I was working full-time in Washington, DC, when I fell for an international student from France who was temporarily studying in the city.
After six months together, he headed to Madrid to kick-start his career, and we began dating long-distance for about 18 months. We got married in 2017, and I moved to Spain to be with him.
Although I quickly found work as a journalist, the city never truly felt like home to me. My Spanish language skills were very basic, and although everyone I met was nice, I found it hard to form meaningful friendships.
I felt like an outsider, and I decided I didn’t want to live in Madrid long-term. My husband agreed, not because he didn’t like the city, but because he wanted to travel more before eventually settling down closer to his family in France.
He told me that since I’d moved to Madrid for him, I could choose the next city.
I had my heart set on moving to Paris
I’d only been to Paris twice — once with my husband for two days in 2015, and again in 2019 to visit his family at Christmastime — but our second visit made me realize in my core it was the place for me.
I got giddy every time I walked along the Seine and saw Notre Dame or watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night. I also love modern art, and there are always plenty of museum exhibits across the city, from Centre Pompidou to Palais de Tokyo and Fondation Louis Vuitton.
My husband, however, wasn’t convinced Paris was the best next step for us. He’d already lived there as a student and thought it could be fun to explore somewhere new, like Singapore, New York City, or Berlin.
So, I gave him a list of pros for moving to the French capital: He knew the language, work wouldn’t be affected because we’re both remote, and we’d be closer to his family and friends.
The biggest downside was that I didn’t speak French, and he worried I might become isolated again.
However, I reassured him that I’d already started taking classes, and that I’d been regularly exposed to the culture on summer holidays with his loved ones.
After many conversations, my husband agreed to move to Paris, and we took the plunge in 2021.
Now, we finally feel at home
It’s been nearly four years since we moved to Paris, and neither of us has any regrets.
The city truly feels like home. I have my favourite boulangerie, a preferred spot to buy cheese, and I can easily navigate the metro system.
We also try to explore new areas of France every year, and so far, we’ve been to Nantes, Lyon, Saint-Malo, and many others.
Being in Paris also means we’re closer to family and friends throughout France and other cities nearby, like London and Brussels. I love that I rarely need to fly these days, unless it’s to travel back to the US or outside Europe.
I still struggle with the language barrier, but I’ve made a lot of progress and can hold a basic conversation. My husband’s friends have been so welcoming, and I’ve also met new people through my artistic hobbies.
Although it’s not always easy, I’m happy with our decision and look forward to spending the foreseeable future here in our newly purchased apartment.
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