In just a few days I will go from being “The New Dubliner” and become “La Nouvelle Parisienne”, for a month. I made the decision to go for it and booked my airbnb on my birthday back in May, so I’ve been building up to this for a while. It’s hard to believe that the time for me to go is nearly here. (BTW – for anyone interested in following my little adventure, I will finally be embracing the hashtag and posting daily photos on Facebook under #mymonthinparis.)
Hands down, the question I get asked most often when I tell someone my plans is “why?” – to which I answer, “Why not?!”.
There is an article that has been making the rounds amongst my travel-minded Facebook friends that there is scientific data indicating that It’s Okay To Spend All Your Money On Travel – to which I say, I KNEW IT!
I’ve always been someone who prefers experiences over stuff. My television is laughably small, I buy most of my clothes from Target or Kohl’s and my furniture is IKEA all the way. In fact, when I sit down and actually think about it, I don’t really own anything that is worth all that much. And honestly, that is fine with me.
But what I do have, and what the article reveals is actually more valuable, are experiences. I’ve climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge and snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef. I’ve cooked paella in Barcelona and sipped wine amongst the vineyards of Austria. I’ve seen the Northern Lights (twice!) and eaten pyshki in St. Petersburg.
And to all these adventures I will be adding a month of living and working in my favorite city on the planet. I have no idea what is in store for me, but I’m fairly certain it will be another priceless experience.
The New Dubliner 