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Paris is not nearly as expensive as a lot of people think it is. It is just a question of modifying one's expectations. No, you cannot live as Americans live. No, you will not be living the life of a tourist either.
If you can register as a student, that might be the best route to go, because it gives you the right to work part time legally. If not, believe me, I know plenty of Americans living and working in Paris illegally and a lot of them have been here for years -- but that is always a gamble, and many others do not want to risk it.
The biggest challenge is finding a place to live. In my neighborhood in the 18th arrondissement, it is still possible to find a basic studio for less than 600€ a month, but most rentals require financial guarantees which can be complicated for a new arrival to obtain. Therefore, most people (unless they are moving into student housing) look for all sorts of temporary solutions and move often. The FUSAC (www.fusac.fr) is generally full of short term rentals for people leaving their apartment for a month or two, or sometimes for just two weeks. If all of your possessions fit into one bag, this is an economical solution. There are a lot of people who want to make a bundle off their apartment, but there are just as many who just want it not to be empty when they are away. You would most definitely want to look for a place in the outlying arrondissements. If somebody says that you can see Notre Dame out the window or the Eiffel Tower is just 5 minutes away, avoid it like poison. Whether or not it is true, and whether or not the proposal is decent, you do not want to be in any of these touristy neighborhoods if you are actually going to live in Paris. In the center of the city, you will pay 20-30% more for food, whether at the local market or in an eating establishment.
On some of the travel sites, I sometimes get into a debate with tourists who drool over the rotisserie chickens outside most butcher shops. When I say that the price of these is 5€, most people are incredulous, because they have been paying 12-15€ in the center of Paris. That's just one example of the difference between "real residential Paris" and "tourist Paris."
Another lodging option to consider is sharing an apartment. This is sort of a new concept to the French, but it is catching on in Paris where rents can be expensive but where a lot of huge apartments also sometimes go begging. A lot of those big old apartments are quirky with lots of corridors, so even if you think you are allergic to the idea of sharing an apartment, you might discover that they afford a lot more privacy than you imagined. Your share of rent would often be practically as much as having your own studio, but you would also probably have a huge kitchen, living room, balcony and who knows what else?
As for finding a job, if you have student status, you can walk into an interim agency and see what they say. This is often the best way to get a taste of what working life is like in Paris, with a one or two week replacement job in a company. Otherwise, there are special student agencies and the inevitable university bulletin boards for finding jobs. If, however, you go the route without proper documentation, it can be easier but also worse. It is very easy to enter the child care / babysitting circuit, which of course is not your objective, but it puts you into contact with people who are willing to pay undeclared cash and who generally have contacts for other more authentic jobs that can be paid the same way. The down side is not having the health coverage and other benefits that come with a real job, but since most 24 year olds believe that they are immortal, this is usually not a problem.
My own advice would be to just go for it but to keep the option of bailing out after a couple of months. A lot of people who think that living in Paris is a fairy tale existence are horribly disappointed and quickly decide that it is not for them. But there are plenty of others who thought they were coming for just a few months or a year and who have never left.
Okay so I am having a quarter-life crisis. After graduating college I am very lost about what I want to do. All I know is I really want to travel, be in another place while I'm still young. All my college friends studied abroad and I never got the chance to do so. I've been yearning to go live overseas for some time, when I hear abroad tales from people I get really sad and want to do the same!!
I know I would have to save a lot of money to live abroad, so if I want to live in Paris for a year how should I start planning this. I will need a cheap safe apt to rent, and figure out how much I will be spending for food, going out, etc..How much would I need to save? Lately I've been reading blogs of people my age living in Paris, they either are writers who just do their job on their laptops to get paid. How does an expat find a job in Paris easily? I'm hesitant about doing the au pair thing, I know how it works but I wonder how much freedom I will have. How should I research teaching jobs? I'm still thinking about this, but I need guidance and proper steps to take. I'm tired of living at home and need adventure, I honestly want to do something exciting while I'm at this age (24) and really live on my own. Would love to hear any expat stories on here and advice!!
Join the French foreign legion.
Get paid, live in France, and become a french national after 5 years.
How is the situation for renting apartments?
Do building owners place for rent signs (Loue), put ads in the newspapers, or are all rentals handled by agencies that charge a fee?
Nina Jay, I say DO IT!!! I felt like I was reading my own thread on here!lol. I feel so restless and in need of a big adventure! I'm 25 and doing hair in scottsdale, AZ. I moved to Hawaii a few years ago on a whim and want to do tht again, in europe! I thought of paris, florence and now im talking with a possible job offer in London. Being from az I love the sun, but i think rain would be a nice change and i can finally wear all my coats and scarfs I say, u only live once.. u dont sound naive and ive been getting the same feedback:/ Carpe Diem!!!!
I'm actually appalled at the sarcastic replies you've gotten. And, the ridicule.
What's wrong with being idealistic or having a romantic view of life when you're young? or at any age?
I will tell you that there are some realities to consider.
Americans can't get visas to work in France, in fact, in most of Europe.
The only EU countries that will let you come and work are more Central/Eastern European countries and that is probably to teach English.
Teaching English is the ticket to living abroad. And, if you can stick it out for 5 years, you can get a long term visa and then move to Paris or any other EU country.
I will tell you that like most big cities, Parisians are not easy. I prefer cities south of Paris.
Do you speak French? Start learning or learn there but it is important to speak the language if you want to stay.
Maybe a holiday abroad would be a good place to start...check it out and see what appeals to you.
Good luck and don't let the negative turkeys get you down.
Americans can't get visas to work in France, in fact, in most of Europe.
Megonow, did you see post #13?
If you have the right skills, the employer will go to the trouble of sponsoring you.
But post #12 is good advice.
Quote:
Do you speak French? Start learning or learn there but it is important to speak the language if you want to stay.
Good luck and don't let the negative turkeys get you down.
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Did you see post #10? Nina Jay speaks French.
I actually think this thread has been helpful. Maybe there has been negativity here and there, but the information is solid and could apply to any other young person interested in moving to Paris.
I just hope Nina Jay comes back to tell us if and when she has decided what to do.
I did not see negativity in this thread, Megonow. People are just sharing their opinion, geesh.
Nina Jay, if your real dream is to work for the UN, before you go to grad school I would suggest you volunteer with the UNV. If you are fluent in French, this will definitely help you find a placement. However, as someone who has been involved in the international humanitarian arena for nearly 20 years, I would suggest you also look outside of the UN. It's very bureaucratic and many people become disillusioned working for them. There are other volunteer schemes you could try like PC, as well as many of the large NGOs hire interns for international jobs, which can lead to regular paying jobs. I think it's very important to have work experience before you go to graduate school, as it makes your educational experience much more meaningful. You will have a better idea of what your area of interests are both geographically as well as in terms of job specialization. Nowadays most of the international organizations, including the UN, are looking for job specialization, which is gained either through work experience or a combination of work experience and education. For example, public health (focus on HIV/AIDS), agriculture, economic policy, management, etc. The general IR degree is by no means worthless, but you will see by looking at job adverts that most agencies and companies in this arena are looking for more specific skill sets. This is where initial internships can really help you get on your way, and give you a chance to explore different opportunities.
Anyway, I think an international internship can help you with many of your dreams - living independently overseas (maybe not France, but somewhere) and working for an international agency/institution. Good luck!
UNESCO headquarters is in Paris, but you have to be at least trilingual to apply.
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