I moved to Paris 2 years ago. My dream career is still on hold, and I often question if I truly belong here.
An American expat living in Paris reflects on the unexpected personal and professional challenges of moving abroad. Despite the city's beauty and walkability, the author struggles with visa bureaucracy, career stagnation, and the difficulty of building a new community.
Why it matters
It provides a realistic perspective on the 'expat experience,' contrasting the romanticized view of living in a foreign city with the practical difficulties of integration.
As much as I have enjoyed living in Paris for the past two years, I'm still navigating a lot of challenges I didn't expect. Moïse Mbarga-Abega I left the US and moved to Paris two years ago, and it's been wonderful but challenging. Navigating visas and the French healthcare system still feels overwhelming. I've found it difficult to pursue my dream career, make friends, and find community. When I moved to Paris from the US in the winter of 2024, I rather foolishly believed the transition would be easier. After all, despite needing a visa to live here as a non-EU citizen and the main spoken language being French, Paris itself is not that different from my hometown of New York City.
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