JP defines Vienna as being an odd city: “Vienna is not a sexy choice, I mean I visited Paris, Rome, Berlin, London, but none of those were Vienna.” JP remembers liking the fact that Vienna was toned down. Where Paris was disorderly and noisy, Vienna was clean and quiet. No one talked loud in Vienna. Vienna was murkier, and darker, which made Vienna endearing. Not to mention that Vienna was an extremely affordable city to live in. With dirt cheap apartments and nightly opera visits that cost 2 euros, JP thought, “this is the city I have to live in!” JP also points to Vienna’s efficient transportation system, expressing that he ditched his car for the more environmentally-friendly Ubahn.
In 2015, JP became an Austrian citizen and renounced his Canadian citizenship. For JP, moving to Vienna meant proving to others that this once self-proclaimed “nerdy teen” could make it in the real world. Vienna has become JP’s home. With our interview coming to an end, JP warmly says, “Vienna is the city where I will retire. I feel completely at home here”
A playlist made by JP: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ARfyWdqdmG2SFESfnFWGx?si=9016da7decff403c
My name is Jean-Pascal Vachon.
