Moving away from the city, country, or state you’ve called home for years can be frightening. Well, at least for most people. If you’re one of those happy-go-lucky folks that throw themselves headlong into challenges – and almost always emerge successfully – we hope you choke on your saliva reading this.
We digress.
Moving away from home can be daunting, even when you’re moving to Paris, touted to be the world’s most romantic capital. This impact is even bigger if you plan on relocating to the city permanently, unlike when you’re only coming here for a vacation.
If this sounds like your current situation, this article is for you! Inside, we explore five things to be mindful of if you want to enjoy your stay after moving to Paris.
Lose as much stuff as you can before the trip
We get it. You’re a sentimental person. Who isn’t? You have boxes and boxes of childhood memorabilia in your garage, and you’re trying hard to justify carrying them with you. Can we be honest, though?
When you’re moving far away, the last thing you want is to have too much luggage. It’s pretty hectic to get things from one country to another. As a rule of thumb, the less you have, the better. You love that corduroy recliner, but there’s equally good furniture in Paris.
Make sure you only move with the things you absolutely have to. When it comes to furniture and even vehicles, you can sell them before moving and buy new stuff soon as you land. You’ll be happy you did it.
Keep in contact with your loved ones
Being away from your family, friends, and loved ones is the hardest thing to contend with when moving away from home. We thrive when we are around the people we love. If you don’t contact them regularly, you may find yourself shriveling and feeling depressed.
If there’s a time zone difference, you will need to figure out the most convenient time to connect with your family. Video calls and phone calls will help you remain in contact.
However, you could go the extra mile to write your loved ones letters or send them a postcard. Something about physical communication will always trump the advances digital communication has reached.
Rent a furnished apartment
This is another integral part of moving to a new city. As we mentioned in the first tip, it would help to get rid of as much stuff as possible. Why ship your furniture set across the sea when you could just get a furnished apartment in Paris?
Furnished flats in Paris come with numerous benefits other than all the convenience they offer. For example, they have lower upfront costs since you don’t have to spend any money setting up the place.
Besides, they make moving more straightforward than it typically is; if, after a while, you’d like to move from Paris to another city in France, all you need to do is find another furnished rental in the new location.
Learn the language
You’re probably thinking: ‘Why should I learn French? Everyone understands English just fine.’ And while you’re not wrong, you’ll quickly realize that most Parisians speak French most of the time.
Although you might always be able to find someone that speaks English whenever you need them, there’s a lot to gain from learning how to speak French. For one, it is quite the challenge, and once you begin going around calling out “Bonsoir” to everyone, you’ll notice how much more comfortable you are in your new environment.
It’s also a great way to make friends with people like you, who’ve just moved to Paris. This will help you feel less alone in the City of Light.
Make new friends
This is almost the only way to ensure you have a good time after moving somewhere new. There are many threads on Twitter where people talk about how lonely they were after moving to Paris, New York, and other similarly large and busy cities.
Everything moves so fast in such places, and some people have found that they have no friends years after living there.
For most people, this happens because they don’t take it upon themselves to make new friends. The reality is that, for adults, making friends isn’t as easy as it was when we were younger. We have too many preconceived notions about people and, for the most part, are wary of strangers- just as strangers are wary of us.
You should intentionally set out to make new friends. Interact with locals; ask questions; there’s no telling who could become a lifelong buddy from a casual encounter.
Welcome to the City of Light!
As you’re settling into your new life in Paris, it will help to remain in touch with old friends and family back home. This will make you feel grounded and ensure your relationships remain as strong as ever – if not stronger. Remember the saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder?
Once you settle down, make a point of looking for the best eateries and chilling spots. There’s a lot to see, and you only have so much time! We hope you enjoy your stay in this beautiful city!
