From Paris to Wayne County: How MakeMyMove Made an International Relocation Easier

Long before Pete and Laura boarded a plane with their two children, they knew that moving from Paris to Indiana would require more than careful planning - it would require support.

With help from MakeMyMove, the couple found not only financial aid through the incentive program they applied for but something just as important: confirmation that the place they were moving to wanted them there.

What awaited them on the other side of the Atlantic was a new start in Wayne County, Indiana. A community Pete knew well but one that was foreign to Laura and their children.

Their move from one of the world’s most iconic cities to one of its quieter corners, is a story shaped by patience and a slow reevaluation of what it means to build a good life.

Life on Two Different Continents Until One Hallmark-Style Movie Meeting

Pete grew up on a rural road near family in Wayne County, where his grandparents farmed nearby and most days were spent outdoors riding dirt bikes, fishing and exploring the countryside.

After high school, Pete enrolled at Ball State University, where he studied graphic design through their fine arts department. After college, Pete joined IronGate, a design agency in Hagerstown, Indiana. Where he started to design websites and connected with a small international software team that included a developer based in Paris. When the opportunity arose to relocate to France and collaborate more closely, Pete decided to take a chance.

“I was young,” Pete said. “I didn’t have a lot tying me down and I thought, why not see what it’s like?”

Paris, at first, felt like a dream. But like most large cities, the pace could be overwhelming at times, a sharp contrast to the quiet rhythm of his early life in rural Indiana. After the initial novelty wore off, Pete began thinking about returning home.

Then, after applying to a job at Google’s Paris office, he received a job offer the same evening he ran into Laura, his future wife.

Laura had just moved into Pete’s apartment building. Born and raised in Paris, she spent most of her early life there until she moved to Bordeaux to study environmental agriculture and then to Canada, where she continued her studies and learned English at McGill University, before returning to France to work in water-treatment engineering and later became a teacher.

She had only recently moved into the heart of Paris and decided to introduce herself to neighbors in her new building in a way that immediately felt familiar to Pete - she brought freshly baked cookies.

“That is not Parisian at all,” Pete said, laughing. In fact, it felt like the “Hoosier Hospitality” he had experienced growing up.

When Parenthood Changes the Equation

For several years, Paris suited them. The city was stimulating, convenient and rich with opportunity. But as their family grew, so did their questions about the future.

“We talked about moving even before I was pregnant,” Laura said. “But I chickened out.”

After the birth of their first child, Clara, the realities of raising young children in and around Paris became harder to ignore. Laura remembered her own experiences navigating the metro as a child, crowded platforms, narrow staircases and started questioning if that was the environment she wanted for her children.

Pete, meanwhile, missed life in Indiana that included family gatherings, open spaces and the kind of childhood he had taken for granted growing up.

They relocated from Paris to a quieter suburb, but even there, daily life required constant planning. Friends lived far apart, so outings took coordination.

“We wanted something calmer and quieter for the kids,” Laura said.

Education became another important factor. Laura’s own school experience was defined by large classes, long days and rigid structures. Pete remembered his education in Wayne County in schools where teachers got to really know their students and families were closely involved.

By the time their second child, James, was born, the conversation had shifted from if they would move to when.

Six Suitcases and a Fresh Start in Wayne County

While they waited for Laura’s visa to be approved, Pete learned about the MakeMyMove program through his former IronGate colleagues who had recently worked with Wayne County’s economic development team. He researched the relocation program, realized their family qualified and applied.

Once they were approved and Laura received her visa, the family packed up some clothes, a few personal items and essentials for Clara and James, leaving nearly everything else behind.

“We brought almost nothing with us,” Pete said. “Everything we packed fit into just six suitcases.”

While they had a home to move into, which was Pete’s former childhood home, they had little else and that’s when the cash incentive from MakeMyMove came into play. They used it to purchase furniture and it helped to soften their landing.

“It was great and it helped us get established,” Pete said.

The Children Lead the Way

The couple was vigilant about how the move would affect their daughter, Clara.

French was her first language and she was old enough to feel the weight of leaving behind friends and routines. Instead, she surprised them.

“She has an amazing teacher,” Laura said. “They even have a sensory room at her school, so when she would start to feel overwhelmed by her new environment, they would take her there so she could decompress. We are so happy about that.”

Although Clara understood English fluently, she initially hesitated to speak it at school. For several months, she whispered responses, afraid of making mistakes. Slowly, her confidence grew.

“She has just blossomed,” Pete said.

James’s adjustment took more time. After staying home with Laura, transitioning into English-speaking preschool full-time was overwhelming. The family adjusted his schedule, easing him in gradually and both children now speak English comfortably.

“They adjusted faster than I did,” Laura laughed and she believes the warmth and support of the community have also played a role.

“I think one thing that helped us get settled in is that people here are really ‘Midwest nice,’" Laura explains. They are kind, open to helping, or just to stop and say hello. In Paris, there are just so many people; if you go to the train station, you’ll easily see hundreds of people in one minute and you can’t stop and say hello to all of them.”

A Slower Pace, A Better Fit

MakeMyMove’s Wayne County relocation program also offered connections to local amenities and organizations. The family took advantage of access to the Richmond Art Museum.

“Art is still a big part of our lives,” Pete says.

In fact, Laura has started a pottery business out of the garage in their new home. “I had started learning how to make pottery while I was living in France. Once we got settled in, I took a remote program and now I’ve started selling some of the pieces I’ve made at my home studio at local markets. I’m hoping to continue to learn more over the next few months and try to network and connect with people who do the same thing.”

But most of what they value now can’t be measured by an incentive package or a new home.

It's the quiet. The space. A less rigid pace of life.

“We just want to go slow now,” Laura said. “It’s been a long few years.”

How MakeMyMove Made a Difference

For Pete and Laura, MakeMyMove was the bridge they needed. Pete says the application process was straightforward and the only regret he has is that they weren’t able to take advantage of more of the incentives that came with the program.

“We were in survival mode,” Pete said. “But if people have the time, they should absolutely take advantage of those incentives. They will help you feel more connected.”

When asked what advice he would give others considering the program, Pete says. “Don’t hesitate, just do it.”

The Future, Quietly Taking Shape

Today, Pete plans to stay where he is both professionally and geographically.

“I want to stay with my current job, which I really like and ‘be boring’ for a while.”

They are working on small renovation projects for their home in their downtime and they want their children to continue to grow as bilingual people with dual citizenship surrounded by family, friends and a community that supports them.

“When we moved here,” Laura said, “We thought we had to be fully integrated to be accepted. Now I realize we can be both Parisians and Americans.”

Pete echoed that same feeling. “There's plenty of space to find your place here and from our experience, the people here are welcoming to outsiders. Also, moving somewhere with an incentive page that is for people to relocate to a community sends the message that we are wanted here.”