Taylor smiles into the sunshine with her eyes closed, wearing a black t shirt

Meet Taylor, a Canadian expat in Paris

Name: Taylor
Pronoun(s): She/Her
Nationality: Canadian
Hometown: Vancouver, Canada
Current location: Paris
Occupation: Theatre Teacher by day/ President of Cygnet Theatre & Director by night šŸ™‚

From the moment I belted out my first rendition of Les Champs-ƉlysĆ©es in my 3rd Grade French immersion class, I began to believe that the lights just might shine brighter in Paris. Many years later, and after testing out nearly 30 countries, I can confirm this to be true

President of Cygnet Theatre in ParisTaylor stands in a market wearing a gray coat eating a donut
Borough Market, London : In my natural habitat – with a snack in my hand

My name is Taylor and I am a Paris-based artist.

I teach theatre by day and run a theatre company by night, and live in the center of the city with two white rats, SĆ©bastien and Dahlia.

On Education

Cygnet Theatre in Paris President Taylor leans over a boat railing with a child beside her during a trip with her au pair host family
Lofoten Islands, Norway: Whale spotting with my French Host Family

Did you attend college? If so, where, and how did you choose that school/those schools?

I took a gap year after high school, spent nine months working in a preparatory school in England and then three months backpacking around Europe. I still believe this was the best choice Iā€™ve ever made. After my year abroad I decided to attend the University of British Columbia (in my hometown) because Iā€™d learned two poignant lessons while traipsing across the globe:

  1. If you can avoid starting out your adult life with debt, do that.
  2. Your level of education will impact your career options.

What advice would you give someone who isnā€™t interested in attending a traditional college or university, but knows they want to travel?

The value of attending a traditional college or university was something I didnā€™t fully understand when I left high school – ready to make my own way in the world.

If you have the privilege of being able to attend college or university, make space for that experience in your life

Travel has shaped me into the woman I am today. It has made me braver and more resilient than I ever could have imagined. However, having a university degree has opened many doors to me – doors which ultimately allowed me to settle down and build a life in France.

If you’re a dreamchaser, be sure to check out Molly’s feature – she quit her day job in Texas to move to France and become a pastry chef!

Professional Background

Taylor smiles beside an ancient rusted boat on the beach
Inis Oirr, Ireland: We happened upon this shipwreck by accident!

Would you say travel or living abroad has impacted your career path? How?

Like most artists I know, I work multiple jobs. Iā€™ve been teaching theatre for three years, and Iā€™m grateful to have a day job that brings me so much joy and laughter. Living in Paris has also guided me towards directing. I graduated with a BFA in Acting, so from the outside it might not seem like a particularly large step, but it was a step I had never even considered taking.

How might your career path have differed if youā€™d stayed in your home country?


The first piece I directed was Harbour Grace, a one-act play Iā€™d written for the FourPlay Theatre Festival in Paris.

They were short on directors, I was available – the rest is history. It was like a light went on for me during that process

Suddenly I could see all the pieces and knew exactly where they fit. Since then Iā€™ve directed several shows in Paris, one of which had over 500 audience members during its 5-night run in the ArĆØnes de Montmartre. I donā€™t know if I wouldā€™ve had the opportunity to find my feet in the same way if Iā€™d stayed in Vancouver.

Do your future career goals involve living abroad or traveling for work?

Iā€™m currently looking into getting my MFA in Directing here in Paris. Life moves in such mysterious ways.

On Lifestyle

President of Cygnet Theatre in Paris Taylor enjoys a picnic on a sunny day in front of the Eiffel Tower with a girl friend.

Why do you enjoy traveling?

I love the feeling I get when Iā€™m someplace where no one knows me. The possibilities seem endless.

Do you think young people in your home country would benefit from traveling more? Living abroad more? Why?

Absolutely.

Travel has a way of showing you just how strong you are, and I believe that every young person would benefit from discovering they are more capable than they ever imagined. Once youā€™ve found your way back to your hostel in Prague at 3AM with nothing but a soggy map, you know that you can handle anything life throws at you

Would you recommend backpacking and budget travel? Why?

I recommend trying everything once. You meet the wildest people in hostel rooms with 10+ bunk beds. Donā€™t forget to lock your bags though!

Closing Question

What advice would you give to a young person who knows they want to travel but arenā€™t sure where that fits in with the rest of their lives?


Life is a lot longer than I imagined it would be when I graduated high school. I truly believed I was going to have it all figured out by the time I was 25. Iā€™m 26 now, and (spoiler) I only have the vaguest clue what Iā€™m doing.

So much of what I now consider my ā€œlifeā€ is a collection of moments that made me aware of having a soul – because all of sudden I could feel it there, humming, inside of my body.

I think of Avicii blasting through a German amusement park, being chased by cows in the English countryside, making love during a Thai thunderstorm, and tumbling off a bus onto the Champs-ƉlysĆ©es at five oā€™clock in the morning

I never could have imagined that these moments would ā€˜fit into my lifeā€™, because I never could have imagined these moments at all. So if even the tiniest voice inside of you is saying ā€œsee the worldā€, get out there. I canā€™t promise that travelling is easy (it has made me more resilient for a reason), but if you are afraid of missing a milestone, a job opportunity, or a relationship while youā€™re off trekking through Costa Rica, I can promise that thing wasnā€™t meant for you anyway. Find the moments that set your soul on fire. The rest will follow.

Editor’s note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity

***

Thank you for reading Fearless Friday No. 19 – Taylor; President, Director of Cygnet Theatre in Paris

If you connected with Taylor’s story as a fellow expat in Paris, Canadian traveler, or just human being, she invites you to connect with her on her personal Instagram account and that of Cygnet Theatre in Paris.

Ā @misstaylorscott

@cygnet.theatre

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2 Comments

  1. “So much of what I now consider my ā€œlifeā€ is a collection of moments that made me aware of having a soul ā€“ because all of a sudden I could feel it there, humming, inside of my body.”
    This is my new favorite definition of life.

    1. Author

      She has quite a way with words, doesn’t she šŸ™‚

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