Two Years in Paris
Hi friends,
August 29th marked my second anniversary of living in Paris. In so many ways, it feels like I’ve been living abroad for a much longer period of time. It feels like another lifetime entirely, another era. To celebrate my second anniversary in Paris, I met up with some friends for tea at a little cafe called Bontemps. It has a cute little courtyard, perfect for afternoon tea, and a cozy interior for when the nights start getting a bit colder.
Living in Paris has been full of highs and lows but now that I’ve settled into my job search routine and have a solid group of friends, I feel more and more at home. This week also marked a little reunion as many of my friends returned back to Paris after being away for the summer. One of my dear friends, Ghazal, is now happily married and it feels so surreal to see her bridal glow in person.
What I wore:
Top: My roommate, Vina, gave me this old mini skirt that I often style as a tube top.
Skirt: I thrifted this dress last April for my birthday in Paris for less than 5 euros. I styled it here as a skirt.
Shoes and bag: Thrifted back in LA.
What I learned so far during my second year of living abroad:
Speaking French:
Maintenant, je peux parler et comprendre plus des mots français. Mais c’est vrai je ne parle pas français tous les jours parce que tous mes amis parlent anglais aussi. Pour mon entretiens, j’essaye parle français pour le débutant de la rencontre parce que tous les marques français préfère quelqu’un qui parle français courant. C’est très compliqué et difficile pour moi et j'ai sous-estimé la difficulté.
Don’t sleep on Duolingo! I’ve had a streak of several years now and let’s just say that two minutes of forced exposure to a language is better than nothing.
Making new friends:
Like anywhere else, friends seem to come and go. The difference is here, friends become more like family within a short amount of time. It’s true that there is a shared, unspoken understanding between expats who come to Paris seeking a fresh start or a new adventure, and we can depend on each other for the endless assortment of challenges that come our way as foreigners.
One of the things I love most about living in Paris is the number of international friends I’ve made from all different corners of the world. From Singapore to Serbia, my friends here have opened up my horizon to new cultures, values, traditions, and attitudes.
Dating:
I always say to my friends back home that the grass is not greener on the other side. In general, I would say that Parisian men are similar to men in LA in the sense that it’s not unusual to hear them say, “I don’t know what I want…” regardless of the guy being 27 or 37.
This year, I’ve at least made some progress in upping my frequency of dates. In the past, I tend to overthink and get cold feet, but this year, for better or for worse, I’ve at least showed up to the date. So far, it’s taught me a lot about myself and how I come across to men whose first impression of me tends to be different than what I think. One guy described me as “disciplined” which painted a picture in my mind as someone who resembles a strict ballet teacher. A compliment, of course, but not what I first had in mind for myself.
It’s definitely a weird feeling to see many of my friends start to get engaged and have kids. In so many ways it feels so far away for me as someone whose been single for a few years now, but I suppose you never know. My life is neither empty nor borning without romance if anything, Paris will always be my first love.
Parisian Fashion:
Versatility, comfort, and seasonless basics are key. Unlike many households in the US (except for NYC most likely), closet space in Paris is very limited. In my case, I don’t even have a closet. I have use an Ikea bookshelf as my dressers and I have a coat rack that I store most of my dresses and jackets.
Shoes are my biggest essential. If my destination is under 30 minutes, I walk there. As a result, I go through shoes so quickly with many of them needing repairs from a cobbler ASAP.
A neutral palette makes dressing and styling easier. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that my wardrobe is very black/white, minimalist, “clean-girl aesthetic”. Clearly, I follow a lot of fashion influencers with the same fashion ethos and personally I find dressing simply but intentionally to be the best approach.
Some of my favorite looks this year:
Working/Interviewing:
The current bane of my existence is landing a proper job in France. It’s been nearly nine months I’m still looking for a job despite my many series of interviews. I’ve sent out over 500 CV’s, networked with upper management from brands, write a cover custom letter for every application, connect with recruiting agencies, and reach out directly to hiring managers. I’m not sure what else it’s going to take. Luckily, I have a solid emotional support system here in Paris. My friends and old colleagues have helped me stay sane during this difficult year, but it is all really stressful and I must have something before the end of the year.
This summer, I’ve been able to make some money on the side by petsitting, babysitting, social media collabs, and even freelance modeling. Living abroad has pushed me to be even more and more resourceful when it comes to budgeting and networking, so it’s not always as glamorous as it looks.
European Living:
It’s true that here, most people agree that it’s better to live to work than work to live. But in fact, I think we can all agree that no one wants to work to live. The difference is that here society mirrors this value. People have drinks after work and a late dinner to make time for mid-week socializing. Going for a walk is considering a time to bond with someone over conversation and reflection. Summer holidays mean one month off.
However, there is a price to pay. Salaries are generally half compared to the US, taxes are higher, and the birth of innovation still seems to dominate the US market. So in the end, it just depends what’s important to you and to me, I would rather stay in my small flat, walk everywhere, buy my one euro baguette, and have the time to travel the world than go back to sitting in LA traffic. Maybe Paris is not for me forever, but for now it’s where I feel myself thriving.
As always, if you’ve gotten this far, thank you so much for reading my latest blog post. You can subscribe to future newsletters and updates either here or on my Substack. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have about living abroad in Paris.
À bientôt!
Bisous,
Kiana
