20 Mar Ask an Au Pair: There’s nothing that Shannon, a budding photographer, dislikes about living in Paris, and it has started to truly feel like home!
What inspires you about Paris?
The art, culture, history and language of the city. As an aspiring photographer, living here the last four months has allowed me to see the world with new perspective. This is a city that inspires me in many ways.
What is the best way to meet Parisians?
It’s a definite challenge to meet Parisians and I can say that most of the friends I have made are other Europeans or Americans. It’s about putting yourself in a situation to meet locals which I am working more at, so right now I cannot give any advice but hope I will have some in the near future!
How do you improve or master your French language skills?
Practice with people outside of class. Class is helpful, but I’ve learned more by speaking at shops, restaurants and listening to others as I’m walking the streets. Your mastery will come from practical application and knowledge in real life scenarios.
What is your favorite neighborhood?
Le Marais, 4th around Notre Dame, 7th
What Can you describe a best meal you’ve had in Paris?
The cultural influences from around the world are apparent in this city. I’ve had some of the best pizza, tacos, Indian food here, but Parisian desserts are by far the best around.
A favorite bar or café?
Ob La Di, Wild & the Moon
A favorite museum?
Musee d’Orsay
What is your favorite secret Paris spot?
The streets in and around the Montorgueil neighborhood toward Notre Dame. Full of cafes and places to just sit and enjoy the atmosphere of the neighborhood.
What do you dislike most about living in Paris?
I truly don’t have any dislikes about living here. I would say it is expensive and budgeting is a must for someone like me who likes to travel often on a free weekend. The cost of living does deter me from staying here another year to further my studies, but that is to be expected in major, metropolitan cities. Other than that, Paris has started to truly feel like home.
What advice would you give to incoming au pairs?
Make the most of your time. For me I love Paris and spend every day before I pick up the kids exploring. Whether I go to a cafe, park, out to eat — I have a bucket list of things I want to do before my time here is up. It’s easy to get comfortable and forget that your time here is limited. Embrace yourself for the hard days with the kids but try to take it all as a learning experience.
ASK AN AU PAIR SERIES
Get to know Paris, from an au pair’s perspective. Our “Ask an Au Pair” series was so popular that we’ve decided to continue it with our next round of au pairs! We pose a dozen questions about the City of Light to those who are seeing it with fresh eyes and learning all of its wonderful intricacies.