Jamie | Day 13:

The danger of Paris

The chief danger about Paris is that it is such a strong stimulant. —T.S. Eliot

I haven’t yet shared what it’s like to be responsible for all of this, for bringing 7 people away from their creature comforts, daily routines, family and all the stabilities and resources at home into something entirely unknown. In order for the pop-up headquarters to be possible, we’ve all required of one another to create pop-up lives here. We’re not a large corporation sending employees to Paris on a perk trip. We’re a startup that is relying on everyone’s scrappiness, individual contributions, flexibility and open-mindedness to make this possible. I think about this nonstop. I think about how precious time is for a startup — every tick of the clock is an opportunity to be seized. Is this the best way for us to spend our time? I could answer this before with an emphatic “YES!” because it was still theoretical. Now we’re here, in the homestretch of our experience, and I don’t think the yardsticks I was using to measure our success here was necessarily the right ones. Seizing the moment is not about doing as much as humanly possible, but making each moment as meaningful as possible. This is how we’re learning. These are our wins—when we are able to extract meaning and gain value from the moments we create. I must admit, there has not been a moment when I am not worried about the wellbeing of everyone on our team, of our community and of the health of our business. It’s a constant state of preoccupation, no matter how rapidly we’re growing or how many snags we run into — it’s always on my mind. Right now, it’s “was this a success?” I don’t think we will fully know until we return home.

Who did you meet?
I met Christophe, Romain (a friend of Christophe), several members of the OuiShare community (I can’t recall all their names), Mariel, who is an old friend from high school, and her adorable(!!) daughter Noemie and husband, Thibault. I also met several members of the sandbox community: Cristian, Joana, Timur, Nettra and Audrey.


What interaction stood out most and why?
So many this time. The evening I spent catching up with Mariel, discussing cultural differences with her and Thibault, and gawking at their beautiful and sweet daughter was a definite highlight. Also incredibly meaningful was wandering the Parisian streets with Romain, who grew up just outside of Paris. It was one of those rare, poetic days that I worry could could dilute in meaning by trying to shape a narrative of it here.

What was the biggest challenge?
Feeling lonely. I’ve never had so much concentrated social interaction with such amazing, inspiring people in my life, and yet, what comes with it is a sense of loneliness that is hard to put into words.


What new ideas did you have?
If we want to live in a world that blends work and play, then we need to be open to reconstructing how we think about monetization. Currency, after all, is just a vehicle to sharing.

Also, Paris is a feast for the eyes and a famine for the pocketbook.


What did you discover about yourself?
One of the most important things to me in life is a good conversation.

What’s something new you learned about the Vayable business/community?
When we talk about a city, we’re really talking about it’s people. The beauty of Paris — the lights, the architecture, the Seine, and the scent of fresh bread—-these are all human expression and signs of life, which is what makes them so magical. The Paris (or New York or Barcelona or Hong Kong) you visit is constructed from the interactions you share with the people, and the expressions of its people. Whether we’re communing with those of the past or the present, the red thread is that together with our presence, as the visitor, we are mutually enriching one another. This is the beauty of travel and of cultural exchange which makes the world such a beautiful place to live in.
How’s the team doing?
I think people are doing well overall. I think we’re getting tired and worn down, and without our usual support systems, it’s tough to know what to grasp on to. Perhaps a bottle of wine.