Paris is a State of Mind. There are cities you visit, and there are cities you live in. And then there is Paris; a place you inhabit with your soul. To walk the cobbled streets of Montmartre or the Left Bank is to wander through time, brushing shoulders with the ghosts of artists and writers who defined entire epochs. One of the most iconic of them all, in my opinion, is Gertrude Stein. She wasn’t just a writer, a collector, or a cultural connector. She was a force.

There are certain creatures that seem to carry stories in their feathers. For me, the pelican has always been one of them. Quirky, grand, slightly awkward, and entirely majestic, the pelican never fails to make me smile. There’s something deeply comforting about the way they waddle across jetties, flap those great wings with a kind of ancient elegance, and then, almost like a surprise, they lift off with absolute grace, gliding across the sky as if they were born of clouds.

Watching foreign films, TV shows, and reading books from other cultures is a way to train, expand and broaden our cultural intelligence. Some years ago, I found myself reflecting on the transformative power of foreign narratives. Having spent much of my life traveling, living, and studying in diverse countries, I’ve always been drawn to the rich tapestry of human culture. My career, particularly my work with immigrants, refugees, and expats, has deepened this connection.