Everyone keeps asking me the same question:

"Why did you move to Paris?"

It's understandable. Not many people choose to leave a beautiful life in a gorgeous place, close to amazing family, and move to the other side of the planet.

Why uproot our whole family?

I thought I'd share my honest answer.

There are practical, financial reasons for our move. But those don't really get to the heart of it.

The Practical Reasons We Moved

Education

The two excellent private schools in Honolulu cost around $35,000 or more per year per child.

Here in Paris, our boys can attend a wonderful, small, international bilingual school for about a third of that cost.

That's a significant difference for a family with two children.

Healthcare

As self-employed people in the US, Kiran and I were paying more than $25,000 a year for health insurance.

And that didn't mean everything was covered. We still had out-of-pocket expenses for things like X-rays, specialist visits, and trips to the emergency room.

Right before we left, Kiran hurt his wrist. The bill came to $2,880.

It's hard not to think about what happens to families facing much more serious medical emergencies.

In France, our experience with the healthcare system has been very different.

Cost of Living

Beyond education and healthcare, many everyday expenses are lower here, too.

You can rent a beautiful three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom apartment in a lovely neighborhood for roughly what a small two-bedroom apartment might cost in a major US city.

Restaurant meals are also about 20 percent less expensive, based on our experience.

Food

The food is fabulous and fresh.

We shop at the farmers market, where vendors sell produce from nearby fields and homemade cheese and yogurt.

We also appreciate France's approach to food and product regulations.

These practical benefits have made a real difference in our daily lives.

But they aren't the whole story.

We Want Our Boys to Be Citizens of the World

More than anything, we want our children to grow up feeling at home in different parts of the world.

We want them speaking other languages, moving comfortably among people from different countries, and learning to see the world through perspectives beyond their own.

The world keeps tilting in unpredictable directions. We want them to be prepared for whatever comes next.

We're also pursuing dual citizenship, with the hope that they may eventually have both US and EU passports and the opportunities that could bring.

This isn't about rejecting where we came from.

We adore Hawaii.

My parents are there. The nature is breathtaking. And we feel incredibly lucky that our children spent nine of their early years in such a friendly, warm, tropical place.

Those years were a gift.

But we were ready for something new.

We Wanted a Bigger Stage for Our Next Chapter

Kiran and I were hungry for the electricity of a big city.

We wanted to get out, meet new people, build relationships, and explore new possibilities.

I'm opening a Paris division of Your Bestselling Book, establishing an LLC here, and applying for a talent visa.

Kiran is diving into his filmmaking.

We wanted a bigger stage for the next chapter of our lives and careers.

And sometimes, even when you're happy with the life you've built, you can feel ready for something more.

There's nothing wrong with that.

You can love where you are and still feel called somewhere else.

Yes, Politics Played a Part

People ask whether we left because of what's happening in the United States.

I won't pretend politics had nothing to do with our decision.

We're heartbroken over what we see as the erosion of the separation of church and state, deliberate voter suppression, the weakening of environmental protections, and so much more.

But we're also aware that Europe isn't immune to these problems.

The far right is rising here, too. The shift toward authoritarianism is a global concern, and it frightens us.

Moving to another country doesn't mean escaping every problem.

We know that.

Our decision wasn't about finding a perfect place where nothing is wrong.

It was about choosing the life we wanted to build, with the opportunities and values that mattered most to our family.

We're Running Toward Something

There's a difference between running away from a life you don't want and running toward a life you do.

For us, this move is about adventure, growth, and giving our children a wider world.

It's about building businesses, exploring new possibilities, and creating a daily life that reflects our values.

That doesn't mean every day is wonderful.

Paris, for all its beauty, has tested us.

It took eight visits from five different repairmen over four weeks to resolve the many plumbing problems in our rented apartment.

Getting a few boxes of winter clothes shipped from our storage unit in Honolulu involved five rounds of back-and-forth emails and many patient visits from our beloved Kimarie.

None of this has been easy.

Starting over in another country means paperwork, unexpected expenses, frustrating logistics, and moments when you wonder what you've gotten yourself into.

But we're building something for our family and our future.

A life that, right now, is the one we most want to live.

And that's what matters.

What About You?

You don't have to move across the world to make a meaningful change.

Sometimes the next chapter means starting a business, writing a book, changing careers, returning to school, or finally pursuing something you've been putting off.

The important question isn't always whether the decision will be easy.

Sometimes it's whether the life you're moving toward is worth the uncertainty.

Have you ever made a leap that terrified and thrilled you at the same time?

Hit Reply and tell me about it. I read every message, and I always write back.

Aloha,
MeiMei

Tip of the Week: Write Your Why

If you're wrestling with a big decision, whether it's changing jobs, starting school, moving, or writing a book, sit down and write about your why.

Don't give the answer your boss, the selection committee, or even your friends want to hear.

Speak from the longing of your soul.

Sometimes, the most important thing you can do is get quiet enough to hear what you really want.

Quote of the Week

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."

— Ernest Hemingway