Being an Expat in Paris – What is Expatism, How to Become an Expat?

(Last Update: 01.02.2025) Guest Writer: Burak Küçükak

1. Preface

Hello, first of all, I would like to thank dear Ahmet for giving me the opportunity to write on his page, which is unrivaledly rich in terms of cultural activities. This blog, which I discovered especially after I was assigned to Paris, allowed me to get to know Paris much more closely.

If I had to briefly introduce myself, I studied the entire seven-year secondary and high school education in a foreign language at Saint-Michel French College, one year of which was spent teaching only the French language, and then benefited more or less from foreign languages, for four years (January 2014 - December 2017) in Paris. Having lived as an expat in , I can say that I am someone like you... In this article, I will share with you the experiences I gained during the years I spent in Paris. What is expatism, what should you pay attention to when coming to Paris as an expat? I will try to answer questions such as:

2. What does expat mean?

English "expatriateA word derived from the word "". Actually, you know expatriate in the sense of… Of course “talentThe material conditions of us, who are seen as "", are quite different from the conditions of our elders who moved to European countries in the second half of the last century...

After spending four years in Paris, I wish they had come here the same way. But isn't it? Their talent is as much as ours...

3. How to become an expat?

In the past, I used my foreign languages ​​when I came to contribute to some meetings and studies or during phone conversations with the staff I was part of in Istanbul. Naturally, I can say that being able to provide fast and on-site feedback in a foreign company, and in their own language, has made my relationships even more fluent.

I think I have given some clues about the appropriate answer to the question "How to become an expat", because rather than the definitive answer to this question, it would be more appropriate to bring up the essentials, based on the inferences I have gained from what I have heard from myself and my friends around me:

• Since we have made a list, we need to prioritize foreign languages; for Thanks to your fluent knowledge of English, you are the first to unlock this opportunity in any country you want. Apart from this, being fluent in the language spoken in the relevant country and/or the language of the relevant country you will be responsible for will also help you differentiate yourself.
• I think it's second on the list.harmonyIt wouldn't be wrong to cover the topic ". Frankly, we could have discussed business knowledge instead of compliance at this time. However, as far as I can see, some people who work in the same position for a long time have created a comfort zone for themselves and adopted each other's habits. (I would like to open a parenthesis here to point out that in European countries, the time a citizen of that country spends in the same position, or even in the same company, can often be very long). This is the new guy When you join the stream flowing in your own bed or more importantly, When he intervenes, even in a healing way, in the habits of the team he is/will be a part of, all hell breaks loose. I have heard countless examples, both small and large. You need to prove yourself that you will be a harmonious team worker. Whatever you ask, I will answer in the form of human relations and flexibility, of course everything is fine in its own way...
• "Job knowledge/experienceDon't let the fact that ” is in third place diminish the importance of this issue in your eyes. Because in the country you are/will be transferred to, instead of any citizen who graduated from such and such schools that are ranked in the world rankings of that country, and within the team you are in, Maybe you came/are a candidate to come with better opportunities than your manager. because of You should give the first signals that you will prove that you are an economical and correct choice, especially in a short time, by acting with accurate information and zero errors. Of course, I cannot help but underline that I rely on this information based on my experiences in a nationalist and solidarity-oriented country like France. For those who went to Dubai or, I don't know, New York, Tokyo, Moscow or even Los Angeles instead of Paris, the subject may have taken a different shape and life may have offered different observations.
• "tangible successI also wanted to examine "" because it differentiates you and when you come to the general directorate of the same company/a company in a different country, you will be competing with people you have previously chatted with in a friendly manner on matters related to your profession. The most important thing you will hold on to in the first 2-3 months is the successes you have achieved before. We also know.
• "Luck": Actually chance We can also say. At this stage of your life, if your luck is good, if you have already fulfilled some of the above and can manage in the other part, you have the opportunity to spend a few years in a different culture. I can say that; You are no less than the thousands of people from non-European countries (Asia, Africa, Latin America, etc.) who come to Paris and find work. On the contrary, with a little qualified observation, relationship management and work, you can prove yourself and reach much better places.

If you're aware, I haven't even gone into the school you graduated from, etc. There are probably many more points that I can't think of right now, but I think these are the most concrete and important ones.

4. What should be considered in the process of becoming an expat?

This title is obviously one of the most important parts... I tried to write as much as I could, I hope it will be a constructive part for you to decide what is most suitable for you by including what I have conveyed to you in your plans.

• Your package: Net salary is important, of course, but do not overestimate the salary in foreign currency; especially Life is expensive in Paris. This issue is not limited to just salaries,
• Your number of annual leave days: Here, this number is differentiated on a sector basis, but none of them is as small as the 5 days granted for the first 15 years you spend in a company in our beautiful Turkey. Because people here do not have difficulty in getting permission, if there is a project with very limited time, they ask you to change the date...
• Separately when going to the relevant country, if available, and separately when returning. Your expat bonus,
• in the relevant country Whether your company will pay income tax,
• Conditions for payment of your SSI premium in Turkey; It is also important whether you will be asked for any contribution fee or not.
• Your service period and conditions: In other words, you should even take into account the possibility of leaving before the end of your duty. After all, a large part of your extended family (family + close friends) is in Turkey and the conditions for sudden return for compulsory reasons are very important.
• He will change countries with you and with you Life and health insurance for family members and conditions…
• Foreign language lessons: I have heard that this opportunity, which is generally provided only to the transferred person, is also provided to some family members...
• It will allow you to travel between your country and Turkey without price barriers in any season of the year. Your free flight ticket(s). This is as important as the others because in the summer months, flights to all holiday destinations, including our paradise country, can exceed 1.000 Euros.
• If you are changing countries with your spouse and/or children, your children's school expenses I heard that they also cover mandatory expenses, etc.
• Housing tax. It should be determined in your contract whether your annual residence tax in Paris is covered by your company…
• Finally, if you are moving Whether your company covers moving costs It is also stated in your contract…
• Your job description and your place in the hierarchy: I can tell you about the importance of the new company you transferred to in detail, from the seating arrangement to who reports to whom. However, if I have to give an important suggestion that can solve all the problems that may arise from all of these, it is whichever company you are transferred to, that is, whether it is the head office or a country other than the head office, The rating within the company has an alphabetical or numerical equivalent. I recommend you to get it via e-mail.

Let's say that the questions in your mind regarding all these have been resolved to a considerable extent, and you are on the eve of a few enjoyable years. And of course you need to stay somewhere. While I am listing my recommendations for you at this stage, I recommend that you make your choice by adding the following to the usual questions you ask when choosing a house in Turkey:

• Your company has to accommodate you in a temporary place when you first arrive. If any If you have the chance to choose the hotel If you choose a hotel close to the company I can recommend to you, you will overcome many problems and enter the adaptation process with a 1-0 victory.
• However, let's say the company offers you the option of allocating a house for the first 1, 2 or 3 months, and they show you a house that a teammate you know, who has been in constant communication with you before, vacated early for some reason. You have the right to refuse by finding a reason. Because later All legal correspondence regarding your work documents, etc. will be made from this address. The name in the mailbox is very important as all forms will be directed to this address.. "My dear, I will change it" I can almost hear you say, but I didn't have a mailbox, the building staff was used to putting it under the door. A rental contract may also be required. It is inevitable that you will experience difficulties when the name in the rental contract is different and the name in your passport is different. Or if the house is prosperous and in an area notorious for being a go-to place for thieves (16th century). Borough) On a Saturday afternoon, they force your door lock and escape, and then when you insert the key and turn it, the key remains in the lock and you cannot enter. Before going further, I have to say that in Paris, locksmiths charge another fee under the name of "transportation" to come to your house from where they are located. Apart from this, there are also "hand labor" and "lock fees", so when you see the doors, they will seem very simple, but you will only see locks. When tampered with, it compresses inside, unlike in Turkey. So you have to change the lock as well. I say "be careful" as it will be expensive due to the lining. By the way, as a tenant, you are legally protected against fire, flood and liability risks. insurance You have to get one, some of these policies also cover the risks of theft and attempted theft, so don't say he didn't tell you :)
• You have no problem with your foreign languages, you even say "I know the language of the relevant country, for example I speak French", but I still give you the information provided by your company. real estate agent I recommend you to continue on this path. It hasn't happened to me, but when you find a house on your own and leave, the person who claims to be a landlord may actually be a tenant looking for ways to leave the house. When you sign, you are responsible for that house for that period of time, you don't know how many keys there are, deposit etc. issues are also complicated. I don't want to intimidate you, but be careful about these issues.

5. Living as an Expat:

My aim is to focus on other aspects of your journey of a few years in a different country, apart from financial means, which have a more or less important place in all of our future calculations.

First of all, you are in a different city now, transportation, language, culture, food, history, shopping, habits, perceptions, your perspective on yourself and the outside world, your expectations, everything flows in a completely different direction and you will adapt step by step in this process... I would like to thank dear Ahmet again for touching on these issues extensively in his blog. Let's take a thank you break and continue.

I am very interested in history and sociology. The socioeconomic structure and income classes of the society, as well as its history, greatly affect people's behavior towards you and each other. For this reason, it is impossible for me to make definitive judgments and convey it to you as it is, such and such, the most important thing I can tell you on this subject is, Before coming here, you should have information about René Descartes and roughly French history.. Speaking of French history The issues I can particularly underline areFor example, you should definitely know which former French colonies were, when Spain and parts of Italy were occupied, and the waves of Italian immigration that took place in the last century and are still continuing. Paris and France are very cosmopolitan and everyone has their own accent. Of course, if you want to respond to the French who approach you on a nationalist line, you can also do research for that, our history is quite rich in this regard. If you like to get involved with the culture, history and socioeconomic structure of a different country, Paris is for you…

Where we were? Of course, you are in Paris now, but you will soon want to try the pleasure of traveling to other European cities from here. You can visit different capitals in a very affordable way, provided that you purchase tickets a few months in advance. It is possible to travel not only by plane but also by train or even “ridesharing”. You can also plan to return home in the evening.

You came without knowing French, but you don't want to return without learning it. Ahmet offers you many different options in this regard. Learning French in Paris He summarized it in his article.

Apart from all these, of course, theatres, cinemas or nightlife are waiting for you if you are curious :)

6. Last word

Yes, although I tried to write quite comprehensively, I wanted to give you a few tips before a wonderful process that will help you improve yourself in every aspect.

I hope that you enjoyed reading it and that I was able to answer even some of the questions you had in mind, and I wish everyone success in making future plans.

Burak Küçükak

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