WEBVTT 1 00:00:10.908 --> 00:00:11.369 Guess what? 2 00:00:11.846 --> 00:00:12.830 I'm moving country again. 3 00:00:14.150 --> 00:00:14.564 I don't know. 4 00:00:14.846 --> 00:00:15.486 Maybe a year. 5 00:00:15.846 --> 00:00:16.447 Maybe more. 6 00:00:17.400 --> 00:00:17.963 Where's the phone? 7 00:00:17.964 --> 00:00:19.931 The phone's everywhere. 8 00:00:19.932 --> 00:00:20.463 I'm an expat. 9 00:00:21.166 --> 00:00:21.416 Hi, 10 00:00:21.635 --> 00:00:22.416 it's Pauline. 11 00:00:22.541 --> 00:00:25.306 Welcome to a new episode of Meet the Expat. 12 00:00:25.510 --> 00:00:27.447 Today I meet with Sahiya, 13 00:00:27.713 --> 00:00:29.650 who's an American-Jamaican woman. 14 00:00:29.992 --> 00:00:42.686 who has been living in Paris for a little bit over a year now as her first expat experience and more importantly her back to studies experience also as a young adult. 15 00:00:42.804 --> 00:00:43.764 So hi, 16 00:00:43.983 --> 00:00:44.483 how are you? 17 00:00:45.483 --> 00:00:46.389 I'm great, 18 00:00:46.421 --> 00:00:47.374 how are you today? 19 00:00:47.843 --> 00:00:48.577 Very well, 20 00:00:48.686 --> 00:00:49.155 thank you. 21 00:00:49.327 --> 00:00:49.452 Good. 22 00:00:49.453 --> 00:00:51.796 I look forward to upcoming Fête de la Musique. 23 00:00:52.561 --> 00:00:53.014 Me too. 24 00:00:53.015 --> 00:00:53.843 For those who don't know it, 25 00:00:53.952 --> 00:00:57.546 it's basically all of France becomes a music festival, 26 00:00:57.624 --> 00:00:58.827 street music festival. 27 00:00:58.858 --> 00:00:59.186 Yes. 28 00:01:00.528 --> 00:01:02.610 I was here for it last year as well. 29 00:01:02.671 --> 00:01:03.571 It was so much fun. 30 00:01:03.572 --> 00:01:05.274 I saw the big event. 31 00:01:05.275 --> 00:01:05.715 I did. 32 00:01:07.337 --> 00:01:07.676 Yes. 33 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:11.215 So let's start with you. 34 00:01:11.520 --> 00:01:16.450 I'll let you do a brief introduction and then we'll go into your big move and how that happens. 35 00:01:17.669 --> 00:01:18.106 Sure. 36 00:01:18.231 --> 00:01:19.184 So yes, 37 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:21.512 I'm Sahiya and 38 00:01:21.856 --> 00:01:23.169 I'm here in Paris. 39 00:01:24.090 --> 00:01:25.247 I'm a writer, 40 00:01:25.559 --> 00:01:26.419 entrepreneur. 41 00:01:27.124 --> 00:01:29.867 hopefully luxury marketing strategies, 42 00:01:29.906 --> 00:01:31.168 which we'll talk about. 43 00:01:32.250 --> 00:01:35.012 My background is I grew up in the United States. 44 00:01:35.051 --> 00:01:36.957 I'm first generation American, 45 00:01:37.192 --> 00:01:39.395 but my family is from Jamaica. 46 00:01:40.238 --> 00:01:41.317 And yes, 47 00:01:41.356 --> 00:01:43.176 Jamaica is sort of like my second home. 48 00:01:43.801 --> 00:01:44.254 And 49 00:01:44.629 --> 00:01:45.379 I grew up in 50 00:01:45.817 --> 00:01:47.301 Iowa, oddly enough, 51 00:01:47.426 --> 00:01:51.270 but spent most of my adult life living in New York, 52 00:01:51.488 --> 00:01:52.676 specifically Brooklyn, 53 00:01:53.363 --> 00:01:55.973 where I started my career in health. 54 00:01:56.080 --> 00:02:01.047 care and I was working a long time for Columbia University. 55 00:02:01.707 --> 00:02:03.508 And then after that move, 56 00:02:04.266 --> 00:02:06.070 I went over to California, 57 00:02:06.430 --> 00:02:07.188 then Florida, 58 00:02:07.570 --> 00:02:08.836 and then Texas. 59 00:02:09.516 --> 00:02:11.977 Yeah. 60 00:02:12.250 --> 00:02:17.125 And it's something I didn't think would happen because I'd spent so many years in New York, 61 00:02:17.297 --> 00:02:19.984 but after just... 62 00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:21.941 Being in California, 63 00:02:22.001 --> 00:02:25.204 I sort of decided maybe this is too much of a shift for me. 64 00:02:25.544 --> 00:02:25.665 So 65 00:02:26.384 --> 00:02:27.509 I went to Florida, 66 00:02:27.747 --> 00:02:28.571 which was nice. 67 00:02:28.587 --> 00:02:29.727 I was around my family. 68 00:02:30.470 --> 00:02:31.071 And then, 69 00:02:31.892 --> 00:02:32.071 yeah, 70 00:02:32.149 --> 00:02:33.876 I ended up in Texas, 71 00:02:33.970 --> 00:02:34.673 in Houston, 72 00:02:34.735 --> 00:02:37.477 where I was recently before I came to Paris. 73 00:02:39.118 --> 00:02:39.259 Yeah, 74 00:02:39.321 --> 00:02:39.743 and also, 75 00:02:39.962 --> 00:02:40.415 but of course, 76 00:02:40.462 --> 00:02:42.337 went to school in New York as well. 77 00:02:42.462 --> 00:02:49.727 So did my undergrad at City College and then my graduate degree in healthcare administration. 78 00:02:49.931 --> 00:02:50.102 Okay. 79 00:02:50.932 --> 00:02:51.233 Yes, 80 00:02:51.273 --> 00:02:53.135 I was totally devoted to health care. 81 00:02:53.336 --> 00:02:54.156 Health care was big. 82 00:02:54.695 --> 00:02:55.238 Yes, 83 00:02:55.457 --> 00:02:58.121 and I did that at Columbia University. 84 00:02:58.703 --> 00:02:59.617 All right. 85 00:02:59.844 --> 00:03:00.023 Well, 86 00:03:00.125 --> 00:03:08.117 what brought you to luxury marketing and specifically doing this master's in France rather than in the U.S.? 87 00:03:09.476 --> 00:03:10.117 I suppose, 88 00:03:10.133 --> 00:03:10.445 you know, 89 00:03:10.476 --> 00:03:13.648 in some ways it was a little romanticized, 90 00:03:13.711 --> 00:03:13.992 maybe. 91 00:03:14.912 --> 00:03:17.996 But I had always wanted to live in France. 92 00:03:18.617 --> 00:03:19.976 My first time coming here, 93 00:03:20.117 --> 00:03:22.718 I was 30 years old for my birthday. 94 00:03:23.164 --> 00:03:24.500 Big milestone birthday. 95 00:03:25.804 --> 00:03:27.445 I just loved it. 96 00:03:27.507 --> 00:03:29.109 Like I fell in love. 97 00:03:29.789 --> 00:03:30.875 I went to Nice. 98 00:03:31.109 --> 00:03:32.375 I fell in love again. 99 00:03:32.968 --> 00:03:36.734 And I would come back and forth to Paris like over the years. 100 00:03:37.250 --> 00:03:37.562 Okay. 101 00:03:37.593 --> 00:03:38.000 And. 102 00:03:38.352 --> 00:03:40.234 I also took French in college, 103 00:03:40.475 --> 00:03:44.256 but I'm sure you've heard the stories that you do take it in college, 104 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:46.018 but then you can't really speak it. 105 00:03:46.139 --> 00:03:46.381 Yeah. 106 00:03:46.382 --> 00:03:46.499 No. 107 00:03:46.842 --> 00:03:47.163 I mean, 108 00:03:47.202 --> 00:03:52.483 I think we're all the same when we're learning a foreign language in school and with any nationality, 109 00:03:52.484 --> 00:03:53.428 it's probably the same for that. 110 00:03:53.506 --> 00:03:54.131 We're not that good. 111 00:03:54.264 --> 00:03:54.506 Yeah. 112 00:03:56.053 --> 00:03:56.444 So this, 113 00:03:56.522 --> 00:03:57.569 but it was fun. 114 00:03:57.709 --> 00:03:59.631 And I figured also, 115 00:03:59.834 --> 00:04:00.053 too, 116 00:04:00.054 --> 00:04:01.241 it was a time where 117 00:04:01.897 --> 00:04:03.491 I was getting just kind of. 118 00:04:04.364 --> 00:04:09.850 disappointed in our healthcare system because I always knew that it could be better, 119 00:04:10.249 --> 00:04:16.612 but there were so many like blockages and it just was a frustration. 120 00:04:16.753 --> 00:04:16.878 So 121 00:04:17.917 --> 00:04:22.346 I started taking French again to kind of sort of reinvigorate, 122 00:04:22.347 --> 00:04:22.581 you know, 123 00:04:22.643 --> 00:04:23.518 that spirit. 124 00:04:24.190 --> 00:04:27.565 And one of my professors or tutors, 125 00:04:27.581 --> 00:04:29.721 she was telling me one day that 126 00:04:30.100 --> 00:04:34.562 that she was teaching a class on like Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton. 127 00:04:34.684 --> 00:04:34.863 Oh, 128 00:04:34.864 --> 00:04:35.066 nice. 129 00:04:35.645 --> 00:04:37.047 And I was thinking, 130 00:04:37.586 --> 00:04:39.953 is that like some kind of science? 131 00:04:41.375 --> 00:04:43.016 Like people study this? 132 00:04:43.094 --> 00:04:43.938 What do they study? 133 00:04:45.336 --> 00:04:49.797 And I started doing some research on different programs. 134 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:51.688 And it was ranging from, 135 00:04:51.859 --> 00:04:52.094 you know, 136 00:04:52.344 --> 00:04:53.016 art to, 137 00:04:53.906 --> 00:04:54.219 I think, 138 00:04:54.266 --> 00:04:55.281 general business. 139 00:04:55.359 --> 00:04:59.344 But then I found this very specific niche in luxury marketing. 140 00:04:59.676 --> 00:05:01.104 which really appealed to me. 141 00:05:02.487 --> 00:05:08.534 That's kind of how I ended up at the school doing the master's in luxury marketing. 142 00:05:08.592 --> 00:05:10.916 So it just seemed like a really great fit, 143 00:05:11.213 --> 00:05:12.338 really great transition. 144 00:05:13.862 --> 00:05:15.979 And so that directly was in France? 145 00:05:16.940 --> 00:05:17.299 Yes. 146 00:05:18.299 --> 00:05:20.198 And I didn't really look in the US, 147 00:05:20.526 --> 00:05:21.026 honestly, 148 00:05:21.182 --> 00:05:21.885 because 149 00:05:22.760 --> 00:05:26.291 I knew in some ways as well that I wanted to come to France. 150 00:05:26.495 --> 00:05:26.713 Okay. 151 00:05:27.229 --> 00:05:27.807 Because. 152 00:05:28.363 --> 00:05:32.667 I also wanted to do something that was really just sort of for me, 153 00:05:32.929 --> 00:05:35.050 maybe super impractical. 154 00:05:35.589 --> 00:05:36.874 Because as much as I did, 155 00:05:37.132 --> 00:05:37.311 yeah, 156 00:05:37.351 --> 00:05:38.991 as much as I did love health care, 157 00:05:39.030 --> 00:05:41.897 it was truly like practical, 158 00:05:42.116 --> 00:05:43.476 career minded, 159 00:05:44.179 --> 00:05:44.804 do this, 160 00:05:44.976 --> 00:05:46.085 go up this ladder, 161 00:05:46.147 --> 00:05:46.319 etc. 162 00:05:47.179 --> 00:05:51.538 And this was really like a complete pivot in just pursuing a dream, 163 00:05:52.101 --> 00:05:52.726 if you will. 164 00:05:53.054 --> 00:05:57.413 so yeah dreams of boat luxury marketing and also the 165 00:05:57.887 --> 00:05:59.067 France side of. 166 00:05:59.207 --> 00:06:01.009 Yeah. 167 00:06:02.288 --> 00:06:02.448 And 168 00:06:02.847 --> 00:06:03.507 I'll just add, 169 00:06:03.589 --> 00:06:06.530 it was also like seeing beautiful things, 170 00:06:06.772 --> 00:06:07.311 because 171 00:06:07.968 --> 00:06:09.046 I think in healthcare, 172 00:06:09.093 --> 00:06:10.530 my most recent position, 173 00:06:10.889 --> 00:06:12.233 I had a wonderful team, 174 00:06:12.991 --> 00:06:14.905 but I was working for a cancer hospital. 175 00:06:15.483 --> 00:06:18.374 And it was really hard. 176 00:06:18.889 --> 00:06:19.030 Yeah. 177 00:06:19.296 --> 00:06:22.046 And if you go to the emergency room, 178 00:06:22.780 --> 00:06:24.468 or at a cancer hospital, 179 00:06:24.514 --> 00:06:26.593 it's a very different scene from 180 00:06:27.375 --> 00:06:31.501 even just your regular sort of non-specific emergency room. 181 00:06:32.258 --> 00:06:33.540 And that was, 182 00:06:33.700 --> 00:06:33.962 you know, 183 00:06:34.403 --> 00:06:35.587 that's tough. 184 00:06:36.204 --> 00:06:38.766 And I think doing it for so many years, 185 00:06:38.844 --> 00:06:42.212 I just felt like maybe if I could just be around, 186 00:06:42.352 --> 00:06:42.587 you know, 187 00:06:42.688 --> 00:06:44.048 some beautiful objects, 188 00:06:44.235 --> 00:06:44.719 art, 189 00:06:44.751 --> 00:06:46.313 I'd find this really fulfilling. 190 00:06:46.438 --> 00:06:47.423 So yeah, 191 00:06:47.501 --> 00:06:56.704 I can imagine you'd need something a lot more relaxing and visually thrilling and exciting than the hard truth of... 192 00:06:57.427 --> 00:06:59.927 being surrounded by near death constantly, 193 00:07:00.087 --> 00:07:01.228 which is very, 194 00:07:01.327 --> 00:07:04.089 very tough and emotionally hard also to support. 195 00:07:05.109 --> 00:07:05.327 Yeah, 196 00:07:05.972 --> 00:07:06.667 definitely. 197 00:07:08.245 --> 00:07:11.988 It's pretty gut-wrenching because when you're doing the analysis, 198 00:07:12.089 --> 00:07:15.628 you're thinking about things like survival rate, 199 00:07:15.956 --> 00:07:16.550 death, 200 00:07:16.675 --> 00:07:17.488 mortality, 201 00:07:19.034 --> 00:07:20.784 different disease and conditions, 202 00:07:20.847 --> 00:07:25.706 and it's truly fulfilling work when you can do something to really help. 203 00:07:25.935 --> 00:07:27.276 to launch something. 204 00:07:27.717 --> 00:07:28.137 But also, 205 00:07:28.256 --> 00:07:29.258 I think with the US, 206 00:07:29.299 --> 00:07:33.143 we have just an incredible amount of regulation. 207 00:07:33.260 --> 00:07:34.667 So it's, 208 00:07:35.862 --> 00:07:37.909 there are many obstacles, 209 00:07:38.065 --> 00:07:41.307 I would say to putting certain things in place, 210 00:07:41.409 --> 00:07:42.659 even if it is helpful. 211 00:07:43.346 --> 00:07:44.877 And yeah, 212 00:07:45.112 --> 00:07:45.377 you know, 213 00:07:45.440 --> 00:07:49.284 that can be kind of can be a bit frustrating, 214 00:07:49.518 --> 00:07:49.784 you know, 215 00:07:49.924 --> 00:07:50.034 so. 216 00:07:50.346 --> 00:07:50.659 All right. 217 00:07:51.018 --> 00:07:52.377 So you made the move to France, 218 00:07:52.581 --> 00:07:53.596 started your studies. 219 00:07:54.239 --> 00:07:57.020 So you mentioned you fell in love with France when you traveled, 220 00:07:57.021 --> 00:07:57.981 you came from France, 221 00:07:58.340 --> 00:07:59.399 you romanticized. 222 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:00.840 What's the truth? 223 00:08:03.824 --> 00:08:05.285 What's the truth about France? 224 00:08:05.286 --> 00:08:06.301 What's the reality? 225 00:08:08.965 --> 00:08:21.973 okay well you know there's there's a lot of realities here that always hit you sometimes nicely sometimes not so nice um i think the realities for me i 226 00:08:22.020 --> 00:08:22.442 have 227 00:08:22.843 --> 00:08:24.124 And I'm going to be very honest, 228 00:08:24.164 --> 00:08:28.528 like I have some days where I'm just going like, 229 00:08:28.590 --> 00:08:29.750 especially with school, 230 00:08:30.090 --> 00:08:30.629 studying, 231 00:08:30.832 --> 00:08:31.075 you know, 232 00:08:31.309 --> 00:08:32.356 going back to school, 233 00:08:32.473 --> 00:08:33.371 studying again. 234 00:08:33.410 --> 00:08:34.231 And I'm thinking, 235 00:08:34.496 --> 00:08:34.754 like, 236 00:08:35.457 --> 00:08:37.020 why did I do this? 237 00:08:40.504 --> 00:08:43.301 I feel extremely brave to go back to it. 238 00:08:44.192 --> 00:08:45.160 I think I'd love to go, 239 00:08:45.364 --> 00:08:46.348 but I'm not sure 240 00:08:46.754 --> 00:08:48.489 I'd be able to take it. 241 00:08:49.473 --> 00:08:49.832 Yeah, 242 00:08:50.192 --> 00:08:50.457 it's. 243 00:08:51.303 --> 00:08:52.524 And then different country, 244 00:08:53.025 --> 00:08:53.385 you know, 245 00:08:53.625 --> 00:08:55.828 different teaching methodologies, 246 00:08:56.848 --> 00:08:58.371 different subjects, 247 00:09:00.234 --> 00:09:02.211 different types of apartments. 248 00:09:03.672 --> 00:09:08.937 I think there's there were a lot of challenges in that. 249 00:09:09.734 --> 00:09:10.047 For me, 250 00:09:10.203 --> 00:09:10.922 fortunately, 251 00:09:11.047 --> 00:09:11.297 though, 252 00:09:11.922 --> 00:09:14.312 in order to get through some of those challenges, 253 00:09:14.687 --> 00:09:18.047 I really made it a point to find a sort of community, 254 00:09:18.250 --> 00:09:18.765 if you will, 255 00:09:18.906 --> 00:09:19.250 here. 256 00:09:20.308 --> 00:09:23.872 and get to know people and then try to build relationships. 257 00:09:24.493 --> 00:09:27.833 I'm not always as consistent as I would like to be, 258 00:09:28.255 --> 00:09:29.474 but I do try to, 259 00:09:30.075 --> 00:09:30.614 you know, 260 00:09:30.661 --> 00:09:31.778 reach out to people, 261 00:09:31.981 --> 00:09:32.739 text them, 262 00:09:33.356 --> 00:09:34.099 hang out, 263 00:09:34.520 --> 00:09:34.778 you know, 264 00:09:34.864 --> 00:09:36.278 just go to museums, 265 00:09:36.310 --> 00:09:36.841 et cetera, 266 00:09:37.028 --> 00:09:40.544 because those are the people, 267 00:09:40.685 --> 00:09:42.450 even though they're new in your life, 268 00:09:42.606 --> 00:09:44.872 will help you get through the difficult times. 269 00:09:46.388 --> 00:09:47.841 And then of course I went back. 270 00:09:48.083 --> 00:09:48.564 home, 271 00:09:49.364 --> 00:09:49.905 when was it, 272 00:09:50.284 --> 00:09:52.308 earlier this year for the holiday. 273 00:09:52.667 --> 00:09:59.175 And that was great because I got to see my family and just kind of hug them, 274 00:09:59.394 --> 00:10:00.659 spend time with them, 275 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:02.198 be around them. 276 00:10:03.065 --> 00:10:03.645 And then also, 277 00:10:04.465 --> 00:10:04.825 I think, 278 00:10:05.145 --> 00:10:05.365 yeah, 279 00:10:05.406 --> 00:10:06.465 this about a month ago, 280 00:10:06.766 --> 00:10:09.945 I was in Barbados for my birthday and for a friend's birthday. 281 00:10:10.586 --> 00:10:11.606 And I surprised her, 282 00:10:11.645 --> 00:10:12.590 which was really funny. 283 00:10:13.590 --> 00:10:20.012 But it was such a great time because it was also being in the Caribbean and that kind of warm feeling, 284 00:10:20.121 --> 00:10:20.934 nice weather, 285 00:10:21.293 --> 00:10:22.403 sandy beaches, 286 00:10:22.934 --> 00:10:25.074 just getting those things that are familiar to me. 287 00:10:26.137 --> 00:10:26.246 Yeah, 288 00:10:26.247 --> 00:10:28.418 because there are so many pluses in France. 289 00:10:28.465 --> 00:10:32.606 But I think some of also where I struggle too is like. 290 00:10:33.453 --> 00:10:35.114 I really want an air conditioner. 291 00:10:37.556 --> 00:10:38.638 I really want one. 292 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:41.505 I've been thinking about this for about two or three weeks now. 293 00:10:43.060 --> 00:10:43.481 And 294 00:10:44.083 --> 00:10:45.685 I saw some online, 295 00:10:46.106 --> 00:10:48.310 but I also am in a walk-up apartment. 296 00:10:48.450 --> 00:10:49.364 So like, 297 00:10:49.427 --> 00:10:49.614 well, 298 00:10:49.615 --> 00:10:50.692 if I get it delivered, 299 00:10:50.755 --> 00:10:52.271 can I bring it up the stairs? 300 00:10:52.317 --> 00:10:53.646 How heavy is it? 301 00:10:54.521 --> 00:11:00.864 Or then it will have to order it and then get like a task rabbit person to help me bring it up the stairs. 302 00:11:01.285 --> 00:11:01.545 you know, 303 00:11:01.605 --> 00:11:02.627 how will this work? 304 00:11:02.686 --> 00:11:04.027 Because there's no elevator. 305 00:11:04.768 --> 00:11:07.490 And sometimes things like that, 306 00:11:07.951 --> 00:11:09.713 like really frustrate me because 307 00:11:10.713 --> 00:11:14.361 I'm thinking about like Pottery Barn and like, 308 00:11:14.541 --> 00:11:14.736 oh, 309 00:11:14.861 --> 00:11:16.783 where's that white glove service, 310 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:17.064 you know, 311 00:11:17.143 --> 00:11:19.002 where they bring it and, 312 00:11:19.049 --> 00:11:19.346 you know, 313 00:11:19.408 --> 00:11:21.986 they deliver it and then they install it. 314 00:11:22.111 --> 00:11:22.299 It's, 315 00:11:22.300 --> 00:11:22.752 you know, 316 00:11:22.783 --> 00:11:23.814 with one click. 317 00:11:24.314 --> 00:11:24.893 Yeah. 318 00:11:24.894 --> 00:11:25.471 And everything. 319 00:11:26.424 --> 00:11:26.971 Yeah. 320 00:11:27.471 --> 00:11:27.799 That's, 321 00:11:28.033 --> 00:11:29.049 that's kind of, 322 00:11:29.814 --> 00:11:30.986 let's say to my recent 323 00:11:31.241 --> 00:11:32.683 sort of reality here. 324 00:11:32.684 --> 00:11:32.823 Yeah, 325 00:11:32.923 --> 00:11:34.685 so it's a bit more do-it-yourself here. 326 00:11:36.046 --> 00:11:36.308 Yeah, 327 00:11:36.507 --> 00:11:37.288 it is. 328 00:11:37.487 --> 00:11:39.870 And then on the other side, 329 00:11:39.948 --> 00:11:40.511 of course, 330 00:11:40.534 --> 00:11:49.706 you have this life where you can go to the cafes and you can sit and you can relax and you can chat. 331 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:51.362 And it's vibrant. 332 00:11:52.034 --> 00:11:52.362 Also, 333 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:56.440 I love some of the museum exhibits. 334 00:11:56.565 --> 00:11:59.128 A friend of mine came here to visit. 335 00:11:59.793 --> 00:12:05.761 And we went to the Grand Palais and they had the installation on inflatable art. 336 00:12:07.241 --> 00:12:08.440 Who knew that was a thing? 337 00:12:10.706 --> 00:12:16.307 It was like going through this like 12 rooms like a kid, 338 00:12:16.417 --> 00:12:16.682 you know, 339 00:12:16.776 --> 00:12:21.198 just being able to experience balloons and participate. 340 00:12:21.276 --> 00:12:23.573 And like it was so much fun. 341 00:12:23.729 --> 00:12:28.854 And so there's moments like that where I know if I'm in a place like. 342 00:12:29.181 --> 00:12:37.481 Houston that may not have as much investment or art and art museums things like that 343 00:12:38.106 --> 00:12:53.106 I may not get to experience so that's one of the real positives and like but you know realities here so I enjoy that yeah I mean of course a lot of things are are going to be different in good ways in that piece. 344 00:12:53.107 --> 00:12:53.231 Yes. 345 00:12:54.028 --> 00:12:55.887 You mentioned one thing about... 346 00:12:56.553 --> 00:12:57.334 Studying again, 347 00:12:57.414 --> 00:12:59.957 the fact that the subjects are different, 348 00:13:00.018 --> 00:13:06.084 but also the teaching style is very different. 349 00:13:06.085 --> 00:13:07.506 Why are you asking me this? 350 00:13:08.889 --> 00:13:09.084 Well, 351 00:13:09.326 --> 00:13:10.811 just for a little context, 352 00:13:10.812 --> 00:13:13.295 I'll compare the two masters that I've done. 353 00:13:15.029 --> 00:13:15.717 At Columbia, 354 00:13:15.904 --> 00:13:18.529 I was in an executive master's program. 355 00:13:18.654 --> 00:13:21.639 So we met one long weekend a month, 356 00:13:21.732 --> 00:13:23.873 which was like Thursday through Sunday, 357 00:13:24.186 --> 00:13:25.076 once a month. 358 00:13:25.201 --> 00:13:25.482 We had. 359 00:13:25.617 --> 00:13:26.177 projects, 360 00:13:26.217 --> 00:13:27.497 but I think all, 361 00:13:27.577 --> 00:13:28.837 and we were in a cohort, 362 00:13:28.917 --> 00:13:29.897 maybe 30 of us, 363 00:13:30.237 --> 00:13:34.139 and we were all working full time coming in from many different places. 364 00:13:34.897 --> 00:13:35.022 So, 365 00:13:35.757 --> 00:13:37.382 and we had a great time. 366 00:13:37.616 --> 00:13:42.358 And at that time I was maybe one of the youngest people in my cohort. 367 00:13:43.546 --> 00:13:44.202 There were, 368 00:13:44.468 --> 00:13:47.108 there was a guy in there who's a cardiologist. 369 00:13:47.139 --> 00:13:48.639 I think he was in his seventies. 370 00:13:48.655 --> 00:13:49.749 He went back to school. 371 00:13:49.889 --> 00:13:50.530 Yeah, 372 00:13:50.531 --> 00:13:51.436 it was amazing. 373 00:13:52.333 --> 00:13:55.115 And it's funny because his son was also in the program. 374 00:13:55.176 --> 00:13:56.338 They're both physicians. 375 00:13:58.318 --> 00:13:59.940 But coming here to 376 00:14:00.424 --> 00:14:05.510 Paris, it was like rules about attendance, 377 00:14:06.049 --> 00:14:08.275 rules about being on time. 378 00:14:08.525 --> 00:14:09.416 Some professors, 379 00:14:09.447 --> 00:14:11.369 if you were more than five minutes late, 380 00:14:12.416 --> 00:14:14.150 you couldn't enter the class. 381 00:14:14.354 --> 00:14:18.416 And then also this kind of lecture style where 382 00:14:19.135 --> 00:14:20.807 I'm sort of descending. 383 00:14:21.909 --> 00:14:22.610 Yeah, 384 00:14:23.030 --> 00:14:24.171 I like this word, 385 00:14:24.273 --> 00:14:25.073 descending. 386 00:14:25.212 --> 00:14:25.593 Okay. 387 00:14:26.855 --> 00:14:28.417 That's a good description. 388 00:14:31.402 --> 00:14:35.042 And I've had a lot of years of professional experience that I'm used to. 389 00:14:35.245 --> 00:14:36.261 If we're in a meeting, 390 00:14:36.987 --> 00:14:40.542 I don't know if you want to just stand up because your legs are tight, 391 00:14:40.902 --> 00:14:41.167 you know, 392 00:14:41.168 --> 00:14:42.027 you need to stretch, 393 00:14:42.089 --> 00:14:45.230 you just stand up or you take five minutes. 394 00:14:45.573 --> 00:14:48.855 But I was sort of looking around at sort of the atmosphere. 395 00:14:48.902 --> 00:14:50.323 And it was also a cohort. 396 00:14:50.885 --> 00:14:53.891 But we had these lectures that were like an hour and a half, 397 00:14:53.971 --> 00:14:55.672 and then you got maybe a 10, 398 00:14:55.754 --> 00:14:56.914 15 minute break. 399 00:14:57.317 --> 00:14:59.797 And then you sat again for another hour and a half or so. 400 00:15:00.782 --> 00:15:02.164 A lot of times listening. 401 00:15:02.227 --> 00:15:04.149 There were some teachers who were. 402 00:15:04.942 --> 00:15:06.844 definitely much more engaging, 403 00:15:06.883 --> 00:15:08.165 like our marketing teacher, 404 00:15:08.264 --> 00:15:09.667 who I thought was fabulous. 405 00:15:10.569 --> 00:15:11.987 But it, 406 00:15:12.589 --> 00:15:12.768 like, 407 00:15:12.792 --> 00:15:14.589 it was a strange experience, 408 00:15:14.628 --> 00:15:15.354 because also, 409 00:15:15.534 --> 00:15:15.776 too, 410 00:15:15.893 --> 00:15:16.878 in my cohort, 411 00:15:17.557 --> 00:15:18.714 in my old program, 412 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:21.034 we were so interactive and, 413 00:15:21.081 --> 00:15:21.440 like, 414 00:15:21.674 --> 00:15:21.940 you know, 415 00:15:22.315 --> 00:15:23.096 dynamic, 416 00:15:23.253 --> 00:15:24.440 going back and forth, 417 00:15:24.565 --> 00:15:25.549 bantering, 418 00:15:25.596 --> 00:15:26.721 so on and so forth. 419 00:15:27.299 --> 00:15:29.987 But sometimes in the program, 420 00:15:31.065 --> 00:15:32.534 I got the sense that, 421 00:15:32.535 --> 00:15:32.737 like, 422 00:15:33.006 --> 00:15:37.352 I wasn't sure if that was really welcome with certain professors. 423 00:15:38.031 --> 00:15:38.973 And also, 424 00:15:40.235 --> 00:15:42.973 I think that one of the things that 425 00:15:43.434 --> 00:15:50.035 Columbia really valued was your experience that you bring to the program. 426 00:15:50.817 --> 00:15:51.145 And 427 00:15:52.457 --> 00:15:55.613 I felt in a way that with this program, 428 00:15:56.192 --> 00:15:57.473 they were there to teach you, 429 00:15:57.692 --> 00:15:58.848 but they didn't really. 430 00:15:59.630 --> 00:16:01.550 And I'm saying they is super general. 431 00:16:02.251 --> 00:16:02.851 It's not all, 432 00:16:02.931 --> 00:16:07.273 but there was sort of an overarching attitude where it's like, 433 00:16:07.452 --> 00:16:08.534 we're here to teach you. 434 00:16:08.972 --> 00:16:13.089 It's not really about what you did in the past sometimes or what you experienced. 435 00:16:13.730 --> 00:16:19.550 And that wasn't always a great feeling because the reason you're coming to graduate school, 436 00:16:19.551 --> 00:16:23.019 at least in how I felt experienced, 437 00:16:23.534 --> 00:16:27.737 was that you have this cohort and you should be super dynamic. 438 00:16:28.246 --> 00:16:30.706 and really be able to learn from each other, 439 00:16:31.267 --> 00:16:31.526 right? 440 00:16:31.546 --> 00:16:33.669 That's the point of going to graduate school, 441 00:16:34.388 --> 00:16:34.708 you know, 442 00:16:35.388 --> 00:16:37.485 for networks and things like that. 443 00:16:38.048 --> 00:16:42.329 So that was something that I felt was super different. 444 00:16:42.946 --> 00:16:46.313 And what else would I say? 445 00:16:46.892 --> 00:16:47.126 Also, 446 00:16:47.188 --> 00:16:47.735 of course, 447 00:16:47.736 --> 00:16:48.017 you know, 448 00:16:48.063 --> 00:16:49.376 at a place like Columbia, 449 00:16:50.048 --> 00:16:52.829 they have a lot of resources. 450 00:16:53.532 --> 00:16:54.048 and 451 00:16:55.626 --> 00:16:56.188 I felt like 452 00:16:56.578 --> 00:16:59.138 They were much more available as well. 453 00:16:59.718 --> 00:17:06.064 So you could make office appointments with professors because they like really work there. 454 00:17:06.103 --> 00:17:10.283 And maybe it's just different because this school was different. 455 00:17:10.298 --> 00:17:13.103 It was very maybe a smaller program. 456 00:17:13.869 --> 00:17:17.837 It might be different at a place like the Sorbonne or maybe HEC. 457 00:17:18.526 --> 00:17:20.968 where the professors are really on site, 458 00:17:21.689 --> 00:17:22.370 working there, 459 00:17:22.509 --> 00:17:23.372 doing the research. 460 00:17:23.470 --> 00:17:24.950 I think depending on the school, 461 00:17:25.134 --> 00:17:29.200 some are there on site and it's almost a full-time job. 462 00:17:29.255 --> 00:17:29.958 And others, 463 00:17:30.036 --> 00:17:37.528 they would be in full-time jobs and come in and consult for just one program a year or one semester. 464 00:17:37.982 --> 00:17:39.888 So that might be a difference. 465 00:17:40.153 --> 00:17:40.388 Indeed, 466 00:17:40.450 --> 00:17:44.747 I had both in my business school in the past with the next of them. 467 00:17:44.872 --> 00:17:45.310 So indeed, 468 00:17:45.388 --> 00:17:45.778 some work. 469 00:17:45.935 --> 00:17:46.232 Right. 470 00:17:46.602 --> 00:18:01.657 available because they were never there so yeah and some are you know professionals who are literally working in the field exactly and they're bringing that like real world real life experience to you so yeah definitely so 471 00:18:01.774 --> 00:18:05.899 I agree on the fact that having studied a little bit in both the U.S. 472 00:18:05.962 --> 00:18:06.228 and in 473 00:18:06.603 --> 00:18:08.446 France I felt that the U.S. 474 00:18:08.478 --> 00:18:15.774 was a lot more collaborative and maybe a bit more practical in some fields 475 00:18:16.542 --> 00:18:17.483 not all subjects, 476 00:18:17.542 --> 00:18:19.222 but in some of them versus France, 477 00:18:19.263 --> 00:18:19.462 where, 478 00:18:20.042 --> 00:18:20.183 yeah, 479 00:18:20.362 --> 00:18:21.964 completely resonates with what you're saying. 480 00:18:22.023 --> 00:18:24.741 It's very lecture style of you sit down, 481 00:18:25.046 --> 00:18:25.601 you listen, 482 00:18:26.804 --> 00:18:30.687 and then you go home and you study and do an exercise. 483 00:18:30.702 --> 00:18:31.546 I found that the U.S. 484 00:18:31.609 --> 00:18:38.585 was more of you'd read at home and then you'd come into class and it was more of an exchange dynamic during class, 485 00:18:38.648 --> 00:18:40.491 which I found a bit more interesting and, 486 00:18:41.241 --> 00:18:41.366 yeah, 487 00:18:41.507 --> 00:18:42.210 collaborative. 488 00:18:42.241 --> 00:18:45.070 You actually learn from people and their experience and their take. 489 00:18:45.506 --> 00:18:46.086 Right. 490 00:18:47.226 --> 00:18:47.467 You know, 491 00:18:47.527 --> 00:18:48.287 and I don't know, 492 00:18:48.288 --> 00:18:51.746 because I don't feel like I know enough French people to say whether, 493 00:18:52.246 --> 00:18:52.527 you know, 494 00:18:52.547 --> 00:18:54.508 I'm not going to make some big generalization, 495 00:18:54.586 --> 00:18:55.031 like, 496 00:18:55.468 --> 00:18:57.508 we're just more collaborative in the US. 497 00:18:57.586 --> 00:18:57.711 And, 498 00:18:57.828 --> 00:18:58.070 you know, 499 00:18:58.086 --> 00:18:59.109 it's less here. 500 00:18:59.586 --> 00:19:03.390 I think definitely the place and the style certainly mattered. 501 00:19:03.437 --> 00:19:03.875 Because, 502 00:19:04.453 --> 00:19:04.734 you know, 503 00:19:04.953 --> 00:19:06.031 like a couple, 504 00:19:06.875 --> 00:19:07.390 because yes, 505 00:19:07.406 --> 00:19:08.047 there's some in the 506 00:19:08.390 --> 00:19:10.734 US where they're here to look, 507 00:19:10.968 --> 00:19:12.359 I'll teach you these five things. 508 00:19:12.406 --> 00:19:14.312 Now you go and you do the work and you 509 00:19:14.862 --> 00:19:15.663 find yourself, 510 00:19:16.524 --> 00:19:16.864 you know, 511 00:19:18.985 --> 00:19:20.669 and that's their style and, 512 00:19:20.829 --> 00:19:21.087 you know, 513 00:19:21.188 --> 00:19:21.930 that works. 514 00:19:21.969 --> 00:19:23.251 So it, 515 00:19:23.469 --> 00:19:25.712 but I definitely felt like, 516 00:19:25.751 --> 00:19:26.837 I like your word, 517 00:19:26.915 --> 00:19:30.938 this kind of descending style that's here versus, 518 00:19:31.141 --> 00:19:31.298 yeah, 519 00:19:31.423 --> 00:19:33.001 in the U S at least in, 520 00:19:33.063 --> 00:19:34.157 in my experience, 521 00:19:34.204 --> 00:19:34.641 yeah. 522 00:19:34.642 --> 00:19:35.344 In the bastards. 523 00:19:35.345 --> 00:19:37.188 I understand. 524 00:19:38.829 --> 00:19:39.126 Okay. 525 00:19:39.813 --> 00:19:42.954 And what about coming back to the 526 00:19:43.622 --> 00:19:44.423 Life in general, 527 00:19:44.443 --> 00:19:48.149 you were saying you built a little bit of a community and met people. 528 00:19:49.629 --> 00:19:51.289 How have you been meeting people? 529 00:19:51.328 --> 00:19:52.953 Is it through the program outside? 530 00:19:53.828 --> 00:19:54.235 Yeah. 531 00:19:55.453 --> 00:19:56.633 So in part, 532 00:19:57.492 --> 00:19:59.016 somewhat through the program. 533 00:19:59.297 --> 00:19:59.735 Again, 534 00:19:59.797 --> 00:20:00.203 it was. 535 00:20:01.262 --> 00:20:01.502 You know, 536 00:20:01.562 --> 00:20:02.963 Columbia had this really, 537 00:20:03.222 --> 00:20:03.523 I think, 538 00:20:03.543 --> 00:20:11.621 more collaborative attitude where a lot of times if you reach out to a Columbia alum just on LinkedIn randomly, 539 00:20:12.183 --> 00:20:12.668 they're like, 540 00:20:12.941 --> 00:20:13.105 OK, 541 00:20:13.308 --> 00:20:13.785 yeah, 542 00:20:13.941 --> 00:20:14.129 sure, 543 00:20:14.144 --> 00:20:16.707 I'll chat with you because you just have this kind of bond. 544 00:20:17.371 --> 00:20:18.558 But with this school, 545 00:20:18.808 --> 00:20:24.668 I found we didn't really have any interactions with like previous classes or coming, 546 00:20:24.683 --> 00:20:24.933 you know, 547 00:20:24.964 --> 00:20:27.324 future classes with the exception of, 548 00:20:27.746 --> 00:20:27.980 you know, 549 00:20:27.981 --> 00:20:29.214 maybe if you do reach out to. 550 00:20:29.530 --> 00:20:35.095 a couple of people because like I met a friend in the MBA program who's great and so 551 00:20:35.735 --> 00:20:46.700 I'm going to her wedding which is exciting but I think most of my connections had been outside of the program some I started from the 552 00:20:47.247 --> 00:20:58.622 U.S. because I love research so I used Facebook a lot on some of the expat groups and I've met really great people who are still my friends some of whom we 553 00:20:59.362 --> 00:20:59.602 you know, 554 00:20:59.622 --> 00:21:01.143 have done some projects together, 555 00:21:01.242 --> 00:21:02.823 do some brainstorming together. 556 00:21:03.023 --> 00:21:04.243 We also go, 557 00:21:04.462 --> 00:21:04.802 of course, 558 00:21:04.803 --> 00:21:05.923 go eat together. 559 00:21:06.763 --> 00:21:08.224 And also, 560 00:21:09.161 --> 00:21:10.708 I've met a lot of people too, 561 00:21:10.802 --> 00:21:14.364 who are into like art, 562 00:21:14.544 --> 00:21:15.380 fashion, 563 00:21:15.505 --> 00:21:18.864 which is super in line with my industry, 564 00:21:18.943 --> 00:21:19.693 which is great. 565 00:21:20.583 --> 00:21:21.021 And 566 00:21:21.833 --> 00:21:23.302 I would say sometimes, 567 00:21:23.303 --> 00:21:24.693 you know it's funny because 568 00:21:25.302 --> 00:21:28.068 I was I love to shop and 569 00:21:28.443 --> 00:21:28.896 I would 570 00:21:29.050 --> 00:21:45.439 just always be very chatty with people who were there at the store working there and one of my good friends now he's recommended like this whole amazing you know wardrobe as I told him I said I'm going to sort of change my style as 571 00:21:46.595 --> 00:21:57.329 I'm here now in Paris and he has amazing style and another friend who I met from Facebook we do some projects sometimes together so she helps with um, 572 00:21:57.598 --> 00:21:57.838 you know, 573 00:21:57.858 --> 00:21:58.539 my style, 574 00:21:58.540 --> 00:22:02.902 we do shopping and we just talk about fashion. 575 00:22:02.965 --> 00:22:04.062 You can see my book, 576 00:22:05.023 --> 00:22:05.750 Saint Laurent, 577 00:22:05.805 --> 00:22:06.086 you know, 578 00:22:06.087 --> 00:22:07.047 in the background, 579 00:22:07.765 --> 00:22:09.008 which was a nice gift. 580 00:22:09.148 --> 00:22:09.265 So, 581 00:22:10.609 --> 00:22:11.234 and just, 582 00:22:12.430 --> 00:22:12.875 I don't know, 583 00:22:12.976 --> 00:22:22.765 just trying to be outside and have like a really open spirit and engage in conversation with interesting people. 584 00:22:23.562 --> 00:22:24.172 And also 585 00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:26.484 I rented an apartment. 586 00:22:26.854 --> 00:22:27.175 from 587 00:22:27.595 --> 00:22:32.579 Coco community and yeah I went through 588 00:22:33.001 --> 00:22:51.661 Coco for a couple of months and interviewed Fred the founder he thought of him oh no I didn't I didn't listen to it I will I will but yeah he was great because he actually introduced me to a couple people and I met some folks like when I went to a 589 00:22:51.677 --> 00:22:55.427 couple of the events and a couple ladies we hung out the other 590 00:22:55.782 --> 00:23:12.841 evening for a fancy dinner so I just like try to meet people but also make myself available as I can uh yeah so and then just try to to build so of course yeah interesting it's funny what you're saying about well I 591 00:23:13.544 --> 00:23:15.497 I changed my style I guess it's also 592 00:23:15.966 --> 00:23:20.966 I mean you're moving into an industry also that is from the U.S. 593 00:23:21.091 --> 00:23:25.231 to France do you see that big shift in style and 594 00:23:25.514 --> 00:23:37.870 this going above like the marketing luxury uh well on a personal note you know what's really funny when I went back home to the U.S. 595 00:23:38.143 --> 00:23:47.495 and I was validated by my friend who um we knew each other from New York and she lives in London and I said to her it's like in the U.S. 596 00:23:47.776 --> 00:23:49.823 and I'm in Florida and Texas of course 597 00:23:50.401 --> 00:23:52.854 I said everybody's in athleisure 598 00:23:53.486 --> 00:23:58.973 Everybody at the store is wearing leggings and sneakers and like t-shirts. 599 00:23:59.591 --> 00:24:00.313 I'm going, 600 00:24:00.872 --> 00:24:01.153 I mean, 601 00:24:01.411 --> 00:24:02.052 I still do, 602 00:24:02.317 --> 00:24:08.083 but like now that has really changed because unless I'm going to, 603 00:24:08.380 --> 00:24:08.638 you know, 604 00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:10.645 like Fonpre really quickly, 605 00:24:11.239 --> 00:24:13.223 or I'm just going downstairs to the bakery, 606 00:24:14.005 --> 00:24:16.286 I do put on something, 607 00:24:16.395 --> 00:24:16.692 you know, 608 00:24:16.786 --> 00:24:18.505 like I put on some pants. 609 00:24:18.950 --> 00:24:20.031 Or if I'm going to the gym, 610 00:24:20.072 --> 00:24:20.652 of course, 611 00:24:20.712 --> 00:24:20.892 yeah, 612 00:24:20.912 --> 00:24:22.714 I wear my athleisure surround. 613 00:24:22.753 --> 00:24:29.177 But that was like a huge like aha moment, 614 00:24:29.357 --> 00:24:32.763 eye-open moment because it was like everywhere. 615 00:24:33.287 --> 00:24:34.708 And I was just saying to myself, 616 00:24:34.763 --> 00:24:34.888 oh, 617 00:24:34.904 --> 00:24:35.451 my goodness, 618 00:24:35.482 --> 00:24:38.951 like athleisure has totally taken over the U.S. 619 00:24:39.810 --> 00:24:41.326 And it's incredible. 620 00:24:41.857 --> 00:24:42.638 But yeah, 621 00:24:42.779 --> 00:24:45.951 like fashion here. 622 00:24:46.414 --> 00:24:48.295 And I know like my style has changed. 623 00:24:48.334 --> 00:24:53.256 I'd always I kept some of my sort of New York vibes because I had lived there so long. 624 00:24:53.955 --> 00:24:56.396 But my style, 625 00:24:56.615 --> 00:24:56.857 yes, 626 00:24:56.896 --> 00:24:59.638 I think has changed in terms of makeup, 627 00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:00.076 hair, 628 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:00.881 clothing. 629 00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:01.857 I also 630 00:25:02.744 --> 00:25:04.446 to sort of immerse myself. 631 00:25:04.566 --> 00:25:13.777 I also started shopping with a lot of French designers and just hanging out and trying to understand some of the French style, 632 00:25:13.816 --> 00:25:19.660 especially I think if you're working here or if you just love the culture. 633 00:25:20.285 --> 00:25:26.269 And it was great to see for myself and experience for myself some of the 634 00:25:27.003 --> 00:25:27.425 I would say 635 00:25:28.128 --> 00:25:30.253 I don't want to say real style but 636 00:25:30.696 --> 00:25:31.116 I don't know. 637 00:25:31.117 --> 00:25:32.759 It's like every day. 638 00:25:32.760 --> 00:25:33.419 The local style? 639 00:25:33.420 --> 00:25:33.499 Yeah, 640 00:25:33.500 --> 00:25:34.100 local style. 641 00:25:34.239 --> 00:25:34.520 Yeah, 642 00:25:34.678 --> 00:25:36.561 because in the U.S., 643 00:25:37.542 --> 00:25:38.503 I told my friends, 644 00:25:38.504 --> 00:25:38.866 I said, 645 00:25:39.100 --> 00:25:39.585 I watched, 646 00:25:39.725 --> 00:25:39.968 you know, 647 00:25:39.969 --> 00:25:41.124 a lot of videos on like, 648 00:25:41.147 --> 00:25:41.264 oh, 649 00:25:41.327 --> 00:25:41.968 French style, 650 00:25:42.030 --> 00:25:42.710 French life, 651 00:25:43.030 --> 00:25:43.288 you know, 652 00:25:43.311 --> 00:25:45.288 just excitement as I'm coming here. 653 00:25:45.952 --> 00:25:52.475 And there was definitely this kind of image that I feel was sort of exported, 654 00:25:52.632 --> 00:25:53.382 if you will, 655 00:25:53.944 --> 00:25:54.382 right, 656 00:25:54.975 --> 00:25:56.616 of a certain look, 657 00:25:56.803 --> 00:25:57.085 you know, 658 00:25:57.178 --> 00:25:58.147 kind of tall, 659 00:25:58.428 --> 00:25:58.866 thin. 660 00:25:59.532 --> 00:26:14.852 do you say marinier or the stripes yeah um yes wearing pants or uh loafers you know this kind of and not really a lot of color but being super muted but the 661 00:26:14.954 --> 00:26:18.719 neighborhoods that I've been in and the places that I've been to 662 00:26:19.610 --> 00:26:26.423 I see a lot more artistic people or people who embrace style wear a lot of color, 663 00:26:26.485 --> 00:26:27.704 especially in the summer. 664 00:26:28.220 --> 00:26:32.964 And I know they're not foreigners because you hear them and they're friendly friends, 665 00:26:32.965 --> 00:26:33.304 you know, 666 00:26:33.444 --> 00:26:35.108 or you see at the cafe. 667 00:26:36.050 --> 00:26:42.737 And so that's been like really exciting and eye opening to see because 668 00:26:43.378 --> 00:26:57.136 I think that there's really a style for everybody here versus like kind of what sort of this very specific kind of niche style that's kind of exported. 669 00:26:57.260 --> 00:26:58.481 you know to the U.S. 670 00:26:59.463 --> 00:27:08.248 and one of the other things that I love especially as getting older getting a little more gray hair you know is that they're women 671 00:27:08.795 --> 00:27:10.295 I in their probably 672 00:27:10.873 --> 00:27:11.857 60s 70s maybe 673 00:27:12.459 --> 00:27:15.802 80s and they look fabulous yeah they look better 674 00:27:17.052 --> 00:27:26.646 I mean anybody and find their style and they just embrace it completely yeah completely I don't know where they're going if it's just 675 00:27:27.821 --> 00:27:30.064 If it's just in the grocery store or what, 676 00:27:30.224 --> 00:27:30.843 but I mean, 677 00:27:31.306 --> 00:27:35.330 they're completely pulled together and they know what they're doing. 678 00:27:35.830 --> 00:27:36.931 It's very inspirational. 679 00:27:37.791 --> 00:27:38.634 It is, 680 00:27:38.775 --> 00:27:40.814 but it makes me feel good because 681 00:27:41.337 --> 00:27:41.736 I think, 682 00:27:42.072 --> 00:27:42.337 you know, 683 00:27:42.392 --> 00:27:47.837 especially after experiencing my program and I was like the oldest person in the class, 684 00:27:50.369 --> 00:27:53.931 there is so much emphasis on like Gen Z. 685 00:27:54.420 --> 00:27:56.962 And I get it because I was once a Gen Z. 686 00:27:56.983 --> 00:27:58.645 I'm not anymore, 687 00:27:58.844 --> 00:27:59.446 you know, 688 00:27:59.447 --> 00:28:00.204 of my age. 689 00:28:00.305 --> 00:28:05.633 But it's like sometimes I think for women and the industry, 690 00:28:05.790 --> 00:28:06.813 like beauty industry, 691 00:28:06.930 --> 00:28:07.969 fashion industry, 692 00:28:09.094 --> 00:28:10.891 I like to see things change. 693 00:28:11.110 --> 00:28:12.141 And people, 694 00:28:12.797 --> 00:28:13.860 you're in great. 695 00:28:14.641 --> 00:28:16.001 At your time also. 696 00:28:16.922 --> 00:28:19.422 Your life isn't over because you're over 30. 697 00:28:19.563 --> 00:28:19.688 No. 698 00:28:20.047 --> 00:28:20.907 It continues. 699 00:28:21.700 --> 00:28:22.481 Absolutely. 700 00:28:22.621 --> 00:28:25.363 And it can continue to be like fabulous. 701 00:28:25.484 --> 00:28:25.644 And, 702 00:28:25.964 --> 00:28:26.343 you know, 703 00:28:26.367 --> 00:28:28.609 just out in the evening, 704 00:28:28.765 --> 00:28:29.687 taking a stroll, 705 00:28:29.827 --> 00:28:32.109 having some champagne with your partner, 706 00:28:32.492 --> 00:28:33.531 so on and so forth. 707 00:28:34.296 --> 00:28:37.952 It's really to see that I think is really fabulous. 708 00:28:37.999 --> 00:28:38.640 And I think 709 00:28:39.734 --> 00:28:42.624 I don't know where the US is on that necessarily. 710 00:28:42.937 --> 00:28:48.421 We definitely have come a long way with a lot of acceptance of different. 711 00:28:49.148 --> 00:28:49.388 you know, 712 00:28:49.428 --> 00:28:50.269 body shapes, 713 00:28:50.349 --> 00:28:51.229 skin tones, 714 00:28:51.311 --> 00:28:52.311 hairstyles, 715 00:28:52.772 --> 00:28:53.012 you know, 716 00:28:53.092 --> 00:28:53.811 this and that. 717 00:28:55.956 --> 00:28:56.233 But 718 00:28:57.436 --> 00:28:59.975 I think that this is a great lesson from, 719 00:29:00.256 --> 00:29:00.499 you know, 720 00:29:00.616 --> 00:29:04.663 France to show like women just being like super fabulous at, 721 00:29:04.866 --> 00:29:05.100 you know, 722 00:29:05.202 --> 00:29:06.920 all of these ages and, 723 00:29:06.983 --> 00:29:07.264 you know, 724 00:29:07.467 --> 00:29:08.014 vice versa, 725 00:29:08.061 --> 00:29:09.327 we can learn from each other, 726 00:29:09.420 --> 00:29:11.186 take things from each other. 727 00:29:11.327 --> 00:29:13.295 So absolutely. 728 00:29:17.077 --> 00:29:17.608 Yeah. 729 00:29:18.432 --> 00:29:20.133 So you mentioned the fashion, 730 00:29:20.212 --> 00:29:20.833 the marketing. 731 00:29:22.972 --> 00:29:24.972 Do you want to come back to the Emily in Paris? 732 00:29:27.792 --> 00:29:30.878 Because it seems like you're a little bit in that area, 733 00:29:31.151 --> 00:29:31.894 in this street. 734 00:29:33.034 --> 00:29:33.394 Sure. 735 00:29:33.597 --> 00:29:34.136 It's like, 736 00:29:34.683 --> 00:29:34.870 yeah, 737 00:29:34.933 --> 00:29:35.323 because, 738 00:29:35.620 --> 00:29:35.979 and you know, 739 00:29:35.980 --> 00:29:40.729 it's so funny because it was a bit like unintentional. 740 00:29:40.995 --> 00:29:43.479 And to be fair to Emily in Paris, 741 00:29:43.511 --> 00:29:46.854 I know there's a lot of opinions about the show. 742 00:29:47.817 --> 00:29:48.939 But that first season, 743 00:29:48.999 --> 00:29:49.320 I think, 744 00:29:49.381 --> 00:29:51.402 came out like during the pandemic. 745 00:29:52.144 --> 00:29:58.195 And it was truly like escapism as I was, 746 00:29:58.515 --> 00:29:58.797 you know, 747 00:29:58.937 --> 00:29:59.781 in the house. 748 00:30:00.364 --> 00:30:07.573 kind of wondering what is going on with the world and being able to travel suddenly. 749 00:30:08.292 --> 00:30:08.612 Yeah, 750 00:30:08.870 --> 00:30:10.612 especially to my favorite place. 751 00:30:10.613 --> 00:30:11.753 And they were so wonderful, 752 00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:15.018 like with all of the scenery incorporating, 753 00:30:15.237 --> 00:30:15.479 you know, 754 00:30:15.581 --> 00:30:16.675 French people there. 755 00:30:16.753 --> 00:30:17.706 And it just, 756 00:30:17.707 --> 00:30:17.846 yeah, 757 00:30:17.878 --> 00:30:20.003 it kind of just took me away, 758 00:30:20.004 --> 00:30:20.300 you know, 759 00:30:20.346 --> 00:30:20.628 like, 760 00:30:21.159 --> 00:30:21.878 my mind just, 761 00:30:21.925 --> 00:30:22.065 yeah, 762 00:30:22.143 --> 00:30:23.534 traveled to Paris, 763 00:30:23.565 --> 00:30:24.643 and it was amazing. 764 00:30:24.784 --> 00:30:28.956 So the show definitely had some influence on me. 765 00:30:29.315 --> 00:30:29.534 But 766 00:30:30.684 --> 00:30:34.067 And it was also like some of the challenges, 767 00:30:35.387 --> 00:30:37.290 like I literally did not play it. 768 00:30:37.291 --> 00:30:38.473 The apartment with seven floors. 769 00:30:39.352 --> 00:30:39.610 Yeah, 770 00:30:39.930 --> 00:30:40.797 exactly. 771 00:30:42.032 --> 00:30:45.555 I would say the woman who's the concierge here is quite nice. 772 00:30:46.102 --> 00:30:50.743 So it's not like Emily's like kind of concierge. 773 00:30:52.211 --> 00:30:52.571 But yeah, 774 00:30:52.821 --> 00:30:54.508 going up the stairs, 775 00:30:54.571 --> 00:30:55.836 trekking up the steps. 776 00:30:57.716 --> 00:30:59.897 walking or jogging through the 777 00:31:01.297 --> 00:31:04.299 Jardin du Luxembourg is beautiful. 778 00:31:05.116 --> 00:31:05.256 So 779 00:31:06.178 --> 00:31:08.217 I completely understand why she did that. 780 00:31:08.256 --> 00:31:10.459 That's an amazing place to just be. 781 00:31:12.280 --> 00:31:14.374 Some of the things maybe like, 782 00:31:15.217 --> 00:31:15.780 I don't know, 783 00:31:16.092 --> 00:31:19.764 I like attitudes wise, 784 00:31:19.874 --> 00:31:20.077 like, 785 00:31:20.467 --> 00:31:22.342 I don't work here yet. 786 00:31:22.436 --> 00:31:22.889 But I mean, 787 00:31:22.905 --> 00:31:24.624 just my school experience, 788 00:31:25.217 --> 00:31:26.936 I would say like. 789 00:31:27.304 --> 00:31:28.145 You see how they, 790 00:31:28.185 --> 00:31:29.666 I feel like the French team, 791 00:31:29.787 --> 00:31:29.967 like, 792 00:31:30.008 --> 00:31:30.988 really embraced her. 793 00:31:32.508 --> 00:31:32.891 And 794 00:31:33.391 --> 00:31:37.531 I feel generally embraced by a lot of people that I meet here, 795 00:31:37.633 --> 00:31:38.055 honestly, 796 00:31:38.133 --> 00:31:43.664 because maybe I also try to be a bit more polite. 797 00:31:44.258 --> 00:31:46.617 And I do think what's true that I've heard is, 798 00:31:46.726 --> 00:31:46.930 like, 799 00:31:46.931 --> 00:31:48.070 if you say good morning, 800 00:31:48.101 --> 00:31:48.680 good evening, 801 00:31:48.742 --> 00:31:49.680 goodbye. 802 00:31:49.867 --> 00:31:50.101 It does. 803 00:31:50.180 --> 00:31:53.164 It really does. 804 00:31:53.273 --> 00:31:53.648 Even to, 805 00:31:53.695 --> 00:31:53.867 like, 806 00:31:53.868 --> 00:31:55.555 the most serious faces. 807 00:31:56.240 --> 00:32:02.025 And it's like that scene when she was buying the pain au raisin or pain au chocolat. 808 00:32:02.826 --> 00:32:05.068 And the woman there corrected her. 809 00:32:05.130 --> 00:32:07.552 But it's like she went inside and she didn't say anything. 810 00:32:08.654 --> 00:32:09.615 Even as an American, 811 00:32:09.716 --> 00:32:10.794 you go inside, 812 00:32:10.818 --> 00:32:11.013 you say, 813 00:32:11.052 --> 00:32:11.255 hi, 814 00:32:11.279 --> 00:32:12.122 how are you doing? 815 00:32:12.154 --> 00:32:12.294 Or, 816 00:32:12.513 --> 00:32:12.951 I don't know, 817 00:32:12.982 --> 00:32:13.685 good morning. 818 00:32:13.857 --> 00:32:14.201 And 819 00:32:15.857 --> 00:32:17.419 I know people commented on that. 820 00:32:17.466 --> 00:32:21.904 But I do think the manners here can go a long way for sure. 821 00:32:22.701 --> 00:32:23.482 and um so 822 00:32:24.396 --> 00:32:24.696 Gosh, 823 00:32:24.776 --> 00:32:26.378 what else about the show? 824 00:32:26.558 --> 00:32:28.140 I was just wondering, 825 00:32:28.199 --> 00:32:30.800 did it set expectations for you? 826 00:32:31.023 --> 00:32:33.503 Or were you very realistic about that? 827 00:32:33.808 --> 00:32:35.628 That's not going to be like real life. 828 00:32:36.886 --> 00:32:37.105 Yeah. 829 00:32:37.386 --> 00:32:37.793 I mean, 830 00:32:37.832 --> 00:32:38.668 because in a way, 831 00:32:38.769 --> 00:32:41.488 it's sort of like life in New York a bit. 832 00:32:42.566 --> 00:32:42.941 I don't know, 833 00:32:43.019 --> 00:32:44.175 like life in a big city. 834 00:32:44.863 --> 00:32:46.550 So it didn't really, 835 00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:48.660 did it set expectations? 836 00:32:48.753 --> 00:32:49.207 I don't know. 837 00:32:49.503 --> 00:32:50.738 It made me excited, 838 00:32:51.019 --> 00:32:51.503 honestly. 839 00:32:51.988 --> 00:32:53.441 I felt excited because... 840 00:32:53.992 --> 00:32:54.833 I felt like, 841 00:32:55.133 --> 00:32:55.354 wow, 842 00:32:55.414 --> 00:32:58.696 this is a new kind of life that I want to experience. 843 00:32:58.797 --> 00:33:00.137 And it also felt like 844 00:33:00.637 --> 00:33:06.383 I was getting a glimpse of what it could be like here. 845 00:33:06.407 --> 00:33:06.727 I mean, 846 00:33:07.422 --> 00:33:12.133 hopefully with a lot less drama and things like that. 847 00:33:13.258 --> 00:33:13.633 But yeah, 848 00:33:14.805 --> 00:33:17.633 it really sort of set that stage, 849 00:33:18.211 --> 00:33:19.977 even finding friends, 850 00:33:20.274 --> 00:33:21.524 experiencing art, 851 00:33:21.805 --> 00:33:22.274 dinners. 852 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:23.441 with people, 853 00:33:24.763 --> 00:33:24.983 like, 854 00:33:25.304 --> 00:33:29.968 those are some of the things that I really wanted to have back in my life. 855 00:33:30.046 --> 00:33:32.386 So in that way, 856 00:33:32.792 --> 00:33:34.768 maybe it did set a little expectation, 857 00:33:34.933 --> 00:33:37.011 but I definitely didn't expect to, 858 00:33:37.839 --> 00:33:38.073 you know, 859 00:33:38.074 --> 00:33:39.542 be going to school fully, 860 00:33:40.104 --> 00:33:40.339 you know, 861 00:33:40.464 --> 00:33:41.995 dressed from head to toe, 862 00:33:42.120 --> 00:33:43.214 full face every day. 863 00:33:43.215 --> 00:33:43.339 No, 864 00:33:44.026 --> 00:33:44.136 no, 865 00:33:44.808 --> 00:33:44.917 no, 866 00:33:46.683 --> 00:33:46.808 no, 867 00:33:47.026 --> 00:33:47.620 not at all. 868 00:33:48.229 --> 00:33:48.339 So, 869 00:33:49.433 --> 00:33:49.823 but yeah, 870 00:33:50.823 --> 00:33:50.948 it, 871 00:33:51.073 --> 00:33:51.183 it, 872 00:33:51.184 --> 00:33:51.261 it, 873 00:33:51.262 --> 00:33:51.933 at least I think. 874 00:33:52.456 --> 00:34:08.074 illuminated some things for me well thanks so much let's move on to your recommendations so you've been there a bit more than a year yeah what would be your top places for bar or cafe restaurant 875 00:34:08.308 --> 00:34:20.816 that you get a carte blanche anything you want oh okay um and i know you i know i prepared for this i would say because there's like 876 00:34:21.088 --> 00:34:23.688 many places that also want to pop into my mind. 877 00:34:24.268 --> 00:34:26.248 But favorite places, 878 00:34:27.049 --> 00:34:33.772 I like kind of local places to where to build like a relationship where they start to get to know you. 879 00:34:34.467 --> 00:34:36.311 So for food, 880 00:34:37.178 --> 00:34:38.412 Le Petit Marcel, 881 00:34:39.491 --> 00:34:41.350 it's near the Centre Pompidou, 882 00:34:42.459 --> 00:34:44.319 one of my favorite restaurants, 883 00:34:44.459 --> 00:34:45.459 great wine, 884 00:34:45.553 --> 00:34:46.428 wonderful food. 885 00:34:46.928 --> 00:34:48.647 I love the escargot there. 886 00:34:48.772 --> 00:34:50.319 And there's something that they 887 00:34:51.020 --> 00:35:07.065 put into this like butter garlic herbs that's like but it's like theirs it's really magical honestly and with the bread i don't know like truly it's really really magical so i would say that's uh one of my favorite places 888 00:35:07.692 --> 00:35:09.172 Also for bars, 889 00:35:09.273 --> 00:35:12.314 there's one called Le 890 00:35:12.892 --> 00:35:13.532 Gainsbourg. 891 00:35:14.255 --> 00:35:18.974 And it's a cute kind of small cocktail bar. 892 00:35:19.693 --> 00:35:23.138 And they make wonderful cocktails. 893 00:35:23.739 --> 00:35:24.036 Also, 894 00:35:24.708 --> 00:35:29.083 one of my favorite places for if you want a little bit more bougie, 895 00:35:29.224 --> 00:35:32.224 like fancy drink kind of place. 896 00:35:33.318 --> 00:35:36.818 Because I did a lot of research on palace hotels for my project. 897 00:35:37.444 --> 00:35:39.567 So two places I recommend, 898 00:35:39.647 --> 00:35:42.410 Hotel Leticia and also 899 00:35:43.449 --> 00:35:44.250 La Reserve. 900 00:35:45.090 --> 00:35:47.633 La Reserve is really my favorite. 901 00:35:47.750 --> 00:35:53.078 I have always gone there and felt incredibly welcomed. 902 00:35:54.313 --> 00:35:55.594 Wonderful cocktails, 903 00:35:55.688 --> 00:35:56.578 great food. 904 00:35:58.078 --> 00:35:58.422 Just, 905 00:35:59.485 --> 00:35:59.766 you know, 906 00:35:59.891 --> 00:36:02.032 it's not maybe an everyday thing, 907 00:36:02.250 --> 00:36:03.828 but if you feel maybe like... 908 00:36:04.260 --> 00:36:21.160 dressing up on the evening yeah like a tree it's really a great place and and I just love the atmosphere and how you're welcomed in so yeah those are some of my favorite places here and what about your expat song my 909 00:36:21.269 --> 00:36:31.301 expat song I love this question do you know and and forgive me because I can't remember the artist's name this is terrible 910 00:36:31.732 --> 00:36:32.813 But the song is like, 911 00:36:32.873 --> 00:36:34.234 I'm going to do it my way. 912 00:36:36.496 --> 00:36:36.656 Oh, 913 00:36:36.718 --> 00:36:37.199 my gosh. 914 00:36:37.297 --> 00:36:37.636 Yes, 915 00:36:38.418 --> 00:36:40.183 that's my expat song. 916 00:36:40.300 --> 00:36:41.543 I'm going to do it my way. 917 00:36:41.840 --> 00:36:42.386 Because, 918 00:36:43.402 --> 00:36:43.683 you know, 919 00:36:44.144 --> 00:36:46.769 I'm integrating into the culture and everything, 920 00:36:46.886 --> 00:36:48.996 but I need to do some things, 921 00:36:49.293 --> 00:36:49.511 you know, 922 00:36:49.512 --> 00:36:49.652 my way. 923 00:36:49.653 --> 00:36:51.168 You need to be yourself also. 924 00:36:51.246 --> 00:36:51.918 Yeah, 925 00:36:52.011 --> 00:36:53.215 stay true to yourself. 926 00:36:53.293 --> 00:36:53.949 Exactly. 927 00:36:54.668 --> 00:36:54.793 So, 928 00:36:54.918 --> 00:36:55.058 yeah, 929 00:36:56.418 --> 00:36:57.902 that's not too boring for people. 930 00:36:58.976 --> 00:36:59.397 I don't know. 931 00:36:59.577 --> 00:37:00.078 It's interesting. 932 00:37:00.117 --> 00:37:01.258 I don't think it ever came out, 933 00:37:01.299 --> 00:37:01.840 but I mean, 934 00:37:02.058 --> 00:37:04.664 definitely the title resonates straight away. 935 00:37:05.344 --> 00:37:05.781 Yes, 936 00:37:06.945 --> 00:37:07.445 exactly. 937 00:37:08.703 --> 00:37:09.023 Okay. 938 00:37:09.148 --> 00:37:09.328 Well, 939 00:37:09.445 --> 00:37:12.390 we'll link the places and the song in the, 940 00:37:12.867 --> 00:37:13.648 in the footnotes. 941 00:37:13.992 --> 00:37:15.953 I hope you enjoyed the episode. 942 00:37:16.047 --> 00:37:20.500 Thank you so much for sharing about the differences that you've seen, 943 00:37:22.125 --> 00:37:24.000 especially in the school system. 944 00:37:24.797 --> 00:37:25.156 Yeah. 945 00:37:25.297 --> 00:37:26.984 Of course. 946 00:37:28.060 --> 00:37:28.260 Yeah, 947 00:37:28.280 --> 00:37:31.324 hopefully we'll meet at Coco or in Paris for a coffee or a bar. 948 00:37:33.547 --> 00:37:33.824 Yes, 949 00:37:33.926 --> 00:37:34.645 definitely. 950 00:37:34.785 --> 00:37:36.309 Please let me know when you're here. 951 00:37:36.590 --> 00:37:39.613 And also just a big thank you to you as well. 952 00:37:39.809 --> 00:37:46.637 And I do want people to know that at any age you can make a change and you can be courageous, 953 00:37:46.762 --> 00:37:49.809 make a plan and make a change and follow your dreams. 954 00:37:50.199 --> 00:37:52.481 So thank you for letting me share my story today. 955 00:37:52.482 --> 00:37:52.871 A living example. 956 00:37:53.731 --> 00:37:54.184 Thank you, 957 00:37:54.371 --> 00:37:54.668 yes. 958 00:37:56.277 --> 00:37:56.497 Guys, 959 00:37:56.537 --> 00:37:57.761 if you enjoyed the episode, 960 00:37:57.762 --> 00:38:01.252 you can put a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 961 00:38:01.854 --> 00:38:02.358 As usual, 962 00:38:02.518 --> 00:38:04.119 all the updates will be on Instagram.