Work transfer to Paris - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

djwazzy · 03-24-2010, 09:40 AM

My company wants me to transfer to Paris for a 2 year stint. I'm pretty excited about the opportunity but haven't spent any significant time in the city.

Have any of you have lived in Paris for any length of time? Hoping to hear your experiences

red sky · 03-24-2010, 09:43 AM

Jealous

Misterpants · 03-24-2010, 09:43 AM

Go for it! Standard amount of holiday time in France is 5 weeks!

amorak · 03-24-2010, 09:45 AM

Do it, that's an awesome opportunity. Be sure to visit the Eiffel Tower and eat a baguette and riot and work 32.5 hours a week and take 6 weeks vacation and...That's all the stereotypes I know.

worth · 03-24-2010, 09:45 AM

Brush up on your German.

Ducay · 03-24-2010, 09:47 AM

Ensure your citroen is rigged to go in only reverse

edit for content:

Its a great city. Hopefully you speak some french and don't get stuck in the burbs.

djwazzy · 03-24-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amorak

Do it, that's an awesome opportunity. Be sure to visit the Eiffel Tower and eat a baguette and riot and work 32.5 hours a week and take 6 weeks vacation and...That's all the stereotypes I know.

Lol! That's pretty much all I know going in as well. Doesn't sound to bad at all!

amorak · 03-24-2010, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducay

Ensure your citroen is rigged to go in only reverse

edit for content:

Its a great city. Hopefully you speak some french and don't get stuck in the burbs.

The burbs are where the oppressed people live, so he will be effed if he's stuck there.

amorak · 03-24-2010, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amorak

The burbs are where the oppressed people live, so he will be effed if he's stuck there.

Here's a great article: http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/article/2...-of-exile.html

Basically - if they're placing you anywhere but central Paris, ABORT!

Ducay · 03-24-2010, 09:59 AM

Take it all in. Try and live as "Parisian" as possible, get a flat in one of the core arrondisements and just embrace the lifestyle.

amorak · 03-24-2010, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducay

Take it all in. Try and live a "Parisian" as possible, get a flat in one of the core arrondisements and just embrace the lifestyle.

Says the guy who cried the entire time he was there. I wanaaaaaaaaaaaa go hoooooooooooooooome

FurnaceFace · 03-24-2010, 10:02 AM

I've not really lived there, but I've been there for reasonably long stints. My impression is the work day is longer than it is here. That's work day, not working hours, working hours are 35 hrs/week by law and anything more you must get comped for. You earn 2.5 days/month vacation

Depending on where you live the commute could be long, lunch is a real event where most Parisienne's will spend in a restaurant and it seems to be up to 90 mins. add on the commute home and it could mean you're not really home until well after 6. French dinner's are typically 8pm and are also a full on event so traditionally you're not done until some time approaching 10. As a result, I always felt the days can sometimes feel long as you don't have much time to just relax. You're up, off to work, at work, come home from work, having a multi course meal, and then you're full and tired and just want to go to bed. I'm sure if you're on your own the experience will be different but that's what I've seen when staying with the relatives.

What part of the city is your office located?

Bunk · 03-24-2010, 10:03 AM

Lucky . Do you speak french? If so, your experience will be a bit smoother, obviously.

How many people have the opportunity to move to Paris for a 2 year stint? Sounds about perfect.

amorak · 03-24-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunk

Lucky . Do you speak french? If so, your experience will be a bit smoother, obviously.

How many people have the opportunity to move to Paris for a 2 year stint? Sounds about perfect.

I agree - especially if you know some french, it's a bloody no brainer.

djwazzy · 03-24-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

What part of the city is your office located?

It's located in La Defense, the business district from what I understand. I plan on living very central. It may cost a bit more but I believe it'll be worth the extra cost in order to get the most out of the experience.

I have a basic understanding of French from my immersion days in elementary, hopefully I pick it up pretty quick again.

mykalberta · 03-24-2010, 10:23 AM

My only suggestion would make sure they are giving you a living bonus as with the Euro its not cheap to live there.

If they are paying you the same in Canadian with no living bonus you are going to have a serious hit to your living standards - other than of course living in Paris.

icarus · 03-24-2010, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djwazzy

It's located in La Defense, the business district from what I understand. I plan on living very central. It may cost a bit more but I believe it'll be worth the extra cost in order to get the most out of the experience.

I have a basic understanding of French from my immersion days in elementary, hopefully I pick it up pretty quick again.

La Defense is pretty cool... for a business district that is. La Grande Arche is quite nifty. It's poorly served by the Metro though so unless you like being squished in a carriage with lots of sweaty French people it might be a wise idea to look at bus routes to La Defense and plan where you live on that basis. Neuilly should be a good compromise.

Thankfully you won't have to live or work in Eastern Paris!

Table 5 · 03-24-2010, 11:07 AM

Everyone should make a big move at least once in their life, it will add so much perspective to how you think. Do it while you still don't have anything weighing you down, as kids, wife etc. makes things a lot harder. Even if you move back in 2 years, I doubt you will regret it.

Watch out for those Parisians though, from what I hear they are almost as rude as New Yorkers.

Adieu!

FurnaceFace · 03-24-2010, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djwazzy

It's located in La Defense, the business district from what I understand. I plan on living very central. It may cost a bit more but I believe it'll be worth the extra cost in order to get the most out of the experience.

I have a basic understanding of French from my immersion days in elementary, hopefully I pick it up pretty quick again.

La Defence is the modern business district. It's a planned business area which leads to a really good feel to the area of steel and glass. I quite liked it when we visited...although it was a Sunday so it was nice and quiet (some of my pics: http://www.stadevene.com/paris.html).

It is serviced by the metro and the RER so there are two rail lines going into it which isn't a lot but likely does the job. If you find somewhere to live where you don't have to make a billion metro transfers that would be best...also your company might have accommodations available if they've done this before.

Living there is not cheap but this is more about experience than banking a lot of cash so don't sweat that too much and just enjoy it. If you can get in touch with some of the people you'll be working with - and ideally another foreigner - then use them for advice on where you should live. We'll have some suggestions but they'll know the real pockets of good and bad.

sa226 · 03-24-2010, 12:08 PM

Well considering how those crazy french dudes are you will probably be on strike for at least 1 of the 2 years you are there......

If you have Iphone or Ipod touch there is an interactive app for the Paris Metro that saved my hiney when I was there. Once you learn the system it is by far the easiest and most efficient way to travel around.

Considering you have already been through french immersion, you understand how immersion really is the only way to completely learn a language. I bet you will pick it up faster than you think.

All I had was basic french from high school and after a few days I kept surprising myself with the stuff that was coming out of my mouth.