MY AFFAIR WITH PARIS
I see my life as a wonderful tapestry of experiences. I enjoy traveling, and the diverse cultures and local foods have enriched my life immensely. As a child I lived in Mauritius, in my early struggling days I moved to the UK and later I decided to pursue my education in the US and moved to Minnesota. I also lived in Thailand for a while. I was young, curious and filled with nothing but dreams and desires. I enjoyed connecting with all the wonderful, friendly people along the way. I recollect taking a semester off and moved to Paris as I was so fascinated by French culture. I just wanted to live there and experience living in one of the most beautiful cities of the world. That’s when I started an affair with Paris that has lasted to this day.
With time, my life became far more structured and busy. The ability to take a break to go and live elsewhere, do something out of the need to get inspired or just do it because it gives you pleasure is an unaffordable luxury. There are work and other considerations. Today though, I am lucky to have found a life partner who also loves to experience the same things. My wife and I travel every year at least a few times and visit different parts of the world together. We have been to Europe, the US and Asia and wherever we go, we make it a point to experience how locals live, eat and importantly we interact with people when we travel. This has inspired me on so many levels and has also impacted my thinking on brands as I understand cultural contexts deeply.
It is important to realize what truly makes us happy and inspires us. For me it’s being around interesting people and taking time out to experience what this world has to offer. We all have memories which we treasure. My favorite one is sitting in a corner Parisian café with my wife, sipping a coffee and eating a croissant - just people watching. Nothing could give me more pleasure. The current pandemic has made us reset priorities. I believe this time is a gift that we must use to take a pause, reflect on what really matters and take decisions fearlessly. There is no better time to realize what’s important to do and what gives you pleasure and makes you happy.