Emily in Paris Hits Close to Home
By: Charlene Thrope
Tags: Emily In Paris, Expat, Hong Kong

OK, I know I’m a few weeks late to the Emily in Paris game. But watching this show three months into my own move abroad was perfect timing to reflect on my experience through Emily’s.

Recognizing that Emily in Paris is television and not reality, we can move past all the chocolate croissants, sex, and offensive French stereotypes and instead focus on three key themes of Emily’s move: cultural awareness, support network, and the job.

Cultural Awareness

Although Emily arrives in Paris with a lack of French language skills and with limited knowledge of workplace and social norms, she does make an effort to learn — both formally in language class and informally through colleagues and friends. As Emily is given her assignment on short notice, perhaps she does not have the time to start the cultural assimilation process before the move (a generous interpretation).

Prior to my move to Hong Kong, I participated in cultural awareness training with Jamie Gelbtuch at Cultural Mixology. This holistic training focused on cultural values and business norms in Hong Kong (and other Asian countries I would be working with) but also on American values and norms, allowing for self-reflection and intentionality around how others may perceive me. While I am continuously learning how to best communicate and collaborate, I am building from a solid foundation.

Language is not as much of a barrier for me as it is for Emily. Everyone in my office speaks English, and signs, menus, and MTR announcements are all in English as well. I have been able to pick up a few Cantonese phrases: my vocabulary now consists of “good morning,” “thank you,” and the number five. But as Jamie taught me in cultural training, communication is far more than the words that are spoken: body language, directness, and cultural references all contribute to understanding.

Support Network

Emily’s boyfriend’s unenthusiastic reaction to her opportunity made it clear that he would not be a major character in this series (I don’t even remember his name). And friends and family in Chicago are totally absent, both before the move and while Emily is abroad. However, Emily has been able to quickly make friends who help her adjust to life in Paris.

I am incredibly lucky to have a partner who has been the most supportive — from encouraging me when an expat assignment was just an idea in my head to dealing with the many, many logistics of the move. Even if Emily’s boyfriend Doug (Googled it) wasn’t willing to follow Emily to Paris, he could have done much more to provide support from afar, or at the very least he could have learned the time difference.

Moving abroad can sometimes feel lonely, even with my husband by my side. Keeping in touch with my family and friends in the US has made the distance feel smaller. My nieces and nephews are always excited to see the sun shining here when we FaceTime during their bedtime. Just like Emily, I’ve also enjoyed making new friends abroad who have shared invaluable knowledge like where to get lunch by my office, where to hike on the weekends, and where to get a curly haircut.

The Job

Emily constantly reminds herself and the audience that her move to Paris is for work, not play. She recognizes that an expat assignment is a unique and privileged opportunity, especially for a woman in her 20s. Although Emily is sent to Savoir to bring her “American perspective,” she has much to learn from the local team and strives to find a balance between speaking up to share her ideas and listening to others’ opinions.

At a check in with my manager before my move, he shared with me a related lesson on the importance of listening, particularly for someone coming from New York headquarters. Through listening, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of how business gets done in each of our markets. I’m also grateful to work for a company with strong leadership and consistent values across the organization, so although the country culture is different, the company culture is the same.

Moving abroad comes with lots of adventure: exploring new food, places, and culture. But that’s not the adventure I came for. I’m in Hong Kong to do my job, to gain a different perspective on the business, and to develop skills that will help me continue to grow in my career.

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Emily stumbles into her new role and new city unprepared and without a support network. Watching her journey has provided me with reminders of what not to do but also of how challenging this transition can be. She certainly makes mistakes, but Emily’s dedication to her work and willingness to learn help her adapt and eventually thrive.

After three months of living in Hong Kong, I’m starting to feel settled. My apartment is totally furnished (thanks, IKEA), I have go-to restaurants on Deliveroo (the Seamless of Hong Kong), and I even feel confident navigating around a city without a grid (no thanks to Google Maps which is nearly useless here). Just like Paris, Hong Kong seems like a big city but is really just a small town.

Stayed tuned for Season 2 of Charlene in Hong Kong…