Episode 10
How to (Move To &) Live in France - w/ Devendra
One of the twenty most-watched Ready Set Do episodes on YouTube right now.
Moving to France sounds glamorous until you are the one trying to build a life there in real time. Devendra talks through SPJIMR's global management program, the move to Paris, and the small frictions that shape a new country more than the postcard version ever will.
Who this is for
- You are making a career move across countries and the paperwork is part of the stress.
- You would rather hear Devendra's version while the mess is still fresh than get another polished hindsight sermon.
Key takeaways
- (Move To &) Live in France - w/ Devendra
- Facing language barriers (French) and how to overcome them (
- Moving to France sounds glamorous until you are the one trying to build a life there in real time.
- Devendra talks through SPJIMR's global management program, the move to Paris, and the small frictions that shape a new country more than the postcard version ever will.
- If you want the move without the fantasy, this is the one to start with.
- France was not Devendra's childhood plan. After two attempts at India's CAT exam did not lead to the business schools...
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Devendra describes moving from India to France through SPJIMR's Global Management Programme, studying at IÉSEG, and building a life and career in Paris. The discussion covers program structure, language, friendship, academics, internships, employment contracts, Devendra's historical visa experience, and the mental shift required to live in another culture.
France was not Devendra's childhood plan. After two attempts at India's CAT exam did not lead to the business schools he had expected, SPJIMR's international management route opened another path. He treats that outcome as evidence that a failed plan can redirect someone toward an opportunity they had not known to target.
SPJIMR had partner schools in the United States and Europe. Devendra initially preferred the US, but even after a substantial scholarship the tuition would have required a loan secured against his home. France was his second choice, offered a more manageable scholarship, and avoided a financial commitment he did not want his family to make.
The Global Management Programme was separate from SPJIMR's regular PGDM. Students completed an initial segment in Mumbai, selected a partner school, then completed the degree abroad. In Devendra's cohort, all roughly 80 students continued to a US or European partner institution.
At the May 2024 recording, Devendra had first arrived in France in January 2019 and had been connected to the country for five and a half years, though long visits to India, especially during COVID, reduced his continuous time there. That duration gave him experience beyond an initial student semester.
Show notes
Moving to France sounds glamorous until you are the one trying to build a life there in real time. Devendra talks through SPJIMR's global management program, the move to Paris, and the small frictions that shape a new country more than the postcard version ever will. If you want the move without the fantasy, this is the one to start with.
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