Dating has been hard as an American living in another country

I've lived in Paris for several years, and finding love as an American has been challenging. A language barrier and differing dating cultures have made it tough to connect with potential partners, and at times I consider moving back to New York so I might have an easier time finding love.

I first visited Paris in 2022 and fell in love — sipping chocolat chaud at Café de Flore while reading Hemingway, I whispered, "I could live here." Two years later I moved after being accepted into a graduate program and quitting my dream job at a big-time magazine to fulfill the new dream of living in Paris.

Language remains a hurdle despite my intermediate French. On dates with people who weren't comfortable speaking English, conversations in French made banter less fluid and left me feeling more reserved because I couldn't express myself fully in my third language.

France, Paris

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