Is Paris Always a Good Idea?

My 3 year journey in Paris is coming to an end as of this writing. With the current climate of the US, I've been asked more than ever whether I would recommend moving to Europe. I never have a good answer to this question. Because a life change like this is a series of trade-offs. You leave behind X, and you adjust to Y. Neither X nor Y is correct-- it's simply what fits your current situation best.

If you're like me, you might find the journey rewarding, but I'd be remiss to not mention that my 3 years here was a privileged experience. I quit my cushy tech job in the US during the pandemic. My savings from that job allowed me to live in Paris without working for my entire stay here. I got to learn French, party, go on alpine adventures, and explore a good chunk of the world without any financial pressure.

Are you in the same boat? Is punting some of your career and financial goals down the road worth it? Are you ok with taking a 20-50% pay cut in exchange for slower days, more vacation time, and 2 hour lunch breaks? When I moved here, I was in my late 20s, single-ish with no kids, and I was fully prepared to make zero dollars for an extended period of time in order to take a shot at all the creative projects sitting in my mental drawer.

No wife+kids, no 9-5, plus an intense desire to create...meets the city of love, a low cost of living, and one of the densest concentrations of creatives anywhere in the world. I mean I basically took a creative sabbatical. My entire day was devoted to writing children's books, screenplays, and poetry. I picked up the guitar again. I found in Paris an extraordinary community of artists, musicians, writers, and hustlers. It was a magical time.

That isn't to say there aren't other magical combos out there. I know plenty of well-adjusted expats from America, esp those who work in marketing or fashion , who love their life in Paris. I have also witnessed first-hand expats leaving Paris with nothing but deep depression.

So, yes, Paris was the right move at the right time for me. Should you do the same? The only advice I feel qualified to give is actually in the form of a question: what would "8-year-old-you" and "80-year-old-you" think if you took the plunge?