all!!!

Very small she is already very independent. I do not know if it's due to the many business trips of her parents or the fact that she is an only child, maybe a little bit of both.
Once is sure that she is not afraid:

• "It would be better if you can learn a language that has nothing to do with yours in addition to the English, Mandarin and Shanghai language you already know" ... "OK I will do it!
• ''You should do a part of your studies in France, away from all your friends, your family and your cultural landmarks in a city where there is no Chinese environment ... '' OK will I do it ''
• "You'll have to do a roommate alone with a man you do not know and you've never even met ..." "OK I will do it"

Without forgetting the:

'' Shall we do a trip round the world? '' ... '' OK let’s do it! ''

In a few words, we forget completely the fragile little girl and shy. Xia is a girl who knows what she wants and how she wants. And just what she wants are travel and gastronomy. Two aspects deeply rooted in her personality that she shares with me in the highest degree.

RAPHAEL by Xia

He grew up in a small village in Burgundy until he was 20 years old. He met me when he arrived in Paris for his studies. What brought him happy, before he knew me, is only the trees (that the reason for what he does his job now). Since then, I have introduced him to the taste of discovery.

Since we decided to live together 7 years ago, we have traveled mainly in Europe and sometimes in Asia. After that, the little boy who went to the forest to relax and to touch trees (and speak to them, he denies it but there are witnesses ...) become a true globetrotter who only dream of a thing: to discover more and more countries and especially new trees (no comment…). But speaking to the trees is not his only interest, thanks to me, the little bourguignon discovered other things than French dishes and since that time, he cannot stop: Asian cuisine, Japanese, Tibetan, Ethiopian, vegetarian. He wants to taste everything. But the ritual is always the same:

"Raphael, you want to eat that?"
"Uh, what is it? Is it scary? Are you sure it's good?
...... ah but Xia, is so good, when will we come back to eat it again? ''

It is valid in 99% of cases except once he tried the cartilage of chicken feet with the Asian sauce to please me and after that he added a clause of divorce in the contract of our marriage if I force him to eat them again.

For those who want to know more about us and the why of how ...

We met in the apartment that we rent together in Paris. Xia came to Paris to finish his Telecom engineering degree and Raphaël went up to the capital to start a BTS that will lead him to the diploma of Landscape engineer.

Both of us are curious about the culture of the other, our relationship has grown at the same time as our taste for travel and gastronomy. Going around the world was therefore quite logical. It still needed a trigger in order to place this project among others more conventional. It is a two-month trip to a Central American island that will be an electroshock to Raphael. A few months after his return while he is in the south of France for his school, he calls Xia who is in Paris:

"Xia, I've been thinking lately. After graduation, we should do a world-wide trip. "

'' Euuuhhh ... yes ...... okay ...... Remember we said we wanted to get married, and then have kids after graduation. ''

'' Well let's marry before and make children after ''
'' ............ it suits me, we get married when? ''

So, this conversation took place on April 20, 2014 and after marrying us in three different places, we begin the first step of this world-wide tour on February 19, 2017, one month and one day by three years after this conversation.

To know more about us, you can go to: www.loeufenvoyage.fr

Interests

The plants, the gardens, hiking, walking (in the city), swimming, cooking(we love worldwide cooks), reading(history, geography)

• cooking
• food
• nature
• landscape

Music, Movies, and Books

Star Wars
Science fiction, fantasy books, historical fiction

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Have built a vertical garden at the foot of a volcano.

Teach, Learn, Share

We can teach you French and Chinese.
We would like to learn English, Spanish
We can share the cook.

What I Can Share with Hosts

We can cook some delicious food, Chinese and French food. And teach you some interesting words you may like to know in French and Chinese languages!

Countries I’ve Visited

China, England, Italy, Netherlands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin (French part), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, France