In the ten years since graduating from university, I first worked in Chengdu for two years. Later, after completing a master’s degree in literature in Hong Kong, I stayed there and worked for six years. Then I resolutely moved to Paris to switch into tech, and I now work in database management at a French company.
Work and Life Intertwined
My workplace experience in Paris over the past six months has fallen somewhere between Chengdu and Hong Kong. Colleagues share little details about their families and personal lives, and the company even holds events like “Family Day,” where families with children can socialize and play together. Pregnant colleagues bring snacks to the office, and everyone celebrates and chats together (while taking a break at the same time). Colleagues who have twins send company-wide emails to announce the good news.
Varying Levels of Competence
Because my role sits in the middle of the overall logistics supply chain, I need to receive product information from people upstream. This gives me a clear view of how widely my colleagues vary in competence and attitude. Some are very meticulous, while others make so many mistakes that I genuinely wonder how they ever got a CDI in the first place. It just goes to show that finding a job really is a matter of luck and is not necessarily correlated with ability.
Work-Life Balance
Compared with the rigid formality of Hong Kong, work-life balance in Paris is on another level. Every day starts with at least two coffee breaks at the office. We chat with colleagues between tasks, throw parties every so often for all kinds of reasons, and get five weeks of paid annual leave plus RTT days (employees who work more than 35 hours a week can take a full day or half day off), among other benefits.
CDI and CDD
It was only after signing a CDI (an open-ended contract) in Paris that I realized all the jobs I had held over the years had essentially been CDDs (fixed-term contracts). It feels like finally having a permanent position, but I also worry that I might become too comfortable and stop making progress.
French Is Very, Very, Very Important
Most of my French colleagues choose to speak French with me. A few occasionally switch to English whenever they see me after having chatted with me before, but in formal settings or group conversations, everyone automatically switches to French. At times like those, I am basically mute and mostly just listen. I later passed the C1 French exam, but I still feel there is a barrier in everyday communication.
The Overzealous Asian Female Test-Taker
Although I do not consider myself someone who is obsessed with outcompeting everyone, as an Asian woman trained to excel at tests, I really do work more diligently than my colleagues. My manager said that the amount of work I completed during my five-month internship was equal to the combined output of two other employees.
Cheap and Generous Cafeteria Meals
Compared with meals outside, which start at €10–15, the company cafeteria offers a three-course meal consisting of an appetizer, main course, and dessert for only €4–5. Lunch is what I look forward to every day, though some of my French colleagues hate the cafeteria because they have higher standards for food.