Penny for Your Thoughts—
“Joy In Paris”
by Jennifer Yelderman

Bonjour! The winds of change are blowing through and I have a gigantic piece of caution to throw in them. At the most opportune age of 32, I have decided to take a chance and move to Paris, still young enough to really enjoy the adventure, yet mature enough to make responsible decisions…well, for the most part.

According to the book “Now Discover Your Strengths”, my number one strength is responsibility. Have I lost my mind or am I just trying to prove the book wrong? This idea of throwing away a prosperous career is absolutely nerve racking. I started at the bottom rung of a small company when I was 23 and climbed my way up. Becoming a Vice President at 31 last year was such a high point in my life; especially considering the company’s success had grown so much too. It’s amazing how work can consume you and essentially become your identity. Let’s face it – when you meet someone new, it’s one of the first questions you ask, just to get an idea of what that person is all about. What am I supposed to say now when someone asks what I do for a living? “Oh, I’m one of those kooky, carefree people who has decided to chase a dream of moving to Paris…and maybe even write a book along the way, oh, and make an appearance on Oprah (although I don’t see either of the latter two things happening, no matter how many times I read “The Secret”)!

What I do know about myself is that, yes, I am responsible, but I also have a lot of trust and faith. I trust in myself to know my limits, yet I have faith that it will all work out for the best – it always does. I will forge ahead with this crazy plan and it will be a great success. If I move and am unable to find a job, it would be a much larger regret to not give it a try at all.

So, what’s my plan of action? Well, first of all, I have some savings to help me get started. Hopefully I can find a job before I run through that money. I’ve spoken with my financial advisor and have decided to rollover my 401k into the kind of IRA where I can write checks. Then, if I do have to dip into it, I will only be taxed on the portion I use, not every penny, which would happen if I just cashed it out. Now, I know this doesn’t seem like the smartest decision, but at this point in my life (no husband, kids or mortgage), I feel like I can take the chance. I’ve had the husband, mortgage and luxury car payments before and learned the lesson of what’s important in life – not the material things, but the experiences. That is what life is all about.

So once I get there, I’ll try to find a job. I’m thinking nothing stressful – no VP, no climbing the corporate ladder. I’d like to work for Disneyland Paris – maybe in a gift shop or guest relations of some sort. I’d like to help make someone’s day magical, which is not likely behind a desk. It’ll be hard not to have the big title and paycheck, but I think it will be well worth it.

Besides the job, the other big challenge will be finding a place to live. I’ve looked online a hundred times at different places, but I’m very apprehensive to commit to something sight unseen. How am I to know if Pierre across the pond has a legitimate apartment to rent to me, or if he’s just scamming another foolish American? Instead, I will set up some apartments to look at when I get there and decide on one then. Have I mentioned the size of the apartments there? I fondly refer to my 650 square foot apartment as ‘the cracker box.’ Well, from the looks of it, the French must live in matchboxes. I’m talking half the square footage for the same price or more! Forget getting a roommate!

So, while I may not have everything physically planned out for my new life, I’m mentally prepared to make it my best adventure yet. In the mean time, I have a few weeks left to hang out with my ever-supportive family and friends, pack my cracker box into a storage unit, sell my car…and, oh yeah – learn to speak French!

If you would like to submit your own story of a personal struggle or triumph with money, please email me at shannah@slcinsuranceservices.com.

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