i was an au pair in paris
In September 2020 I moved to Paris to fully experience la vie en rose, and at times it truly was like living a white tumblr women’s fantasy. Latte in one hand, croissant in the other lying naked in a king-sized bed - crisp white sheets with a close-up view of the Eiffel tower. You know exactly what I’m talking about.
I’ll be honest, I never experienced that specifically, but I’d say eating three croissants whilst being a little too caffeinated and running late to pick up a kid from school that isn’t yours; is close enough, right?
An ‘Au Pair’ quite literally translates as ‘on par’, so to be equal with someone. It’s a job but also a cultural exchange with a family from a different country. It’s great for anybody who wants to move abroad for a year or so and have enough free time to explore the city whilst earning some money. I felt that this was the cheapest way for me to live abroad because if you find a family that pays for your accommodation you have less to worry about in terms of expenses and you get a tonne more privacy.
What my enthusiastic self didn’t quite realise when becoming an ‘au pair’ in Paris were the piles of laundry to wash and iron, the patience you must have when a kid doesn’t listen to you, and re-learning every subject you were taught at school because you suddenly can’t remember how to do algebra.
During my time there, I found that the way of life in France was disgustingly romantic. It is incredible how much the people in France love their food despite being stick thin. Food is like music to them and the ritual of buying fresh food at the bakeries and markets was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The queues of people that would buy just one baguette at 8 in the morning, was just inarguably perfect and it really made my heart sing. The coffee or wine on terraces accompanied with a the smell of tobacco. It’s like a dream and it’s by no surprise that it acts as a type of therapy for Parisiennes, and I adore it.
Not only do Parisiennes know how to relax but the also know how to do it stylishly. Effortless chic everywhere you look. Just follow @parisiensinparis on Instagram, you’ll get the gist.
But my time in Paris was a weird one even with all the newfound love of a new city and a fresh start. I would say moving especially to a capital city during a worldwide pandemic was not the best of my ideas. However, I did get to see Paris in all its ghostly magic. Some of the most tourist heavy spots were completely empty, and there was something really beautiful about wandering the tiny cobbled streets with no one around.
It gave me a chance to really start learning the language, which was quite possibly the worst hurdle for me.
I was given the chance to learn French back in school but at the wise age of 15 I told my mum that ‘i would never in a million years need to learn French’ and dropped out of the class.
Karma is a b*tch.
Rue de l'Abreuvoir, Montmartre
