How To Explore Paris Like a Local, Working on Hospital Ships, and Becoming an Expat on a Mystery Visa With Jay Swanson

May 7, 2024

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Planning a trip to Paris?

Jay Swanson is an American writer & vlogger who came to Paris on a visa no one had heard of and managed to stay. His down-to-earth vlogs documenting life in Paris have built a devoted following, leading him to become a trusted local travel expert.

Jay shares helpful and uncommon advice for tackling a city like Paris, like where to stay and how to meet locals. At the top of the episode, we also discuss his intense experience working on Mercy ships—hospital ships that travel around the world. You’ll hear about the traumatic and magical things he witnessed during that time and how that led to his crazy life as an expat in Paris.

What uncomfortable travel experience helped you grow? I'd love to hear about it and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

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Tune In To Learn:

His life-changing experience working on Mercy ships in developing countries and the traumatic event that caused him to have PTSD (and why he chose to keep going)
His internal struggles while transitioning back to “regular” life after seeing so much suffering
Insights into measuring personal growth, balancing your own needs with serving others, and leading a value-driven life
The wild story of how he moved to Paris on a visa that no one had ever heard of
The French culture and one word that will make all the difference in connecting with locals
Why you should avoid staying near the Eiffel Tower
Where to go for the best food and drinks (not the tourist traps!)
Where to go for a nice coffee and do some writing that’s not your usual place
His #1 piece of advice for making a living on YouTube with less than 100k subscribers
And so much more

Resources:

Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
Sign up for our FREE newsletter
Visit Jay’s website
Grab his guide on Paris (use discount code ‘zero2travel’)
Jay’s YouTube
Jay on Instagram
Stats on leading city tourism destinations

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