Thursday, July 3, 2014

Paris A-Z: X is for Expats

Paris A to Z: X is for Expats

The Sassy Guide to the City of Light


As an American living in Paris for nearly 9 years, I have plenty of words of wisdom to share about this glorious, yet sometimes frustrating, city. Each weekday this month I will share my thoughts on some of the best stuff to do in Paris. Today's letter, X, is for Expats.

This is a bit of a stretch but c'mon, it's X. Plus, an important part of my life in Paris has been the expat life. While I ultimately married a Frenchman and had two half-French, half-American, all-awesome kids with him, I still spend much of my time with native English-speakers.

Some expats prefer to fully immerse themselves in the local culture, shunning any fellow compatriots they meet. Some expats ONLY hang out with people from their home country. I found the balance that worked for me - about half of my closest friends are Anglophone (though, not only from the US) and the other half are French, who I've met through work or family.

It's nice to have French friends who can explain their country's quirks, but it's also nice to be able to commiserate with fellow English-speakers about said quirks. The best of both worlds.

Check out the full series:
Paris A to Z: A is for Pont Alexandre III
Paris A to Z: B is for Boulangerie
Paris A to Z: C is for Chateau de Vincennes
Paris A to Z: D is for Drinks
Paris A to Z: E is for Eiffel Tower
Paris A to Z: F is for Fondue
Paris A to Z: G is for La Grande Epicerie
Paris A to Z: H is for Haussmann Architecture
Paris A to Z: I is for Ile St. Louis
Paris A to Z: J is for Jim Morrison's Grave
Paris A to Z: K is for Kir Royale
Paris A to Z: L is for The Long Hop
Paris A to Z: M is for Métro
Paris A to Z: N is for Notre Dame
Paris A to Z: O is for Musée d'Orsay
Paris A to Z: P is for Promenade Plantée
Paris A to Z: Q is for Quaint Shops
Paris A to Z: R is for Romance
Paris A to Z: S is for Sacre Coeur
Paris A to Z: T is for Trousseau
Paris A to Z: U is for Un Reve
Paris A to Z: V is for Vin
Paris A to Z: W is for Walking
Paris A to Z: X is for Expats
Paris A to Z: Y is for Court Yards
Paris A to Z: Z is for Zen in the City

Escape to Paris

Vicki Lesage, Author