I fulfilled my lifelong dream of moving to Paris. It's not always the fairytale I imagined, but I'm still happy here.

Sarah Pardi near the Seine River Courtesy of Sarah Pardi Sarah Pardi, 35, and her husband moved to Paris in 2023 and plan to live there indefinitely. Pardi said that France and the US have a lot in common, but there are a few big differences. For one, locals don't really enjoy small talk, and discussing work after hours is a faux pas. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarah Pardi, 35, who moved to Paris in 2023. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. I...