0:00
The worst thing living in Paris is the French attitude. The Parisian
0:06
attitude, excuse me. That's the worst because they're arrogance kind of seep out. Parisians, if you don't like like
0:12
you have to know what you want and how nobody's going to really smile up to you
0:18
and they're very direct. The best is I would say the tradition, the culture, the just the
0:25
architecture, like the beauty of Paris. It's embarrassing to say I do feel a
0:31
little bit more comfortable outside of America when it comes to the racial
0:36
issues and stuff like that. So, for example, in America, it's in your face. Like, they're not going to shy away and
0:42
tell you they hate you because of the color of your skin. If someone wants to move to Paris right now, I would say
0:47
like the Nike logo, just do it. It is really not scary. You know, people will
0:54
help you here. They're not mean. Today we are joined by a New Yorker who has explored the world from the overcrowded
1:01
city streets to remote villages, from the Americas to Europe, and from traveling as a visitor to living as an
1:08
expert. An avid traveler and podcaster whose journeys span over 50 countries
1:13
and multiple continents. from exploring local cultures and living around the world on temporary military assignments
1:20
to immersing himself in daily life first in Luxembourg and now in Paris on a more permanent way and more recently became
1:28
co-host of the Rhythm and Rome podcast where they share stories of travel, culture, and identity while breaking
1:34
common misconceptions about life abroad. Today on Expert Expert Paul, let's
1:39
start.
1:48
Paul, welcome to Expert Experts. I'm really, really happy to have you here. Thank you very much.
Guest Background, Expat Journey, and Challenges
1:55
I I mean, I'm happy to have people who are wellprepared. They have their own podcast equipment. I always love
2:00
interviewing people who has podcast their own because, you know, that they have the correct lighting, the the correct audio and so on. So,
2:06
wanted to make sure my lighting was really, really good. So, all good. I love it. that at least you
2:12
take that pressure off like the sound will not be good and so on. It's all good, Mark. Welcome.
2:17
Thank you very much for having me. I really appreciate it. Maybe we start from the beginning of the
2:23
story. Like I know that you're originally from New York City, but you're currently living in Paris. What
2:29
led you what brought you to Paris in the first time? So, I'm going try and see
2:34
and you please stop me whenever because I have like a weird, you know, how I got to where where I'm
2:41
at to as well. So, as you said, I'm from New York by way of my family is from
2:46
Jamaica and I I'm living now in Paris, France. However, before Paris, France, I
2:52
was an officer in the military. So that really kind of started, you know, my
2:59
travel excitement or my excitement for travel. You know, I've lived a lot of places all over the world due to my time
3:06
as as an officer in the military. And then you know I spent majority of my
3:11
adult life in Europe living in Europe where I lived in Germany, Italy, you
3:17
know Luxembourg city and Paris, France, Prague, Austria you know a lot of places
3:24
and and UK and I decided to move back by
3:29
the help of my corporate company that you know there was a position that was
3:34
being out there and you know I decided I had to apply for it internally from the
3:41
job that I was uh working at in New York City and then yeah they liked my application and my boss at the time
3:48
literally was like hey look majority of the people are here in Europe and I would like to see if you would be
3:54
interested in moving to Luxembourg city. So, at the time it was CO was happening
4:00
and I was like, not only like yes, but hell yes. And I didn't think twice about
4:07
it. I thought it was a sign. And I literally packed all my stuff up and then I just hopped on and and and the
4:15
rest is history. And then from Luxembourg City, I got another position
4:20
offer with my company. And the funny part was I wanted to stay in Luxembourg
4:26
city but they were like hey look this new position if you do accept it you
4:32
have to move to either what do you call it Athens Greece or Paris France. I mean like who
4:39
wouldn't want I live 3 years in Athens so I would probably choose Athens
4:46
you know I was going to and then I said to myself I was like which one would feel more kind of like New York City
4:52
vibe and I know Athens would be more see and that's the reason why I said
4:59
okay I'm going to do Paris because it's closer to all the other places in Europe
5:04
and um yeah uh five and a half years later I'm still here cuz I'm I'm still enjoying my time.
5:10
Cool. In these whole moves, especially the supposed the military ones are more like
5:16
temporary ones. They give you like contracts for a certain amount of years. So, you know that it's like a back and
5:21
forward or it's more permanent. How does it Yeah. So, so normally how it works is
5:28
you are temporary at anywhere in the world basically where we have locations
5:34
for at least 3 to 4 years and then if you choose you could probably request to stay longer at certain places depending
5:40
on your situation and I got lucky on my situation because I was able to stay in Germany for example because I really
5:47
really enjoyed and love Germany and I just don't think Germany gets you know the right type of no advertisement like
5:55
you know like you know Barcelona or Paris or or Milan or or Rome or something like
6:02
this. So I decided to stay in Germany a little bit longer because I really really loved it. And I was there for
6:08
seven years and you know till they told me that I had to be forced to leave to
6:15
go do another job somewhere else and then I I lived in Italy for one year and
6:21
that was like a temporary assignment along with living in Turkey as well.
6:28
Cool. May I ask where in Germany now triggered my career? lived in. So I
6:34
lived in Frankfurt a majority of the time that I lived in Germany and H Highleberg.
6:39
Nice. Or Hidenberg. I lived in Frankfurt for years. Yes. Most people don't like Frankfurt, but I
6:44
actually like Frankfurt. Yeah. You need to know the real Frankfurt to like Frankfurt. That's
6:49
exactly I lived I lived on the Saxon Housen side. So you know, not the party Saxon Housen, I suppose.
6:57
Well, it was on the river, so I was not too far from the the the partying parts
7:02
and stuff like that, which I didn't mind it at all, honestly. I just, you know, I just love the food. I love the vibe.
7:08
Everybody drank and I was like, "Oh, I can I can live with this." And the Christmas markets was like
7:14
superb. Ah, but also Saxon House and the whole museum site of the That was the other thing I love.
7:20
Yes, that was the other thing I love. They have that museum, the week along of museum something. I forget what it's
7:26
called. Museum nights. Yeah, but that's that's long cues of Exactly. Because it's free.
7:33
It's free to go to museums. But yeah, in general, cultural events in Frankfurt are really really cool. But yeah, also
7:39
you have the river like walking, grabbing a beer, sitting down when the weather is nice. I think it's super
7:44
international. So I agree. A lot of people, even Germans, hate Frankfurt. And I'm
7:51
because it's too business for them, they say. And you know business is Monday to Thursday normally in Frankfurt and then
7:57
the guys who are in business lawyers bankers disappear because they go back to wherever they are from Germany and
8:04
and yeah it's it's a cool life. I I enjoy it also there. I loved it and I
8:09
and matter of fact I I go and visit because I have a lot of friends from Germany and and still in the in from
8:15
America that live there and I go back all the time to visit and I could tell you the only thing that I really had to
8:21
focus on getting used to was Sundays cuz when they say everything is closed
8:27
everything is closed. Yeah. I screwed up many times and not buying grocery prior to and end up
8:35
really really hating life. What about life in Luxembourg and Paris? Uh in
8:41
there it was more like a more definitive move. You were moving due to work but
8:46
more corporate more like in a contract assignment thing. How was the first impressions of arriving to I mean
8:52
Luxembourg it's yeah I visited I've visited it before
8:57
but just for a day trip when I used to live in Germany. So I didn't really like I know reason why I went to visit it was
9:04
because it was around military kind of event because there's a huge military
9:10
grave site for for World War II vets that's in Luxembourg city and that was
9:16
the literally the only thing I went to visit. I didn't even see the city at the time and I could tell you when I got
9:21
there and this time on the corporate side um as you mentioned it was night
9:27
and day to obviously leaving New York City like I didn't I didn't it was just
9:32
weird because I was I was frustrated with my own country at the time because like I said it was co happening but I
9:39
think what drew me to wanting to leave America at the time because it was just
9:45
such a horrible time in a horrible environment because this was around the time when I
9:51
don't know I'm sure you probably are familiar with a long case of George Floyd
9:57
who unfortunately we the whole world seen him die on TV and you know being a
10:03
person of color I was just fed up and I was just not happy and like I said this
10:10
couldn't have come at a better time for me where I was offered this to just
10:15
leave and clear my head and stuff like this. So, I didn't care that Luxembourg city was so small. I didn't care that it
10:22
was CO time. And when I got to Luxembourg, I remember it was empty cuz,
10:27
you know, curfews, the streets were empty. So, I took kind of advantage of it by, you know, going taking photos,
10:35
you know, walking around and stuff like this. But nothing was open. It was literally like a ghost town. But I was
10:41
fine with it. I honestly was. And I thought I was going to go crazy being from a major city like New York City and
10:49
now you're dropping me into a city that's less than 500,000 people, you
10:54
know, and with a lot of like I suppose in co I don't know because Luxembourg leaves a lot of people like living outside of
11:01
Luxembourg, coming to the city to work and then going out again. Absolutely. During CO this was not there. So it was
11:08
even more empty. was extremely empty and but but I thought I was going to lose my
11:16
mind because of this but I did it I did I I lie I did for the
11:21
first week I was like what did I just do to myself because I couldn't travel you
11:26
know everything was so restricted and then I was like you know what I can make the best of this you know I I started to
11:33
think of the positive I started to say well at least I know it's a this city is
11:38
way safer than being in New York City. I know that I don't have to worry about a huge crime infestation in Luxembourg
11:45
City. And I can literally feel comfortable walking on the streets, you know, 2:00 in the morning without, you
11:53
know, hearing gunshots like in New York City or something like this. So, I was okay with it, you know, and it it grew
11:59
important. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Absolutely. I mean you touched two points that I wanted to ask you and I don't know from
12:06
which one to start like the let's let's let's start with the easy one probably but
12:12
probably Paris and New York are one of if not the two most romanticized cities
12:18
in the world in general like how do you compare your current life of of Paris and New York? Are they as similar as you
12:25
were expecting? It's a complete different life I see. I don't know. Obviously, I'm going to do it from an
12:31
American perspective because, you know, everyone knows Paris is literally the
12:36
number one most visited city in the world. I don't understand why that is,
12:41
but it is. Now, New York City, I'm a diehard New Yorker and I think New York City is probably the best city in the
12:48
world. I'm biased, you know, argue that point with me if you want. But I think the difference for me was
12:56
even though they're both two major metropolitan cities, all the cliches that I grew up knowing
13:03
about France, because again, Paris or France in general was never on my radar
13:09
of a place to live, just to visit. And I I end up coming here and I was just like
13:15
thinking that it was just going to be so fake, you know, and all this other stuff. And you know, cuz of what I hear
13:22
on TV. And then of course the the way how I wanted to get, you know, functioning into Paris was I did the
13:30
worst thing which was I watched a series of Emily in Paris thinking this is how it's going to be. So that's that was
13:37
literally how I learned how to get into the tradition of the Parisian life and stuff like this. And all my French
13:43
colleagues were like this this is the worst thing you could do. Typical of an American, you know, I got all that. But
13:50
yeah, I learned a little thing or two from Emily in Paris. I learned that and then you know Paris is a beautiful city
13:57
and the tradition here is strong and I I' I've come to learn after 5 years that
14:03
the culture like most French people don't classify Paris as like a French
14:11
way which is interesting to me like they all say oh that's Paris that's not really French and I agree with them
14:17
because when when you're in Paris there's a certain janenequa there's a certain certain kind of arrogance and a
14:25
certain kind of like you know who are you to talk to me or you know that kind
14:30
of attitude being yeah yes and god forbid I I say pronounce
14:37
words in French horrible and they make sure they tell me that but if I go to another city like Leon or somewhere else
14:45
they're so nice and so like inviting and you know helping me out and stuff like this and you know but do I think Paris
14:54
is kind of like what I saw in the movies. Yes, I truly do. There are these nooks and these little small areas that
15:01
are so much about the romance and the there's just this invi that feeds off of
15:08
that and I do feel that sometimes. And I actually Paris has grown on me. I actually love it. Don't tell my New York
15:14
friends that, but yeah, I actually love it. You're planning to stay? That's big
15:20
question. It is a you know it's up in the air right now and and so far the answer is yes but we don't know what
15:27
tomorrow is going to bring you know because I haven't I haven't been angry enough to say I'm leaving but I have
15:34
other places in mind that that has really really jumped to the top of the list of interesting me and that is you
15:40
know Portugal and Spain like I really enjoy going to especially uh Valencia
15:47
Spain I really enjoy going to a lot of these cities And I mean, Lisbon is is
15:53
truly like I didn't think I was going to like it, but I really really love that city a lot too as well. So, who knows
16:00
what what what will come out come of that and so on. But, you know, I'm always traveling somewhere and I take
16:07
full advantage of, you know, traveling all over the place. Like, I've already been to, you know, 54 different
16:13
countries already. So, I don't think I'm gonna get to all of the countries.
16:20
I'm just kidding. I mean there is some of them that are difficult to go. Yeah. Dangerous
16:26
and also I mean being American for certain countries might not be the best passport to go to.
16:34
Exactly my point. Exactly. You know and I've been to you know couple of countries that you know it was not by
16:40
choice but I had to go because my job told me to go. Like I've been to Iraq. I've been to, you know, certain places
16:47
in the Middle East and stuff like this. So, yeah, I mean, but I could still check it off my my list of places that
16:53
I've lived in and stuff like this, whether you like it or not. So, but I I
16:58
do enjoy immersing myself into different cultures. I think that's what makes it easy for me when I do travel wherever I
17:05
go and stuff like this too as well. So, and I keep doing it to take that positive energy.
17:12
Makes sense. There is big problem though is that you keep adding places that you want to live in into the list and it's
17:17
the I have the same problem. I'm just like when they ask me the question of where
17:23
do you want to live for the rest of I don't know it's just so difficult to respond to that. But here's here's
17:28
here's something that so if you ask the question and say where do I want to live for the rest of my life if I had a
17:33
choice and it was okay I would definitely say
17:39
I would live in New Zealand and the South Island of New Zealand. Yeah, I've been to New Zealand and I really love
17:46
this like South Island, Christ Church, Queenstown. You tell me to live there
17:51
and give me a bag of money, I'm fine. I would I I would love life. I
17:58
mean, it's just a phenomenal city. And if if you haven't been or no one has been before, highly recommend it. It's
18:06
such a gorgeous I mean, there's more sheep than people. Why wouldn't you live
18:11
there? So, yeah, you touched a little bit and at the end, unfortunately, because of Floyd, but uh
18:18
I wanted to ask you also about the racial part of it, like you are a black American living in Europe.
18:24
Have you noticed any difference on how your identity is perceived compared to back home?
18:30
Yeah. No, no, no. This is a great question and and I never shy away from answering this question because I have
18:37
mixed feelings and emotions a lot of times and I have to be honest and say it's embarrassing to say I do feel a
18:45
little bit more comfortable outside of America when it comes to the
18:50
racial issues and stuff like that. I feel like so for example in America it's
18:56
in your face like they're not going to shy away and tell you they hate you because of the color of your skin. Sometimes that's a good thing because
19:02
you know who to be away from and where not to go. Whereas here, like I've been
19:08
I've been to places where I remember when I lived in Germany, I've been to, you know, the former eastern block of
19:14
Germany like Potdam and and Dresden and all these other places and I remember
19:19
telling my German friends and that I was walking back home from a club or something at 2 or 3:00 in the morning by
19:26
myself and they're looking at me with popped out eyes saying, "Why would you do that? There's lots of, you know,
19:33
hateful people on the streets. you would have died. And I'm just like, not one person was on the street when I was walking. And I'm
19:40
just like, okay. But, you know, I I seriously feel more comfortable in these
19:46
areas. Now, that doesn't mean I do not have, you know, or been, you know, had a
19:53
little racial issues. Yeah. Situations and stuff like that. I've had that. And it was easier. I felt
19:59
like it was easier for me to be able to defend myself in that sense. and talking out, letting people know, hey, this is
20:06
wrong or whatever it is. And then I found it a lot better that even my friends from overseas came to my rescue
20:14
when something like this would take place. So being able to, you know, live
20:19
in a place where it doesn't like I honestly don't feel like people care of
20:26
the color of my skin, but they also stereotype me and not thinking like
20:33
they'll see me as a black man, they probably will think I'm just an immigrant and I'm here, you know, trying
20:40
to seek asylum and have no money. you know that like I've had someone come to
20:45
me like that on a train thinking I'm taking their money and I'm like I work for one of the you know most uh famous
20:53
financial institute in the world I think I'd be okay you know and I'm paying
20:59
French taxes and American taxes I don't run away from things and stuff like that
21:04
so you know stop with the stereotype you know but yeah I I have to say I do feel a little bit
21:11
more comfortable here. But I do get upset when I hear, you know, my fellow
21:16
Europeans, especially here in France, that would say I've had this a couple of times and
21:22
it annoys the out of me where they say there's no racism here. And I'm like, what?
21:27
Yeah. Like literally like my gosh, you're insane. Yeah, sure. If you're in you are very
21:34
uncommunicated if you are not seeing the rise of the right wings parties right now in whole Europe to understand they
21:40
don't see it that well I think the reason why they don't see it that way and I I try to explain it to them
21:46
without not getting angry because I was angry is I try to tell them I'm like look you're not going to understand or
21:53
see racism because you really don't know it because it's not being against you
21:59
the white person you know so you're not going Yeah. Yeah. Of course. Yeah. You're not going to be looking for
22:05
it. And then when I when I tell them, I'm like, "Yes, I experienced it like
22:10
here and every other places I've gone." But at the same time, I will go to I
22:16
remember when I went to Estonia, this was early 2000s, and I was visiting and
22:22
I never forget, I went to the town square. I was literally the only black
22:28
person. Yeah. And I was like, people looked at me. There was this look and I just that
22:34
was the first time I felt really really really uncom but nothing happened. And and I just remember kids were like
Life as an Expat: Fast Reply Questions
22:40
trying to touch my skin and I was like ew. Yeah, that's that's not cool. But you
22:46
know, yeah, they don't see it. Well, anyway, thanks a lot for for being transparent and being able because there
22:52
is people who doesn't want to talk about these topics, but I really appreciate it. Of course. And I would I I would I
22:58
would challenge anyone to tell me I'm wrong because I've been damn near all
23:05
over Europe and I'm I I really enjoy you know my doing this and and um as a
23:12
person of color feel more comfortable at times which is embarrassing to say. You should be the people who are like
23:19
saying this now. It's like when you some men say to a woman you cannot talk about I don't know
23:25
like masculism and it's like guys then stop it like it's not your
23:30
that's okay. Exactly. Well I would say we jump to the to the fast
23:36
reply questions if it's okay for you. Okay. And the idea of this section is to
23:42
give a little bit of a quick view on your perspective and from your
23:47
experience in Paris right now in in France with quick responses and first
23:52
things that comes to your mind about different topics just in Paris or just in France
23:58
I would say let's focus into one I mean if you want to do Luxembourg I'm also open to but let's choose one uh whatever
24:06
you prefer we'll say France France Yeah, we'll say France.
24:11
Some reason I get more, you know, I mean I normally recommend to do the the one that you are living right now
24:17
because you have it more fresh also. So let's do that. Cool. The first one that I have is
24:23
cultural adjustment. That thing that took you a while to adapt in Pari is
24:28
what is was very different at the very beginning from other places you lived in. I would say
24:35
the smoking. The French love smoking and they don't care if you
24:40
don't smoke and you're in a cafe and you're outside. They will just literally and you could be next to them and the
24:47
smoke is just going wherever and they look at you like go inside, you know, kind of thing. Like they don't care.
24:54
Interesting. I mean, yes, I agree. What about social life? How do you meet people, make friends uh in France?
25:02
That's hard because the French are very it's hard. That's the one answer. And the reason why is because you know
25:08
French people know people from probably birth and that's their friends thing.
25:14
And because I know it's it's hard. I start off with neighbors. I try to at
25:19
least and colleagues that I work with and then they will introduce me to people but I'm never going to be their
25:26
friends until they're comfortable with me. I'm just a person to them basically.
25:33
You're entering already built in circles of Exactly. Exactly. I'm sure I was like
25:38
that in every European pretty much. Yeah. The third one that I have it's language. How are you doing
25:44
with French? Uh are you learning is learning French a must in Paris?
25:50
Okay. Yes and no. So, cuz Paris is very metropolitan, but the French will tell
25:57
you, they will automatically think you should be because I live here. They're like, "Oh, so you speak French." I'm
26:03
like, "Just because I live here doesn't mean I'm like fluent French. It's a metropolitan city, but they don't care."
26:08
It it I would say if you wanted to get by comfortably, at least know the proper
26:13
phrases of things to get you by, to order things, to ask question or something like this. But ultimately
26:22
having the language and knowing it would be good. So yes and no for me. What about the cost of living? I'm I'm
26:28
afraid of asking this one. But what it's surprisingly cheap, what it's surprisingly expensive, uh how much cost
26:34
was it cost living in? I would say cheap because if I'm comparing it to to
26:41
America and to New York majority or just in majority of places in in America
26:48
like I'm enjoying my living and traveling in Europe because cost of
26:55
living is way much more comfortable and cheaper here than majority of the states
27:00
in America. And you know, my I live, you know, in a pretty big apartment in near
27:08
the Eiffel Tower. And you know, if I was to compare what that would be in in a states, for example, in New York City, I
27:14
would be paying $5,000 a month. And you can get a really decent place for less
27:19
than $2,000 here. I know that's not cheap for the average French person, but
27:25
again, I'm not French. I can relate to that. But at the same time, for me, if I
27:31
had to compare it to where I'm from, this is way much more cheaper. Even though Paris is considered expensive,
27:38
we touch it a little bit, but finding a home. How do you find apartments in in
27:44
Paris right now, Lord? That I would never wanting to do without a French
27:49
person. Thank God I had an agent. It's hard. I ain't going to lie to you. It's hard because there's lots of rules.
27:54
There's lots of whatever weird laws and stuff like that. At the time, I had to in order to get a place, you have to
28:01
have a bank, a French bank. In order to get a French bank, you need to have a
28:07
French address. Well, if you just moved here, how am I supposed to do that? Yeah. It's like,
28:13
and they won't help you. They the only thing we kept on getting was, "Oh, it's the law. It's the law." Well, the law is
28:20
not talking to each other. So, you know, thank goodness my agent at the time, I
28:25
was able to use her as a reference in her address and I was able to get and once that was done, I'm I'm okay now.
28:34
Don't leave the flat though. Uh yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think I'll be okay now. If I was to move somewhere, I would
28:40
be okay because I mean, you have an address. Okay. Yeah, I have an address and I have a bank.
28:45
Cool. Next one that I have, it's living like a local. What is the thing that you
28:51
would recommend someone if they want to blend in? So I can do it from an
28:56
American perspective. If you're an American and you're moving over to let's say to France like
29:04
start smoking and don't well I mean yeah one is the smoking part but I would say you know
29:10
adjust your your wardrobe adjust how you dress cuz Americans sometimes we look we
29:16
I had to learn by observing how the French especially the Parisians like
29:22
looking good just to go throw the trash away is important just to go around the
29:28
corner. Like in America, I would literally go in my pajamas or my sweatpants just to go buy some bakery or
29:34
binger or something. Here, no, it's a you better dress like put some nice
29:41
something decent on and go because people look at you really really weird.
29:46
You need to adjust your wardrobe for sure. Fantastic. Yeah. and accept the traditions like
29:56
don't go asking for things where you know it is not like America. Too many
30:02
times I see tourists from America come in for example and ask for you know if
30:09
they don't have like a certain drink like they'll ask for a popular drink in the states like Mountain Dew and I'm
30:15
like you idiot nobody here knows what the hell that is. So
30:21
yeah, and at least try to speak bonjour bon
30:27
the greetings of the day because you will not go far without greeting somebody first.
30:34
Nice. The next one is work life. How would you describe the work culture in France?
30:40
I love the work culture in France. I love the holidays in France.
30:47
If there's anything that I know French can do very well is take holidays. And
30:53
the amount of holidays we get here is it's like like of course that's man I
30:59
love it. The work life balance here is truly amazing because when they're off and when they're on holiday they're on
31:06
holiday. You will not hear someone open up their while on holiday to check an
31:11
email. That's no. And I love it. And then it's the first time I've ever seen someone leave for the whole month of
31:17
August. And I'm just like, wait, what? Like shops are closed and
31:23
I'm like, well, how do you survive if you're leaving and not making any money? Like I'm still blown away by this.
31:30
Yeah. That a company could just close down and it's okay for a whole month.
31:35
Sure, why not? I mean, here in Italy, they close everything. Like literally
31:40
like, but how do you survive? How do you pay your rent? How do you pay your your employees?
31:45
Yeah, it's another cut. Yes. What about getting around? I mean,
31:53
France, Paris itself very good. Very good. The transportation system here, I think, is well, most
31:59
places in Europe, the transportation system here in France is like topnotch. Like I don't I had a car but I when I
32:07
was in Luxembourg city and then I I sold it and I have no car and I have no
32:12
issues to get to wherever I needing to go from anywhere in France or to hop
32:18
into another country by train. So it's so easy. The next one it's healthcare
32:25
the system. Is it easy to access it quality? How does it work? I have to give this another one a yes.
32:32
And I'm comparing it again to well I can compare it to other places well just in general the European health care system
32:39
because when coming from America we are told yes this is social health socialism
32:46
health you know you can't do this you know this is bad you're going to be waiting for months to get checked that's
32:52
so and I truly want this to be heard that's such a lie
32:59
like the the the whole fear that America puts into you that says, "Oh, social
33:04
health is bad." No, I had a major so shoulder operation about a a year ago
33:11
and I just it took me three weeks. I got the operation. I mean, I got the
33:18
appointment, the operation. I mean, I had a private room. It was in a private hospital and the most I've paid was I
33:26
think it was like 300 and something euros. But that same surgery in the states would have cost me $55,000.
33:34
And I mean, yes, do I pay a lot a little bit more in tax when it comes to my money or something like that? Yes. But
33:41
to have the peace of mind that I don't have to worry about the price tag,
33:46
it's a beauty. I love it. The health health care system is it's top-notch in
33:52
my book. I was I felt like I was lied to as an American about the nervousness
33:58
about you know the the health care system in Europe. So I love it. Makes sense. Makes sense.
34:05
All in for social security. Yeah. Absolutely. Man, next one might not be that beautiful but
34:10
bureaucracy and dealing with paperwork, visas, permits.
34:16
This is the worst and I think France is the worst when it comes to it out of
34:21
anywhere in Europe. I am standing by this. The French when it comes to paperwork
34:28
and the bureaucracy, I thought it was the Germans, but nope. French. It is.
34:34
And God forbid if you forget something or you made a mistake somewhere, start all over. It's It's insane the
34:42
bureaucracy. Like, it's just insane. I I mean I Yeah, I can't say nothing about it. It sucks.
34:49
That's I can't Cool. I have two more. Yeah. The first
34:55
one is the best and the worst thing about living in Paris. Best and worst thing living in Paris. The best Jeez.
35:02
I'll start with the worst thing living in Paris. The worst thing living in
35:07
Paris is the French attitude, the Parisian
35:12
attitude, excuse me. That's the worst because their arrogance kind of seep out and it's I don't think they're mean. I
35:20
just think it's just the style of being in Paris because it's the same in New York. You know, you're gonna have this attitude or swag to it. But Parisians,
35:29
if you don't like like you have to know what you want and how nobody's going to
35:34
really smile up to you and they're very direct. So that's the bad. The best is I would
35:41
say the tradition, the culture, the just the architecture, like the beauty of
35:49
Paris. It's such a beautiful city and it's an old city. Yes. But it's it's
35:54
just beautiful. And the tradition is just something that I really really enjoy. So I would have to say the best
36:00
part is the tradition is the best part. Cool. The last one is the top tip. If
36:07
someone is planning to move to Paris right now, what would be your advice?
36:13
If someone wants to move to Paris right now, I would say like the Nike logo,
36:19
just do it. It is really not scary. I think you know people will help you
36:27
here. They're not mean. They're just, you know, on the go all the time because, you know, it's a large city. I
36:33
would tell people if they wanted to move here to just at least learn the extreme
36:39
basic to be able to get by and show that you're not being rude and trying to just
36:48
speak another language immediately to a Parisian without trying to learn because
36:53
you're going to live here. So at least be respectful in that sense. So that's what I would tell the tip I would give
37:00
is to read a little bit about how it is here in in Paris and then by all means
37:07
learn at least the basics in the language that is spoken at the country that you're living at.
37:13
Perfect. Thanks a lot for all the responses. I think the audience will
37:18
it is perfect. I would suggest you to jump to the cultural miniame. This one is the part that you don't know what
The Cultural Mini-Game
37:24
I've prepared but uh basically uh I I prepared a game mini game let's say like
37:30
this. It's also a quick fire style. The idea here would be that I would give you a scenario and then you can compare
37:36
how that would develop that scenario would develop in New York compared to Paris. Taking advantage that is one
37:44
probably two of the biggest most romanticized but also most advertised cities. I want to see if the scenarios
37:49
are really what the films are showing off or if I want Paris versus New York.
37:56
The whole stereotype. Let's go. First first scenario that I have is
38:01
ordering coffee in the morning. The stereotype or or the scenario ordering coffee in the morning is a so
38:09
in in New York for example, New York City, it's like one in and one out. Like
38:15
I don't got time for nothing else. Give me my coffee. Let me go. Here's your money. Go. It's quick, quick, quick, quick, quick. I don't want to talk. I
38:21
don't want to discuss. I don't want to do nothing. And it I would say that it is true to form with the stereotype
38:27
because ordering a coffee here in Paris is you sit at a cafe, you sit, you wait
38:34
for the, you know, the waiter to come by if they come by on time and it's no
38:41
worries. Who cares if it's like 10 minutes later and it's just and you
38:46
might hear a little French music in the background or something like this and it's like yeah relax. The stereotype
38:53
stands on that one. Nice. Scenario number two would be socializing with
38:59
your neighborhood. Your neighbors. There isn't any in Paris. There isn't.
39:06
And I'm not joking. No one talks to anyone. I was lucky to be able to talk to my one of out of my whole building
39:14
and we have a it's a huge building of like eight floors. I only know two
39:19
neighbors and that's it. No one's no one engage or talk. I think the most I talk
39:25
to people is at the elevator where I say bonjour bonjour and that's it. Keep it
39:31
short. Move in. In America in New York City, I knew all my neighbors and they
39:37
know me. So if I wasn't home, I would have that one because you always have
39:43
one nosy neighbor will stop by and be like, "Oh, you weren't here, but I saw
39:48
somebody came by and they didn't look very familiar." So it was kind of like a security blanket in in New York versus I
39:56
you there isn't any kind of knowing your neighbors at all. And that's maybe part
40:01
of the tradition here in Paris. And the next one that I have, it's it's a public holiday.
40:08
What do you do in in France versus in New York or sorry, in Paris versus New York? A lot.
40:17
Actually, I think this one would be equal because if there's a public holiday in America, there's a lot to do.
40:22
You know, most of the time you're just partying and you're drinking. Here it's
40:27
a public holiday and you literally go somewhere like you go
40:34
to the countryside or you go to a different country cuz everything is so close and stuff like that and you literally
40:41
are with your family or friends and you enjoy. So I would say they're both equal
40:46
in that sense. I have two more. The next one is attending a public event or festival.
40:52
attending a public event in um Paris or a festival.
40:59
Actually, they're both the same. Actually, I'm going to say they're both the same. So, attending a public event or or festival
41:07
with a slight caveat. attending a public event or or festival here in Paris,
41:13
people are having fun, people are enjoying and stuff like that. But I've noticed compared to in New York, you can
41:19
go and drink and eat something or whatever like that while walking
41:25
in Paris, I noticed people stop and they're eating first and they're drinking first before they walk. I
41:31
rarely see people walk and eat at the same time. Okay, that annoys me actually because I like
41:37
to walk and eat. That kind of annoy me. It does. It truly annoys me because I love walking and eating. But no, they
41:45
stand somewhere or by something and then they're eating it and then they're drinking and then they leave.
41:52
Everything is about elegance and and there's a you know there's too many rules like even to eat. Well, it's
41:59
always I see my friends eating with knife and a fork French fries and a
42:04
burger drives me nuts. Yeah, there is a limit. I agree. Drives me nuts.
42:11
Cool. The last one that I have I think there is a difference for sure. I I've been in United States and I've had that
42:17
also. So, shopping for groceries.
42:22
Well, you you've been to the States. You know how big the grocery stores are in the States and stuff like that. Shopping for grocery in the states is an event
42:30
because it's huge, long, whatever. It's expensive and compared to shopping
42:36
grocery stores. There is a difference. And the difference is that everyone here in Paris or in France in general don't
42:44
shop for a month worth of food like in America. Here in Paris, it may be for a
42:50
day or or maybe two days worth of food and that's it. And I had to learn this
42:56
very fast because you don't have a big refrigerator. So it it took some time for me to understand that if you don't
43:03
have it, you either go to a cafe or a brazerie or whatever and you eat and then you buy something light for coming
43:10
back home with and stuff like this. So that I had to learn fast that okay this
43:16
is not good and and the portions are not as big. I am annoyed by that but I got
43:23
over it. You don't you don't serve big portions here. Yes. I mean, I remember the cakes in
43:30
North Carolina. I remember this huge enormous cakes full of colorants. Like there was no
43:38
color that looked natural. And I was like, what? What's this? Like who is eating this? And then like was grabbing
43:45
two or three of them and I was like, what the hell is going on right now here? I would have probably would have
43:51
probably been one of those that grab and you're right there's a problem with obviously we have all kinds of crazy
43:58
ingredients that are unhealthy in America and I do feel the difference here like eating here I'm so healthy
44:04
meaning food intake wise there's no like I don't feel bloated like I would in the
44:10
states when I'm eating compared to anywhere in Europe for that matter when I go out and eat and stuff like that and
44:16
that's what I love I love this thanks a lot for all this compar reason I think I I I
44:22
really grasp like the differences and I've been in both places and I know a little bit but I think the audience also needs to
44:29
see these differences and and check it out. Maybe before we close the episode I would love to hear a little bit more
Guest Promotion
44:35
about projects that you're working on. I know you have a podcast Rhythm and Home.
44:41
Can you explain us a little bit what what is the podcast about? Where can people connect with you? Any other
44:46
project that you have on the table? Sure. Absolutely. I appreciate that. Um, so as you as you already mentioned, I do
44:53
have a podcast called Rhythm in Rome with two other co-hosts, Benefic
45:00
Trisha. All three of us. What we talk about on our podcast called Rhythm in Rome is we talk about travel, culture,
45:07
and all misconception and everything kind of in between. And all three of us
45:12
are diehard travelers. You know, we it's it's interesting our dynamic because we've known each other like I'm the
45:18
middle connection to the two uh young ladies. Trisha I knew from when I grew up in high school and then benefic I
45:26
actually we were both in the military as an officer together in the military and stuff like this and our love for travel
45:32
we thought would be such a great experience to not just talk only about travel tips and all this other stuff but
45:39
getting into it and doing immersing ourselves into the things that people
45:44
really really wanted to know about travel and even more so we would love for you know folks to check us out. And
45:53
the best way to do that, you can go to our website, which is at www.rithmandro,
46:01
which is spelled not like the city, but spelled Ram.com.
46:07
And you can see where, you know, we have our podcast is on YouTube and all the listening devices or that you can do
46:15
listening from Spotify and and all those other stuff. And we do we did conjoinly
46:21
wrote a pocket guide book. Here it is here. It's called I I don't know if you can see it, but it's called, you know, a
46:28
pocket guide passport knuckle ride. And it's staying sane while trading uh
46:33
excuse me, traveling in a crazy world. And I we just thought that there would be great opportunity to learn kind of
46:41
the experiences that we've experienced on some of our travels as well as there's an audio portion that you can do
46:47
where some people have anxiety when they travel and it's all about meditation and all this other stuff where my co-host
46:54
benefic it's it's a very simple read. It's
47:01
something that you could take with you because there's a lot of good guide that we we introduce people to that they
47:08
could use and it's small enough to fit in your pocket where you can um you know
47:13
carry it along with you and read wherever you wanted to go to as well and that you can get it on Amazon or any of
47:20
the book areas that you fancy. So thank you for that. Cool. No, I mean listeners as always you
47:28
know that the links of everything podcast uh guide book and everything
47:34
will be in the description of the episode. So if you don't find it out go to the description and you will find the
47:40
links there. Paul this has been amazing. I mean love hearing from your journey. I knew
Wrap-up & Final Thoughts
47:46
about Paris but I didn't know the whole journey in between. And so I loved also to hear that whole traveler expert
47:53
insightful things that you have in the mix. So I I really really appreciate you having in the show today.
47:59
No, I appreciate that and and hopefully when I'm in Italy maybe we can meet in person as well and you can show me some
48:06
good stuff around too as well. So thank you for inviting me to give my take on
48:13
on my experiences and stuff like that too as well. This was really really fun. So, I learned a couple things or two as
48:20
well. Big thanks. Thanks. And definitely we will see each other in Italy. Yes. For all the listeners, if you enjoyed
48:27
this episode, don't forget to subscribe to Expert Experts. Leave a review, share it. Uh also go and check uh Rhythm and
48:33
Rome, subscribe to their channels, follow, leave, give some love to them.
48:38
Always nice that there is niche of travel and stories and people who are traveling around the world. listeners,
48:45
I'm sure that we'll be interested on on getting in there. Also, until next time, keep exploring, stay curious, and see
48:51
you in the next episode of Expert Experts.