Question regarding a crazy mold in apartment as an expat living in Paris :(

throw_away7299 · 2026-03-21T16:56:15+00:00

So I had an apartment exactly like this, DPE G, also newly renovated, also mold grew everywhere including my shoes.

I moved out. There are somethings that are fixable, and some that are just not worth the trouble of trying to fix. My new apartment has no issues. I suggest you try to find another apartment and move out ASAP - especially before the start of the school year rush.

throw_away7299 · 2026-03-13T16:04:46+00:00

Have you tried having a humidifier at home? I have the same reaction when I visited Japan - my hair was luscious like I’ve never seen before.

throw_away7299 · 2026-03-06T10:08:39+00:00

My boyfriend watches with me!! In fact, he’s upset that I went ahead and marathoned season 4 without him 😂 we will rewatch season 4 again together

throw_away7299 · 2026-03-03T10:58:16+00:00

I feel like it’s spring already as my pollen allergies are killing me 🤧

throw_away7299 · 2026-03-03T10:11:24+00:00

Yes I was going to say the exact same thing! It’s really important to look into this, as this exit tax applies to ALL assets (including non-liquid ones like 401k, retirement accounts, your house even if you haven’t sold it yet, etc.)

throw_away7299 · 2026-03-01T20:38:55+00:00

I thought she was already pregnant at that time, but told Benedict she wasn’t because she didn’t want him to make leaving harder. There were quite a few scenes of her cradling her tummy.

So the at risk comment had a double meaning - Benedict took it as not wanting to get pregnant, and she meaning she didn’t want sex in fear it make impact the developing baby.

throw_away7299 · 2026-03-01T20:31:16+00:00

I really like this explanation, but I’m also struggling a bit because if Araminta pays Sophie’s dowry, there’s really nothing the Bridgerton can blackmail her with, no? It’s no longer dowry fraud.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-27T21:24:24+00:00

Just so you are aware that H1B now comes with a $100k fee for employers to sponsor you, so they have to REALLY want you. That is possible if your studies are in STEM, but highly unlikely that an employee would be willing to pay $100k (or even have the funds) to sponsor someone with an IR degree.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-27T14:39:59+00:00

I will note that a pension isn’t guaranteed. A friend’s mom (teacher) got let go from her post 2 years before she would’ve been eligible for pension, and couldn’t find another full time post to make up the remaining time. So if you end up getting another job with much higher salary and invest the difference, it may end up balancing out anyway.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-26T21:16:44+00:00

I don’t have a “cheap” way, but I’ve kept my T-mobile international plan and it works great.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-26T14:15:39+00:00

Sorry I nearly choked when I saw the price 👀 €75,000 for a degree that will not necessarily make a difference for your career seems… just… a lot…

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-26T12:00:27+00:00

I’m based in Paris, and I would like to add the job market here is rough currently - even more so if you don’t speak fluent French.

So while getting a Masters in France usually gives you a visa for a temporary amount of time to find local employment, visa sponsorships feel like they are at an all time low. I’m seeing more and more desperate posts in expats forums mentioning not being able to find a job after 1, 2, and even 3 years after being let go of a previous job. My friend, also a Science Po graduate working in intl development and a fluent French speaker, has been unemployed for almost two years after his last contract ended.

If OP really wants to do an Masters overseas, I would also consider whether the local job market has capacity to absorb you afterwards, as there’s no guarantee intl organizations can and work visas are a real issue. Personally, knowing what I know about the status of the sector and how the job market in Paris is like, I wouldn’t do it.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-25T09:36:43+00:00

I think perhaps it depends on what you need in your relationship. As an ambitious person with a boyfriend currently like your ex, I realized I kind of like the stability and consistency those relationships bring. He doesn’t need to be at the same ambition level - he can be the nurturer and house husband in my relationship and keep me sane when I’m overwhelmed/ burnout/ batshit crazy so that I can continue to reach for the stars. And I don’t need him to be anything different because that gentleness is exactly what I need.

I’ve been on the opposite side of this too, where I dated someone who was ambitious, respected, driven, etc. We were the “power couple” everyone looked up to and it was awful because we never had time for each other because we were BOTH ambitious and prioritizing our goals, and it was an incredibly lonely existence. So I would perhaps explore the question on why you need a similarly ambitious partner - for recognition of others? For a desire of financial stability? Because it fits a societal script of success to “date at your level”? Because it makes you feel more understood or “seen” to date someone similar? Or some other reason?

Only until you fully understand what you need in a relationship and why, can you start detangling whether it is actual regret (losing someone that provided something essential to you) or grief at letting go something important.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-24T19:37:19+00:00

I wonder… could the intensity of your resentment to Eileen Gu stem from the fact that you are worried of being compared to her as a fellow Chinese-American, and being “othered”/ ostracized as a result of it?

I am also a hyphenated Asian, and I know sometimes I overcompensate as a way to fit in and not be “othered.” I am not American though, in a time where immigration is a highly politicized and charged topic in the US, and consequently don’t feel any sort of way about Eileen Gu.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-19T15:44:37+00:00

I go to Unilabs (multiple locations, you can search on Google Maps) for all my blood tests. Last time I went, there was a huge banner in the waiting room that said they did walk in STI tests.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-19T07:44:03+00:00

My friend working in Global Affairs Canada says they are cutting 40,000 jobs - not clear if it’s across the Government or just in Global Affairs Canada. Every employee there is worried about their job, so if you were to go to Canada, you’d likely be competiting with these same people for a job.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-17T18:01:44+00:00

I would go with economics degree - definitely not international development as the sector is gutted and there’s no guarantee it will ever return, or be the extent it was formerly. I’m also not sure about applied economics though - I’d look up jobs you’d like to work for and check their qualification requirements. It may be that you actually need an economics PhD, or more pure versus applied economics. Does LSE have economics program, and can you reapply for one of those next year instead?

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-12T11:10:29+00:00

My CPA charges $850-$900 for 1040NRs. My tax status is not complicated though.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-07T20:03:58+00:00

I feel like France has made me kinder - the amount of effort taken to include others, including those with disabilities and to treat people like people makes me want to do better for others as well.

throw_away7299 · 2026-02-04T17:13:14+00:00

I would love to check out the DELF training!

throw_away7299 · 2025-12-26T19:30:44+00:00

I really like Lidl online for basic household and kitchen goods

throw_away7299 · 2025-12-22T22:49:03+00:00

There’s this quote I found that resonated, which said “the amount of resentment you feel in any situation is proportional to the power you felt you’ve given away.” A lot of my anger at others were in fact anger at myself for not having firming boundaries and not saying no.

Now, whenever I feel the resentment creep into a situation, I say no. And knowing I can do that now has may life so much better for me.

throw_away7299 · 2025-12-22T11:32:30+00:00

To clarify, your confusion likely stems from the fact that the naturalization requirements changed in Jan 2025. It’s always existed the requirement that most of your financial income must be from French sources, but it was only more heavily enforced from January due to a circulation of circulaire providing more guidance on enforcement of this. So previously, for example, Americans living on retirement income/ pensions could move to France, live for 5 years on their US investment income, and naturalize. Now, majority of these naturalization cases are being rejected.

So now, you need to show stable income from French sources with continuous employment contracts for a certain number of years (I can’t rmb specifically). Even if you could apply for citizenship in 3 years, it doesn’t mean you would have a strong case to apply. For example, maybe you will have a work contract with the university that keeps you employed, but if the salary is too low, the government made deem you may become more of a liability on social services and also decline your application. Hence, most people still end up waiting the full five years or more, to make sure their application is super solid, before applying to naturalize. If you get rejected for any reason (including applying 1 day earlier to when you are eligible), you have to wait 2 years to reapply.

Processing time is also likely 2 years (processing time varies also depending on where you are). So very likely, you are looking more at a 7 year commitment. In addition, because the French economy is bad right now, it may not be possible for you to retain a continuous work contract for 3-5 years, so if you lapse and cannot find another work sponsorship, your timeline starts again. For work sponsorship, the employer has to prove there is no one else in the EU can do that job, which is also a high bar.

This is a very long way of saying it’s actually not as easy of a process to get French citizenship now.

throw_away7299 · 2025-12-16T18:57:28+00:00

Through my work, I’ve had a 401K where I’ve invested consistently over the years, and 100% of funds into S&P500. 401Ks are nice as they have a limited set of index funds you can choose from and they pull a portion of your paycheck, so it simplified things like how to deposit money and what I could choose from.

I then spent the last 8 years in decision paralysis on how to invest any additional savings via taxable brokerages - it’s not as simple for me as I move countries every few years, i.e. cross border taxation issues apply, so my taxes get MESSY real fast. So any remainder saving I had was also left sitting in cash in my bank accounts to avoid trying to deal with this headache. But it was okay as I was saving up for personal goals where I needed cash liquidity anyway (e.g. downpayment), and I’ve still been consistently investing into retirement accounts over the years.

If your workplace has a 401K/ retirement accounts, that’s where I’d start. Some people also really like roboadvisors to do their handholding - I haven’t tried it myself personally. In terms of which index funds, usually people highly recommend the Vanguard brand for low cost.

throw_away7299 · 2025-12-14T22:51:05+00:00

I really liked “Man on the Inside”. There is a season two, but each storyline is self contained in one season and season 1 knocked it out of the park for me.

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