Karen Bussen, 57, an entrepreneur and entertainment expert, had been living in New York for more than three decades when she took a trip to Paris in 2022 that would change her life forever.
She had long been in love with the French language, and took any opportunity to travel to France to brush up on her skills.
But this time was different. Unexpectedly, the never-married New Yorker fell in love and nine months later was packing up her life in the Big Apple to move to the City of Light.
Some colleagues had encouraged her to download a dating app, which is where she met her now-husband.
“I just knew instantly that he was for me, I have never experienced anything like that in my life,” she said.
They were married by the local mayor just outside Paris, in a ceremony entirely in French – with a focus on delicious food and drink.
“French people are extremely connected to their food. They know where this food is coming from. If you are eating cheese they know what region it is from. It is a different relationship with food. We just do not have that in the US.”
Getting used to the French working culture was a challenge, but one she embraced.
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“Everybody has their time off and that is sacred,” she says. “Coming from New York, where it is very competitive, that came as a shock. One of the big adjustments for me was letting go.
Karen Bussen ensured she learned FrenchSarah Dalle Nogare
“I so appreciate the priority that is put on personal time and enjoying life. They designed the cities and the towns for living, not just for working. It took me a whole year to relax.”
Ms Bussen has been undertaking a renovation of the family home an hour outside Paris – and has had to learn to be patient.
“Here, often you do not get one person in to do everything, like a general contractor. [You have to] find a painter, find a floor person, find someone to do the roof, so it has taken forever,” she says.
In the meantime, she has delighted in finding treasures to decorate her home for a fraction of the price of New York.
“In our village, someone was having a vide-maison (house clearance) and I found this stunning handmade tablecloth that had never been used. It was made for someone’s wedding – €35. If I bought that in New York it would have been $900. Beauty is all around you here. New York has its charm, but it is not a beautiful city.”
Ms Bussen's advice for Americans considering the move to Paris?
“Do some research. You have to decide if what you like is being a tourist in France or if you want to live in France. If you are really considering a long-term move, save up your holiday time and come over for as long as you can (before you sell up).
“My number one piece of advice is to start learning the language now. Do not wait until you get here. You cannot live other than as a tourist in France without speaking French. You can stay in your bubble of English-speaking friends but it’s a tourist’s life.”
One of the happiest consequences of her move to Paris has been the friends she has made. In New York, Ms Bussen had a small, tight-knit group of friends, but has seen her social circle flourish since moving.
“When you tell people you are moving to Paris, they all want to introduce you to someone they know there,” she said.
Meeting other women who have moved to Paris has helped to form close friendships quickly.
“I have so many real new friends… There is a lot we are going through together that has helped us to bond.”
She recommends women moving to Paris join a group, such as the American Women’s Group, which holds regular meet-ups and is a wealth of knowledge for new arrivals. “It is such a community of supportive women.”
And how does she feel now, in the third year of her life in Paris?
“The way I view life is, if there’s something that really excites me, if I want to try it, I just put myself out there… Having that experience of being brave enough to try it, that is a victory.”
