I left the US to move to a charming French town sight unseen. It was the best decision I've ever made.

• My husband and I recently moved to a charming French town outside Paris without visiting it first.
• Moving abroad has sometimes been a bit uncomfortable, but was the best decision we've ever made.

Over the years, my husband and I talked a lot about moving out of San Diego.

We traveled to all 50 US states but never found a place that felt like home. That's when we decided that our next move would be abroad.

Originally, we set our sights on Italy after a dreamy trip to Bologna. But after reviewing the country's complicated visa process, we decided to look to Italy's neighbor — France.

We didn't want to live in Paris, but our solution was a 20-minute train ride away

We knew we wanted to be close to Paris for ease of transit, but didn't want to live in the actual city.

Paris was expensive and too busy for our anxious dog who wishes we'd just live on a farm already.

That's when we started looking at the suburbs of Paris.

Located just 20 minutes from Paris by train, Saint-Germain-en-Laye seemed to be our solution. We kept seeing people online recommend it as a great place for visitors from all over the world.

It looked like a miniature version of Paris, with charming shops, brasseries, and architecture. It was also located within an hour of two major airports.

And we wouldn't have to deal with the crowds of the big city there.

The only issue was we'd never been to Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and we wanted to move before it got too cold for our large dog to travel in cargo.

In an uncharacteristically spontaneous fashion, we sent in our applications for a French visa. We hardly had time to feel nervous about the move because they were approved within eight days.

Less than two months from that point, we'd be unpacking in our new apartment in France.

Many times, I feel as though I'm living in a fairytale

The move to Saint-Germain-en-Laye has come with many pleasant surprises, like a lower cost of living.

It helps that we've downsized quite a bit, and since our apartment is tiny, we generally consume less "stuff."

Although the stereotype is that French people are rude, we've had nothing but positive experiences with people here.

The locals we've met have been incredibly welcoming, supporting us as we navigate the learning curve of life in France — the language, customs, and which bakery serves the best croissants.

We've embraced this lifestyle, even keeping our phones tucked away as we discover new routes through the neighborhood and surrounding forests.

I've loved shopping locally and finding our preferred mongers for cheese, fish, and baguettes.

There's even a shoe cobbler down the street from our apartment who doubles as our Amazon pickup guy.

Our dog's new favorite place to do her business down the street is an actual palace, the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye that's been here for hundreds of years.

And yes, one French stereotype seems to ring true: I reguarly see people here walk around with baguettes popping out of their backpacks.

Although the journey is sometimes uncomfortable, I'd make the move again in a heartbeat

Moving to a new country has meant making a few adjustments to our daily routines.

In our case, that's meant giving up clothes dryers and learning to live with tiny bottles of Sriracha instead of the jumbo ones we were used to buying in the US.

It's also meant learning to be OK with making mistakes, especially given the language barrier.

However, recent doctor's visits as part of our visas suggest we're living healthier lives in France, despite the increase in our consumption of sweets.

It could be the tiny condiments, the proximity to nature, or the fact that we've embraced a simpler life.

After just a few months of living in France, we know we'd like to stay longer if they'll have us — even if it's just for another year.