• I am a therapist and mom of four.
• I spent months trying to "fix" my second child's emotional outbursts and meltdowns.
• Learning to work with sensitivity instead of fighting it changed my parenting approach.

"I have good news! No big outbursts today or crying on the floor; he just needed some extra support during our transition times!"

The sunny, early afternoon light streamed through Ms. Barb's preschool classroom window as she delivered what was meant to be encouraging news. But her description of my son's day hurt. How was it that a "good day" for him was not having a full-blown tantrum in the middle of class?

As I drove him home, squinting against the bright sunshine, he napped quietly in the backseat. I gripped the steering wheel tighter, fighting back tears. I felt like I was messing everything up. Out of our four kids, his behavior felt uncontrollable, and I was constantly on the search for ways to "fix" him.

The late-night search that changed everything

Every night after tucking the kids in, I would end up in my usual spot on our couch, scrolling through parenting articles. My eyes would be heavy, but my mind would be racing. What could I be doing differently? That's when I saw an article about highly sensitive children, and I stopped scrolling.

I sat up straighter as I read each line. These kids hate crowds. They can't stand loud noises. They pick up on everything around them, are highly intelligent, and feel emotions like they're turned up to full volume.

This explained why he would cover his ears and cry when things got too chaotic around him. No wonder he melted down at preschool, church, and birthday parties — it was because he was overstimulated. Everything I'd been beating myself up about now made perfect sense. But there was something else. This list wasn't just describing my son, it was describing me too!

Finding myself in my child's story

As I read more about highly sensitive people (HSP), memories from my own childhood came rushing back to mind. At 14, I remember sitting in my bedroom after school, overwhelmed by my friend's breakup — feeling her pain as intensely as if it were my own. I called it "over-empathizing" back then, and it eventually led me to become a therapist. But until this moment, I never understood why I felt everything so much more deeply than others seemed to.

It also explained why I pick up on tiny details that others miss and why I get easily overwhelmed. I realized in this moment that all this time, I had been trying to fix my son when, really, he was helping me understand a part of myself that had always felt like a flaw.

A new way of parenting and living

The discovery that night changed so much about how I live and parent now. I stopped seeing my son's sensitivity as something that needed to change. Instead, I saw it as a trait that was just a part of him and that we could work with.

We now leave birthday parties a little early if he starts to get overwhelmed. We make sure that he has downtime after school to decompress. He and I talk about being HSP, which helps him process his big emotions.

And just like him, I started to figure out how to schedule my life in a way that works with, not against my sensitivity. I no longer feel guilty about putting on noise-canceling headphones when my kids get too loud and overstimulating.

Coming full circle

What started as a desperate attempt to fix my son's tantrums turned into one of the best things that has happened in my life. It's finally having the permission to be exactly who I am and allowing my son to be exactly who he is. Now, when parents come to my therapy practice describing their "difficult" or "overly emotional" child, I see the familiar signs. I share my story, watching relief wash over their faces as they begin to understand their child differently.

Last week, a mom teared up when I explained how her daughter's sensitivity wasn't a problem to fix but simply part of who she is. These sessions have shifted from problem-solving missions into conversations where parents discover new ways to work with their child's sensitivity.

Because oftentimes, the very things that we are trying to change about our children are the things that can teach us the most about ourselves.

• Ben Affleck says California needs to do more to keep productions filming in the state.
• California "came to take this industry for granted a little bit," the filmmaker and actor said.
• Film production in California has nosedived, with shooting days down significantly in recent years.

Ben Affleck weighed in on what can be done to stem the tide of film and television productions moving away from California.

Speaking on the red carpet at "The Accountant 2" premiere this week, he said the state's film and TV tax incentive program was not sufficiently appealing to keep Hollywood in Hollywood.

"Other places will have better exchange rates or tax rebate deals that are meant to lure this industry there because they understand how stimulative it is for the economies," Affleck told The Associated Press.

"I think part of the problem with California is they came to take this industry for granted a little bit."

FilmLA found that overall shoot days in Greater Los Angeles fell by more than a fifth in the first three months of the year. The film and television sector's annual production declined by 58% between 2021 and 2024, per the not-for-profit.

The Los Angeles wildfires in January will have contributed to the decline in shooting days as multiple TV and film productions were paused.

California officials have taken steps to stem the tide of directors, executives, and studios ditching the Golden State for other jurisdictions that offer more favorable tax rebates. In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed more than doubling support from $330 million to about $750 million for the 2025-26 financial year.

However, Affleck argued that "the percentage of what you get back in terms of the actual budget doesn't compete with places like England, which is why you see a lot of these big, huge movies shoot in the UK."

Affleck, who is also a producer, writer, and director as well as an actor, listed several other states that he said offered "better exchange rates or tax rebate deals," such as Georgia and New Mexico, which both have no annual cap on their incentives programs.

Despite this, "The Accountant" sequel, which was directed by Gavin O'Connor, was partially shot in Los Angeles, per The Hollywood Reporter. Affleck's upcoming Netflix project "Animals" was also filmed on location in LA.

Affleck acknowledged that tax rebate programs were "controversial," but said they had helped lure productions away from California.

Creative workers chasing their Hollywood dreams have also prompted some to relocate to other entertainment hubs.

As Business Insider previously reported, close to 820,000 people left California between 2021 and 2022 — the most of any state in that period.

On this, Affleck said: "If people move away, you know, that really hurts the industry. It's really the technicians and the crew that make or break your movie. You need the best people, you need good people. As a director, I know that to be true."

Affleck's comments follow similar sentiments shared by Mel Gibson after he was named one of President Donald Trump's "special envoys" representing the interests of Hollywood.

In January Gibson told Fox News he wanted to "fix" the problem of Californians ditching the Golden State, referring to both residents and those working in the entertainment industry.

People "are going somewhere else because it's more cost-effective. There's just a lot of prohibitive regulations and things in the way that I think could be lifted," he said. "But I think it can be fixed."

Gibson said that on one occasion, it had been cheaper for him to fly a crew to Europe and shoot for three days than it was to "shoot for one day just down the road."

• My husband and I spent $1,050 on three nights at the iconic Hollywood Roosevelt hotel in California.
• The historic hotel is centrally located in Hollywood, with stunning architecture and a great pool.
• Although our room felt small, our stay felt like a great value. I can't wait to return.

I often try to stay at historic hotels when I travel, as I prefer charm over the modern (and often boring) design of many newer ones.

Recently, my husband and I splurged on a long weekend at one of the most historic hotels in Los Angeles: The Hollywood Roosevelt.

Located on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and across from the famed TCL Chinese Theater, the hotel dates back to 1927 and has been renovated over the years.

A member of the Historic Hotels of America, it's named after US President Theodore Roosevelt and was built by a group of prominent film-industry pros.

The Hollywood Roosevelt is also said to have regularly hosted many famous stars, including Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Temple, and Clark Gable.

Here's what our stay was like in the glamorous hotel.

The grand lobby seemed to transport me back in time.

From the moment I walked into the grand lobby, I felt like I was stepping into history. The hotel felt opulent, with moody colors, leather seating, ornate ceilings, opulent columns, and shiny tile everywhere.

I couldn't help but imagine the many notable people who spent time in this space.

Checking into our room was a breeze.

The Hollywood Roosevelt has a range of rooms to book, including elaborate suites inspired by Marilyn Monroe that overlook the pool.

For the last-minute stay with my husband, I chose the most basic accommodation, a superior room with a queen bed.

Checking in was quick and easy, and our total for three nights came to about $1,050.

Our room felt compact but charming.

Our superior room was around 250 square feet and featured a queen canopy bed and some minimal furnishings.

It had a sophisticated feel with hardwood floors, a flat-screen TV, and a work desk. There was also a minibar and other goods available for purchase.

The space felt pretty compact, but that's exactly what I expect from a hotel in the center of a city.

The bathroom also felt small, but was more than adequate.

The hotel was built in the 1920s, during a time when bathrooms weren't necessarily as large as they are today. I figured that would be the case in this historic property, so I wasn't particularly disappointed by our tiny bathroom.

Although it was minimally decorated, it was more than adequate. The shower pressure was great, and I appreciated the luxurious-feeling soaps provided.

Next, I spent time at the pool.

The hotel's expansive Tropicana pool area was reserved for hotel guests.

I found tons of loungers, plus retro 1960s-inspired design elements, like colorful tile. The bottom of the pool even featured a mural painted by English artist David Hockney.

Lined with palm trees, it was hard to believe that bustling Hollywood Boulevard was mere steps away.

I enjoyed a cocktail poolside.

While lounging at the pool, I took advantage of lounger-side cocktail service and access to a walk-up bar.

My $20 drink was delicious, and I enjoyed sipping it as a live DJ performed.

The grounds were also fun to explore.

My favorite part of my stay was simply walking around and exploring the property.

I particularly enjoyed seeing a statue of silent movie legend Charlie Chaplin, who was said to have been a frequent guest of The Hollywood Roosevelt.

The hotel also houses a historic theater.

During my walk around the property, I came across the Cinegrill Theater.

The cabaret, hidden behind an unassuming bookcase, dates back to the 1930s and was a known as a hangout for A-listers. The intimate theater continues to host performances today.

I spent my evening at the Lobby bar.

I was really excited to check out the Lobby bar at night. It had intimate vibes, and I was able to snag a seat at the bar.

The cocktail menu felt well-rounded, with a range of classic mixed drinks, wine, and Champagne. I opted for an espresso martini priced at $20.

I can't wait to return.

Staying at The Hollywood Roosevelt was like stepping back in time in the best way. Each space I encountered oozed opulence and grandeur.

Although it had old-school charm, it also had amenities I'd expect as a modern traveler, from poolside drink service to a television in my room.

There was plenty to do and see on the property — I especially enjoyed the pool — and the hotel is also conveniently close to nearby attractions, like the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Plus, despite being in the heart of Hollywood, the hotel still managed to feel like a private, tranquil oasis.

The price we paid, about $350 a night, felt like a steal for a stay in such a special place.

• Ryan Coogler's R-rated historical horror film "Sinners" opened on Friday.
• The film topped the US box office on its opening weekend, earning an estimated $45 million.
• Coogler negotiated a rare compensation deal that puts him in a group of elite filmmakers.

"Sinners" has soared at the box office over the Easter weekend, but salvation for the Warner Bros. film isn't here yet.

The highly anticipated R-rated vampire drama set in the Jim Crow era topped the box office taking an estimated $45 million over its opening weekend including Thursday previews, Deadline reported.

The release also took $15.4 million internationally, for a global tally of about $60 million, per Variety.

"Sinners" unexpectedly edged out "A Minecraft Movie," another also Warner Bros. release, to take the top spot in the US this weekend after surpassing projections by about $15 million.

The film, directed, written, and produced by Ryan Coogler, is his first original story since his directorial debut in 2013, following a series of franchise continuations, including "Creed" (2015) and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (2023).

Starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, it follows twin brothers who return to their Mississippi hometown to open a new juke joint, only to discover an army of vampires waiting to welcome them back. It also stars Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, and Jayme Lawson.

The film has received high praise from critics and also has a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The New York Times reported that Warner Bros. bet big on "Sinners," spending at least $90 million to bring Coogler's vision to life, as well as another $60 million in international marketing costs.

A rare, lucrative compensation deal that Coogler reportedly struck with the studio means he will receive a share of its box-office revenue before Warners turns a profit.

Vulture reported that Warner Bros. agreed to give Coogler an unspecified percentage of the gross ticket sales before the studio deducts costs.

Sony and Universal were also trying to snag "Sinners," so to seal the deal with the Oscar-nominated director Warners also made other concessions.

These included giving Coogler a say on the film's final cut and reverting ownership of the film to him 25 years after its release.

Coogler previously told Business Insider that "the only motivation" for him to add this particular clause into the deal was because of how it reflected the theme of Black ownership, which is explored in the film.

Coogler said he doesn't own any of his other films and has no plans to own future titles.

Nevertheless, it's a rare deal in Hollywood, and puts Coogler among a group of elite filmmakers who can command such power in negotiations.

Representatives for Coogler and Warner Bros. did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

• DHL is suspending deliveries of foreign packages worth more than $800 from Monday.
• The move follows a surge in customs clearances following a rule change, DHL said.
• Business shipments continue but may face delays due to increased border scrutiny.

DHL is temporarily suspending delivery of packages from other countries valued at more than $800 to US customers following more stringent customs rules under President Donald Trump's tariffs framework.

The pause, which takes effect Monday and will apply until further notice, affects consumer shipments entering the US from any country, as well as collections.

Business-to-business deliveries will continue, but DHL warned they could face significant delays due to increased border scrutiny.

A shift in customs enforcement has lowered the threshold for simplified import procedures. Where packages worth up to $2,500 once passed through US customs with minimal documentation, those worth above $800 now require formal clearance.

That change, which took effect on April 5, has flooded DHL's systems and slowed deliveries across the board.

DHL said on its website: "While we are working diligently to scale up and manage this increase, shipments over USD 800 — regardless of origin — may experience multi-day delays."

It added that the delivery suspension was a "temporary measure, and we will share updates as the situation evolves."

Packages worth less than $800 remain eligible for quicker processing.

Even those shipments could be affected by a looming crackdown on the "de minimis" rule, a long-standing exemption that allows low-cost imports to skip duties and inspections.

That exemption, which has been a lifeline for online retailers such as Shein and Temu, is set to end on May 2.

Both companies have warned customers that price increases are likely due to the regulatory changes. The rollback is expected to hit goods from China and Hong Kong especially hard as Washington moves to close what it sees as a loophole that has allowed some shippers to avoid tariffs and customs scrutiny.

The Trump Administration has framed the change as a national security measure aimed at curbing the flow of synthetic opioids, accusing some exporters of mislabeling shipments to hide illicit substances.

On Wednesday, Hong Kong's postal service said it was temporarily ending the delivery of postal items from the US in response to Trump's tariffs.

The service said it took issue with the US government's decision to "eliminate the duty-free de minimis treatment for postal items despatched from Hong Kong to the US and increase the tariffs for postal items containing goods to the US starting from May 2."

• I had an interior room on my Virgin Voyages cruise but got a sea-view room upgrade by bidding $80.
• Before trying Virgin's Level Upgrade program, I made sure my bid wasn't too close to the minimum.
• I found out I won the upgrade 24 hours before our ship's departure.

Last year, I surprised my husband with a Virgin Voyages Caribbean cruise for his 30th birthday.

It was difficult to keep the trip a secret from him at first, but saving up to foot the bill for this vacation solo might have been even tougher. To keep costs manageable, I booked us an interior room.

Although I really wanted to get us a sea-view room, I couldn't justify spending an extra $1,100 for slightly bigger space with a window.

However, months later, I got an email from Virgin's Level Upgrade program offering me a chance to bid on a sea-view room (and other higher-tier cabins) for far less.

With a little bit of research and luck, I scored the room upgrade I originally wanted for just $80.

I bid above the minimum — but not by too little or too much

The window for bidding on upgrades varies from voyage to voyage, and closes as soon as any remaining cabin inventory fills up. In my case, the system opened two months in advance, and I placed my bids a few weeks later.

I knew I didn't want to leave the minimum bids, since I imagine a lot of travelers do just that when the "Level Upgrade" email arrives just to see what happens.

In those cases, you can beat out the competition by only bidding a few bucks. However, leaving too small of a margin can be risky .

After reading about other bidders' experiences on various cruise forums, I also felt confident I wouldn't need to offer hundreds above the minimum bid threshold just to be successful.

For our voyage, I successfully offered $80 on a sea-view cabin with a minimum bid of $45. I also placed an unsuccessful bid of $280 on a limited-view sea-terrace room, which had a minimum of $275.

I was happy with sea-view room, which had a large porthole and the lowest minimum bid prices by over $200.

Looking back, I had good odds of getting that room since we were in the lowest cabin tier and the majority of Virgin Voyages' rooms are sea terraces with balconies.

This means most of my fellow travelers — bidders I was competing with — weren't even trying for a sea-view cabin. For them, it would've been a downgrade.

Above all, I stayed patient and ready to enjoy our trip even without an upgrade

Although there's a chance of hearing back earlier, we found out about our upgrade just a day before our voyage's departure.

From the start, though, I knew we'd have an amazing time on board no matter what room we ended up in. After all, the bidding upgrade system is a gamble.

Fortunately, one of the best things about a cruise, is that your trip is what you make of it — and you can spend as much (or as little) time in your accommodation as you'd like.

• My friend and I booked the Portuguese airline TAP Air Portugal to fly to and around Portugal.
• Months before we flew, we were notified our return flight to the US had been pushed back a full day.
• Later, we were bumped from an overbooked flight and another was canceled.

In November, my friend and I began booking a March trip to Portugal.

We selected our hotels and then moved on to flights.

While comparing prices, we found TAP Air Portugal, the country's national airline, had the most affordable nonstop flights, both from the US to Lisbon and from Lisbon to Madeira, a Portuguese island 600 miles into the Atlantic Ocean.

We each paid $565 roundtrip to fly from New York City to Lisbon, and $171 roundtrip to fly from Lisbon to Madeira.

Normally, I'm wary of low-cost flights from and within the US — I believe you always pay for something, be it a less-than-stellar flight experience or hidden fees.

However, TAP's flight costs seemed somewhat comparable to ones from other airlines so we didn't feel the need to research the airline too deeply. I've also flown other national airlines before — like Turkish Airlines, Air France, Icelandair — without a hitch. I assumed this would be the same.

We experienced our first red flag months before we flew, and our experience only got worse from there.

Our return flight changed 2 months in advance

In January, two months before our flight, we received an email stating that our itinerary had been changed.

Our return flight, from Lisbon to New York, was delayed 24 hours, with our flight now leaving on Friday, March 28, instead of Thursday, March 27.

We weren't given an explanation as to why. TAP Air Portugal did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

We had planned to fly on Thursday to save money. Staying an extra day would cost us around $200 for the hotel alone, plus other expenses, like dining out for the day (probably another $100).

Still, we decided to make the most of it. We accepted our new flight, budgeted for an extra day, and booked another hotel.

We planned to use the extra time in Lisbon to do a quick day trip to Sintra, a resort town about an hour away by train from Lisbon.

Although it wasn't the end of the world for us to stay longer, this would've been a huge inconvenience if either of us had a tighter budget or needed to be back in the States sooner.

Flying to and from Madeira didn't go as planned, either

Four days after we landed and explored Lisbon, it was time for us to fly to Madeira. Our flight was set to land on Wednesday afternoon.

We arrived at Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport almost three hours early. Once we checked in, we learned the flight was overbooked, and we didn't have assigned seats.

We joined a crowd of about a dozen people who were at the check-in desk looking to book new flights.

A TAP Air representative gave us two new seats for a flight five hours later, meaning we'd land at midnight and get only a few hours of sleep before our 5:30 a.m. hike the next morning.

He gave us $250 flight vouchers as well as meal and snack vouchers. We took them and played cards to pass the time until our next flight.

It was around 1 a.m. by the time we got to our Madeira hotel.

Soon, we were surprised with another flight cancellation

The next day, around 4 p.m., we got an email notifying us that our return flight to Lisbon in two days was canceled.

A few hours after receiving that message, we were notified that we had been automatically booked for a new, 9 p.m. flight on the day we planned to leave — a full 12 hours later than our original one.

Frustrated, my friend booked us on an earlier Ryanair flight back to Lisbon instead, which cost $113 each. Once again, we changed plans and unexpectedly spent more money.

Instead of going to Sintra, as we planned the first time our flights were altered, we looked for more things to do in Madeira because we'd be back in Lisbon later.

We booked a morning sunset excursion (with a 5:15 a.m. pickup time) to still feel like we did some exploring.

We didn't find TAP's website or customer service to be very helpful, either

After this flight cancellation, we were eligible for a refund, according to TAP Air's terms and conditions, because our flight was more than five hours delayed and we weren't taking a replacement flight through the airline.

There was just one problem: We weren't able to access the refund through the airline's website. I watched my friend input all her information, land on a confirmation page, hit "request refunds," and be prompted to restart the process again.

When she tried to file an online complaint, the message wouldn't go through. Instead, she was met with: "Your request was not sent successfully!" Because my friend bought both of our Madeira tickets, I tried inputting her information on my phone, with the same results.

Once we landed in Lisbon, we had about 24 hours until our flight home. We saw it as an opportunity to slow down after all the travel mishaps, spending the last few hours unwinding in our hotel.

When we arrived at the Lisbon airport for our flight back to New York City, we stopped by the TAP customer-service desk.

My friend took screen recordings of her trying to use the website and showed them to the representative. She was told by TAP Air's customer service that she could only request refunds on the website or over the phone.

"But the website doesn't work," my friend said.

"You have to use the website," the rep said.

While waiting to board our flight, I Googled other reviews of the airline. Reddit users lamented the customer service in particular, some saying it could take months to hear back. (One user said it took over three years).

We gave up on trying to get a refund through TAP Air. Weeks later, my friend is waiting to hear back on a credit-card chargeback she filed shortly after we landed.

We'd pay more for a different airline next time

Ultimately, we ended up paying way more than we budgeted for, both in money and time.

All in all, we each spent $113 for the new flights, $125 for the hotel, plus a little over $100 for dinner, breakfast, and lunch combined. Nearly $400 extra.

The problem wasn't that we had a canceled flight or got overbooked — it happens and is always something I'm mentally prepared for.

It's that we ticked off multiple unlucky flight experiences, all in one week. Next time, I'd definitely pay the extra $100 or $200 for a flight from an airline I've had better experiences with for an international flight, like Delta or United. I'd also stick to Ryanair or easyJet for shorter flights because I've at least had decent experiences with both.

Even with the free voucher, I wouldn't book TAP Air again. Or if I did, I would prepare to be disappointed and adjust my trip, over and over again.

• John Lovell is a professional traveler who has lived in or visited 89 countries worldwide.
• Of all places, he told Business Insider that Salzburg, Austria, is his absolute favorite.
• He said the area's natural beauty, culture, and warm welcome from the locals make it worth visiting.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with John Lovell, 60, who has traveled to 89 countries and hundreds of cities in his lifetime. Lovell is the president of Travel Leaders Network, a company that sells luxury travel, cruises, and tours.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Over the years, I've visited 89 countries and lived in many cities. There isn't a single country I've visited that I did not like — but some I just happen to like more than others.

I've been to isolated places like Tahiti, home to some of the most beautiful beaches and incredible overwater bungalows. I've also been to smaller countries like the Vatican and traveled to South Africa, which has some of the world's best vineyards and game preserves.

I've also visited more popular and famous European cities like Paris and London, where I once lived. I love both cities, and if I had to choose my top five, they'd both be on there. However, if I could live anywhere full-time, it would be in Salzburg, Austria.

Salzburg is at the top of my list because it's smaller and more intimate. There are fewer tourists than in London or Paris, so it's easier to experience the city and its culture — plus, the people are incredibly welcoming.

Salzburg's natural beauty is breathtaking

Salzburg is located in Central Europe, right at the foothills of the Alps. The landscape is green and lush, and the scenery is truly stunning. The city is surrounded by lakes, with rivers flowing through its heart.

While the winters can be a bit cold for me, the overall climate is quite pleasant, similar to upstate New York, so fairly temperate for the most part.

Salzburg is rich in history, has wonderful museums, and is the birthplace of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It's also known for its Gothic and baroque architecture and beautiful catholic churches.

Salzburg is also famous because parts of "The Sound of Music" were filmed there. In the 1965 film, the von Trapp family — based on a real Austrian musical family — escapes Nazi-occupied Austria. A popular scene in the film, where governess Maria and the children sing "Do-Re-Me," was shot at Mirabell Gardens and the Pegasus Fountain.

There's something for everyone

The city isn't overly expensive, partly because it's a bit off the beaten path. Most hotels range from mid- to high-end, with prices typically between $100 and $400 per night. Visiting won't necessarily break the bank for many travelers.

Salzburg is also a well-known getaway spot if you're into skiing and similar winter activities. While there's no skiing right in the city, it's just a short trip into the mountains.

For the younger crowd, you'll find options if you're into nightclubs and dancing. There are also plenty of great restaurants. So, even though Salzburg isn't a massive metropolis, it still has plenty to offer.

The locals make you feel welcome

Salzburg has many cultures. Many people speak English, German, and sometimes French.

I think it's a great place to get a true sense of European culture in a midsize town.

Of all European cities, I'd compare Salzburg to Prague or Edinburgh — but those cities don't have the sheer natural beauty of the mountains and rivers surrounding them.

The people of Salzburg truly embrace travelers. You can walk into a local pub, have some schnapps with them, and by the time you finish your drink, it feels like you've known them forever.

The first time I visited Salzburg, I met some people from Florida. One was an older, retired gentleman who owned a home in Austria. He invited me to visit him and his wife and stay at their house.

They introduced me to people in the local community, showed me around, took me to restaurants, and hosted me on a boat ride. I fell in love with the area and have returned to that city four times.

I've never had a bad interaction with anyone there. It's always been very positive — everyone is helpful and genuinely interested in you: where you're from, why you're visiting. It's such a nice feeling to be so welcomed, and that's why I keep returning.

• Steven Borrelli founded Cuts Clothing, an athleisure wear brand, in 2016.
• He also voted for President Donald Trump three times and continues to support him.
• Borrelli said if Trump wants to bring back US manufacturing, businesses need more time and support.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Steven Borrelli, founder of Cuts Clothing, in Culver City, California. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I've been a consistent supporter of Donald Trump.

I supported him in 2016, 2020, and 2024 because I believed he was someone who was pro-business, pro-family values, and pro-no wars. That's the candidate I wanted for the future.

Today, I still support Trump. I believe in his "America First" vision. I think offshoring US manufacturing was a mistake, and I agree with the president that that should be a huge initiative we should prioritize.

But it can't be done overnight.

I founded Cuts Clothing in 2016. I was inspired to start a clothing brand that was comfortable, but still appropriate for the office, after my boss at an ad agency I worked for kicked me out of a boardroom meeting because my shirt wasn't formal enough.

I was around 26 years old. I saved up $50,000 to start the business with four people and no outside funding.

Fast forward six, seven years, I was running a business with about 30 people, seeing hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. We are now one of the leaders in the direct-to-consumer men's everyday, casual athleisure space.

To compete in the global marketplace, where Chinese resellers cut costs, and to maintain our margins, our clothes are manufactured in Vietnam, China, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. By outsourcing production, we get cheaper 3PLs, or third-party logistics.

Cuts Clothing also takes advantage of a customs regulation known as Section 321 de minimis which provides an exemption on tariffs for low-costs goods.

This rule is essentially a loophole that allows us to send our product to Mexico before it reaches consumers, helping us avoid tariffs. It has survived the previous Trump administration and is one that almost all e-commerce companies in America use.

Trump's promise to get rid of this rule and the speed of which he's implementing tariffs could cause a lot of businesses to fail.

Like many companies, Cuts began to shift production months before Trump came into office.

We started shifting a lot of our production out of China and to Vietnam and the Dominican Republic around September. Still, things take months for the adjustments to set in.

You might have old inventory that you haven't sold some previous years, for example. We started moving production in September of last year and we're just now getting some of our first POs, or purchase orders, from other countries, while we still have China inventory from previous orders.

Businesses could also use more heads up on when and where tariffs would be implemented.

If the tariffs are here and then there — we can't make a business decision today and redo it if the tariffs changes tomorrow. You've already placed an order. That is a decision you'll have to see through for seven or eight months by the time your order it to sell it.

So when there's so much uncertainty, we're really afraid to make a move. It causes businesses to freeze.

Right now, our inventory from China is sitting in our distribution center in Mexico because we'd lose all margin. We can't be profitable if we have to sell with 145% tariffs.

Imagine you're selling a product that costs $20 to make and you sell it for $50. That gives you a $30-gross margin to cover everything else in the business, including marketing, operations, and payroll.

To maintain our current margin with a 145% tariff, we'd now need to raise the MSRP to $79. Even with a 30 to 50% tariff there are major implications for businesses. At above 100%, it becomes impossible.

I'm fortunate enough to be in the clothing industry because we move quickly. We will be able to make it out fine, but a lot of businesses probably need more than a year to get out of offshore manufacturing.

Reviving US production also would take a couple billion dollars in investments throughout two or three years, at least.

There needs to be a strategic plan to give grants to businesses in America. No one wants to ship stuff and deal with a global supply chain. If it was here, it would be so much better and we would pilot that if we got a US grant.

But to do that without a really good process is the death of businesses.

Again, I still support Trump. I believe that in the end he will be fair to American businesses. I believe he's going to figure it out and I want to be part of the solution.

My plea is that Trump listens to businesses on the ground.

Let us help you. We're on the same team.

• Business Insider visited the construction site where Tesla's restaurant concept is taking shape.
• The retro futuristic diner with EV chargers appears to be near completion.
• Two looming movie screens can be seen towering in the sky from a few blocks away.

Amid Elon Musk's recent blitzkrieg of government spending cuts, the billionaire Tesla founder has simultaneously been making quiet, breakneck progress on an entirely different business venture — the long-awaited Tesla Diner & Drive-In.

The Los Angeles-based project dates back to 2018, when Musk first mused online about an old-school 24-hour restaurant spot that would serve diner food and provide entertainment options for Tesla drivers needing to charge their electric vehicles.

Seven years later, Musk's vision of a dual dining-charging spot has come to fruition. Looming tall over a busy Hollywood block, the site boasts two towering 45-foot LED movie screens and dozens of V4 Supercharger stalls, as well as a saucer-shaped, open-air rooftop sitting under Los Angeles' reliable sunshine.

As a former Business Insider reporter and West Hollywood resident, I spent one Friday morning earlier this month investigating the surprisingly quiet construction site ahead of the diner's still-unknown opening.

Here's what I saw.

The site takes up an entire street corner on a busy section of Santa Monica Boulevard.

The Tesla Diner & Drive-In sits on the north side of LA's famous Santa Monica Boulevard, which runs from the Sunset Junction all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The plot extends backward onto N Orange Drive.

The site is near two of the busiest intersections in Hollywood, and only a few blocks from the 101 Freeway, where hundreds of thousands of drivers enter and exit traffic each day. The prime locale and easy freeway access plays in the diner's favor.

Before being transformed into Musk's retro-futuristic restaurant, the land was home to a Shakey's Pizza.

In August 2023, the Los Angeles County Department of Building and Safety approved plans for the Tesla diner. Construction had moved quickly in the year-and-a-half since. It appears to be nearly done.

Tesla and the engineering and architecture firm working on the project, Stantec, didn't respond to BI's requests for information about the completion or opening date of the restaurant.

I was surprised by how quiet the construction site seemed for a Friday morning.

I spent about twenty minutes perusing the diner's street corner, peering through the chain-link fence surrounding the entire enclosure. The graffiti-covered fence was covered by a tattered cloth, seemingly meant to keep looky-loos like me from snooping.

Broken pieces of the cloth cover, however, allowed me a peek behind the curtain, where I observed four construction workers milling about. Two men stood chatting with one another on-site for the entirety of my twenty-minute visit, while two others worked independently on various projects around the building.

I saw one private security guard standing outside the site.

The security guard, who was wearing an "Allied Universal Security" jacket, was standing on N Orange Drive, presumably watching over the site's side entrance.

The nice young man told me he had "no idea" when the diner was supposed to open. Worth a shot!

The unmissable focal points of the site are its two towering video screens.

In an X post last month, Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt described the giant structures as 45-foot LED movie screens. Musk responded to the post, "It will be cool."

I didn't bring my tape measure to confirm their measurements, but I can confirm they are looming in every sense of the word.

A 2022 building permit for the diner said the screens would show half-hour-long films — just enough time for a Tesla driver to charge up, The New York Times reported earlier this year.

More recently, Musk has said the screens will show old movie clips, contributing to the site's retro ambiance.

In 2023, he posted on X that the vibe of the space will be "Grease meets Jetsons with Supercharging."

The two screens sit on diagonal ends of the half-acre complex, both wrapped in a metallic exterior.

I could see the back of one of the screens from a few blocks away.

I walked a mile from West Hollywood for my pilgrimage to the Tesla Diner & Drive-In. As I was approaching the site from a few blocks west, I first spotted the back of one of the giant video screens.

I didn't know what the large structure in the sky was on my initial approach, but I snapped this pic on my walk back, after having witnessed the giant screens up close.

Here's a view of one of the screens straight on.

This particular screen sits to the side of the diner building. The other screen is located out of lens, back and to the right.

The building itself is a silver-toned, saucer-like structure with geometric flourishes.

Some of the fancy charging stations were all ready to go.

During my visit to the site, I saw dozens of shiny, white, Tesla-branded charging stations starting to be installed in the diner's paved parking lot.

Eventually, the site will be home to more than 75 V4 Supercharger stalls, Merritt said in his March update on X.

Even as Tesla takes Musk-related hits in recent weeks, Los Angeles remains an EV-friendly locale.

Musk's EV company has felt the burn of his foray into politics, with Tesla sales plunging 13% in the first three months of 2025 — the company's worst quarter since the first three months of 2022. Stock is down more than 36% in 2025.

Meanwhile, Tesla vehicles, dealerships, and charging stations across the country have been the sites of vandalism and protests since Trump was inaugurated.

When the diner does open, it'll be hard to miss — whether by drivers looking for a charge or protesters who have made Tesla locations ground zero for expressing their discontent at Elon Musk's growing political influence.

• Erin and Jon Carpenter bought and renovated a laundromat in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2022.
• Initially, the goal was to make a few extra dollars, but the reward has been the community.
• A love for Charleston led them to more renovation projects in the city.

This as-told-to essay is based on conversations with Erin and Jon Carpenter, a married couple living in Charleston, South Carolina. The two have residential-renovation experience, but bought their first commercial property, a laundromat, in 2022. The conversations have been edited for length and clarity.

Erin: It was definitely Jon's idea to buy a laundromat.

He went down a rabbit hole on YouTube with laundromats — and he is an entrepreneur, he went to business school — so he'd always heard that they were a good investment.

So we were thinking — well, he was thinking — why not try a laundromat?

Jon: I had a marketing business that I saved some money from, and I was just seeing it deflate. I think the inflation had started, and we started seeing high inflation numbers at 8%, 9%, and 10%. And I was like, "What is a good recessionary business that does well?"

We had a background in traveling and going to laundromats, and then this one came.

Erin: It was very, very cheap. And we went to see it, and we saw why it was very, very cheap.

It was in absolutely horrible condition, and I was horrified. I was like, "Oh, wow, this is crazy. This is going to be a funny story to talk about later."

And then we walked out, and Jon said, "I love it." I said, "Then let's do it."

Jon: It was a little over $50,000. The guy who owned it wanted to move on.

Erin: And we had no idea what we were doing. We were kind of just learning as we went.

Jon: We thought we'd love to be in the local business community, it's not far from our house, and it would be a fun pet project to renovate. Then we got into it knowing that if it lost money, it wouldn't make or break us if we lost it. At least we'll learn something. Or maybe we can sell it before we get into it, but it wasn't a huge risk.

The laundromat doesn't make us that much money, but we love the community

Erin: Thankfully, all the machines in the laundromat were still good, so we didn't have to replace any. We just rehabbed the seating areas and how they looked on the inside, making it a more comfortable place for people to sit, because it didn't even feel safe to be inside.

It just felt very dingy and gross. All the furniture was broken, and there were trash cans and trash everywhere. It was not a great place to be.

We just threw ourselves into that.

We put in new flooring. We ripped out the old front desk. We did all new ceiling and new lights. We built out a back office. We painted all the existing dryers, and built a window counter in the front with stools up at the counter for seating.

Jon: Over the past three to four years, we've probably put $75,000 into it.

Erin: The renovation took about three months. It's definitely our shortest renovation.

We knew nothing about that neighborhood. Our initial thought was: This will be a really good business investment.

Jon: When we got it, it lost $800 a month, and then we got it to about breakeven, then to about making $1,000 to $3,000 a month.

The problem is that machines break down, and then that costs, or we have to redo something, and that costs a couple of grand, so the net income goes down.

But our highest months have probably had a net of $5,000 to $6,000. We've started getting our pickup and delivery business going, so that's starting to grow at a rapid pace.

Erin: But the moment we walked in the door, we met Steve, the attendant who'd been there for 11 years. And then throughout the whole renovation process, we got connected with all sorts of people in the neighborhood, like Leroy, who is at the church across the street, but he's also a painter. He painted the dryers, and his wife, Emily, would stop by and help us out with whatever we needed.

It really gave us a window into this tight-knit community. We did the first free laundry day, and that's when we really got to know people and felt like it was way bigger than just a laundromat.

Ever since then, we've been doing free laundry days about once a month, and also trying to do more events. It's been really cool to see.

That's why we hang on to it. We're stressed all the time; it's not a passive business, but it's just this awesome community, and it's a good business too. I think the people are really what make it so memorable and so valuable.

Jon: We fell in love with community. My goal was to make $1,000 a month of net income off of it. I thought that'd be equivalent to getting a rental house. We're doing better than my initial goal. And I think if we keep growing it and do more, we can do even better.

If there's anything that I've learned about this investment, it's that we went in there to not make a lot of money, but it ended up doing so much good in the community that the money didn't matter that much.

• Jessica Guo quit her $185,000 PwC job to hike the Continental Divide Trail.
• She hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2023 and struggled when she returned to work.
• Guo said she liked her job but realized it was not conducive to the life she wanted to live.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jessica Guo, who worked as a consultant at PwC for over seven years. She recently quit to hike the Continental Divide Trail and the Great Divide Trail, and doesn't plan to return to the corporate world. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I had heard about the Pacific Crest Trail when I was 18, and because I'm from Washington and grew up in Seattle, the idea of walking home really appealed to me. I decided to do it in 2023.

At the time, I worked as a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers and decided to take advantage of a program they have where you can take paid leave and receive 20% of your pay. In my mind, doing a thru-hike would be a one-and-done. You do that once in your life and move on.

The hike took me five months. When I finished, I felt like I'd just done this really amazing thing — and then I went back to work. It was a really hard transition.

My team had also changed while I was gone. I felt like I didn't even know what kind of work I was doing anymore. I didn't know what my future at the company looked like, even though I loved the work I was doing before I left.

This year, I decided to quit my job.

My last day of work was Wednesday, and I'm starting my next thru-hike on Monday.

I'm doing the Continental Divide Trail and linking it up with the Great Divide Trail in Canada. The route follows the mountain ranges that divide the continent, from New Mexico to Kakwa Lakes in British Columbia. The total mileage is 3,700 and I'm hoping to finish in about five months. I'm planning to average over 30 miles a day.

Being able to walk into another country and continue onward on the same trail for another 700 miles just seemed like a really unique way to experience this part of the country, which is so beautiful and wild. I want to do things that scare me, and this route scares me. It's also my 30th birthday this year, and I wanted to send myself off with a big bang.

Hiking the PCT changed me

I started out the PCT alone and eventually joined up with a group I met on the trail before taking on a risky section.

At one point, we were trying to walk around the snow by stepping on branches when one broke and impaled my calf.

Luckily for me, one of my hiking companions was a Swedish Marine, so he helped provide medical treatment, hiked out with me, and then hiked back in. At the urgent care center, they gave me six stitches. That's how I ended up getting my trail name: Stitches.

I had to get off the trail for eight days, but the doctor said I could continue hiking with stitches and that he'd give me a suture removal kit to cut them out myself. So at one point when I was back with the group, the doctor ended up FaceTiming me and we just cut them out on the side of this mountain.

The trail is kind of like a wash cycle. It just keeps turning you and turning you, and every day you're struggling and it's aggravating. And then in the end, you're like, "Oh, I am different." You come out more pure and more raw than you were before — even though you're less clean.

It just opens your mind and opens your eyes to different ways of being in the world, and reminds you that you don't really need a lot of the things that you have in your life to be happy.

When I went back to work, I lost this identity of feeling so powerful and strong. I felt like I had lost a lot of direction. On the trail, you have such a clear north star.

I realized I wanted to get off the corporate ladder

I was on a very defined career track. In consulting, you make associate, then senior associate, then manager, then senior manager, then director, and then partner. I was a manager and I am stepping off of that track now.

About a year after the PCT I realized I was at a point where you either commit to this track and you talk about becoming a partner at this firm, or you go and do something completely different.

I was at a crossroads and having a lot of conversations with people. Do I want to make this track my life? Do I want this life?

I realized the answer to that was probably not. I felt like the things that I did on the trail were so much more life-giving to me than the lifestyle I had when I was working.

I feel lucky in the sense that I'm not leaving my firm on a bad note. I have that safety net of feeling like I can always come back if I want to.

Now I want to find a way to marry those work skills from my job at PwC — like coaching and facilitation — with the outdoors. After my hike, I'd like to start my own facilitation practice where people can experience the outdoors, whether that's over a couple different sessions, a weekend, or a week or two, and get a similar experience that I got from thru-hiking without necessarily having to invest six months.

It was very scary to quit my job, especially in this economy. But for me, it's just the right time. If I stayed at my firm for another year, I would just be wasting my time. I would be languishing. I would get resentful that I'm spending my time on this when I know what I want to be doing is something else.

If you have a dream now, do it now. If you wait, then maybe it'll be less reachable or less accessible. Follow that instinct.

Do you have a story to share about quitting your job? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

• George Saliba thought the Cybertruck would be the hottest "drop" of his lifetime when it came out.
• The luxury car dealer said the Cybertruck was initially viewed as a status symbol and attracted wealthy buyers.
• Political issues and market saturation have decreased its desirability, Saliba told BI.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with George Saliba, a 34-year-old car dealer in New Jersey. His identity has been verified by Business Insider. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm a general manager and owner at J&S AutoHaus, a luxury car and SUV dealership. When the Cybertruck first came out, I thought it was going to be the hottest drop of a vehicle in our lifetime.

If you were that lucky winner to get a Cyberbeast, it was just instant — you knew you hit the lottery.

That hot market lasted about three months. Fast-forward to now and I'm struggling to sell the Cybertruck. Here's why.

It's not the status symbol it once was

When the Cybertruck first came out, the people I saw buying them tended to be athletes, famous people, and, in general, people interested in status. It was better than having a Lamborghini, especially because of all the hype that was built around it.

The brand of the Cybertruck had that "you can't buy this car" appeal to it. You never saw them on the road. I was one of the first in New Jersey to drive one, and I couldn't go anywhere without getting talked to.

People who were less interested in status had the mindset that they would wait for the vehicle's value to stabilize and be closer to the MSRP. Then the MSRP cards started coming out and people start keeping them. The market just kept going down, $10 or $20 grand.

There are no real issues with the vehicle. It's a great vehicle, and it's still fun to drive and it gets attention. It's just the whole shape of the car, people kind of say it's just not the most practical. It's stainless steel and it's really angular. So it's like the easiest truck to hate, politics aside.

It was a status car. Now it's not too much of a status car.

Some of the first Cybertrucks that came out sold for over $240,000 in the auction. Today that car is worth around $70,000.

Once it gets to a price point of $50,000 or $60,000 it's going to be a really great thing to buy. There's the possibility of it coming back and getting stronger again, but the market hasn't really figured out what price that is yet.

The political situation made them less desirable

About 60 days ago, the market for selling Cybertrucks took a dip. It now feels like I cannot sell a Cybertruck to save my life.

To me, the strongest impact that kind of crushed the market was the political stuff.

My guy who I sold a Cybertruck to said, "Dude, everyone's getting a sticker. Like, no one wants them anymore."

People started giving me middle fingers. My friend called me and said, "I gotta sell my Cybertruck. Someone just threw a rock at me while I was driving, my kids were in the backseat."

People are putting Toyota labels on their Cybertrucks to avoid infliction and confrontation from others. They're trying to dim down the anger by renaming their vehicle. Then there are those bumper stickers that say, "I bought this before Elon went crazy."

Other Teslas are still selling

The Cybertruck has taken the most hate, but I don't see people hating Tesla because of what's going on politically.

The Tesla market in general has always been in solid demand. How can you go wrong with the Model 3 and Model Y? It's better than any other car. It's better than a Chevy, better than a Volkswagen. It has the best tech and driving infrastructure.

I have seen some decreased demand, but the way Tesla works is prices adjust. Prices will get lower, and then people will start buying again, because at the end of the day, it's an amazing product and people do want it.

When the car gets cheaper, you have more demand from a different audience. So all those people who couldn't afford a Tesla at $70,000 for a Model Y back when the prices were inflated are looking to buy electric cars now for a lower price.

I'm still actively looking for Cybertrucks and I just bought one the other day, but the pricing that I would like to pay has to be "sell now" because there's a lot of risk buying them at this time — Tesla could just drop their prices at any time.

• Justin and Annabelle Parfitt decided to live part-time between Bali and France in 2017.
• They purchased a land lease in Bali and spent $1.7 million building two luxury villas.
• Now, they rent the villas for parties, vacations, and milestone birthday celebrations.

The Parfitt family spends half their year in Bali, but the place they call home isn't a cookie-cutter Bali bungalow.

It's a luxury short-term rental that Justin and Annabelle Parfitt designed themselves.

In 2017, after bouncing from startup to startup, the couple decided to slow life down and live part-time between Bali and the French countryside.

To make the lifestyle profitable, they built a two-villa compound named Kasianda in Bali's Canggu neighborhood, which they rent out for vacation stays and parties.

Now, the couple and their children, Rosie, 9, and Skye, 5, spend half their year living in the luxury property.

After launching multiple startups, the Parfitts decided to live in their two favorite places

The couple's careers have taken twists and turns over the past two and a half decades.

Justin Parfitt graduated from college in Bristol, England. After undergrad, Parfitt produced house music and led a video production company, among other projects. In the early 2000s, he moved to Australia for his MBA, where he met his wife, Annabelle Parfitt.

Parfitt started a speed-dating company, and his wife joined the team. The business launched in the US and Canada, and the couple traveled around the world in between. In 2013, they sold their company, and Parfitt started a social network built around experiences.

Finally, in 2016, Parfitt said he and his wife decided to settle down after years of living and traveling between destinations.

"It came time to try to reimagine our lives. I was like, 'Well, where do we really like going?'" he recalled. "And the only places that we'd regularly gone back to were Bali and southwest France."

So, in 2017, they bought a small chateau in Gascony, France, and headed to Bali to start their next project: building a luxury short-term rental.

The plan was to split time between the two destinations and rent out each property when they weren't there.

In Bali, they bought land and started building a villa

With sights set on Bali, the pair found land to lease.

Due to Indonesian law, foreigners can't own land in Bali. Instead, they can have a leasehold or the right-to-use title. While these vary, the Parfitt family's 40-year lease cost them $400,000.

The pair worked with a local architect and spent a year drafting plans for a two-building compound: one villa with seven bedrooms and a second with five.

They toyed with different architectural styles, from tropical to modern, and landed on colonial.

"Our idea was to make something timeless," Parfitt said.

Construction started in 2018, and nearly a year later, the five-bedroom villa was finished. On Christmas Eve in 2019, they welcomed their first guests.

Then, the pandemic hit, and the pair finished building the seven-bedroom villa via WhatsApp from their home in France.

Parfitt said the compound was completed by 2021, and the project cost about $1.7 million, which included the land lease, construction, fixtures, landscaping, and furnishings.

The two villas can be rented separately or together, and the whole property can welcome up to 30 guests.

"The seven-bedroom is like your own private 5-star resort," Parfitt said.

From the very beginning, the goal was to offer a luxury stay. Outside, the larger villa has an expansive saltwater pool, a swim-up bar, a terrace, and a barbecue pit. Inside, there's an open kitchen, a living room, eight bathrooms, a dining room, and a media room.

The smaller villa also has a pool, a shared living and dining room, and a kitchen.

Today, the compound employs 17 workers, including four chefs, butlers, security guards, and housekeepers.

Depending on the season, a night in the larger villa costs between $1,500 and $2,100, while the smaller one typically costs between $400 and $800.

Beyond luxury, the villa focuses on extravagant events

As the couple finished building, they realized they wanted to differentiate themselves from the other villas and short-term rentals across the island.

The Parfitts approached this in two ways. The first was adding a commercial kitchen and a bar to the property's offerings. A popular Bali chef developed the menu, and the former head mixologist of the Ritz-Carlton created cocktails. This means guests can access fine dining, small bites, and tropical cocktails similar to what they'd expect from a hotel restaurant.

The second was adding event planning. As the family noticed that more guests were arriving for celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries, they decided to capitalize on that by offering complimentary party-planning services.

The Parfitts work with guests and villa staff to plan and execute extravagant parties, specifically for milestone birthdays.

In March, 30 people arrived at the villa from India for a Holi-inspired 60th birthday party, complete with colorful water balloons and foam cannons.

Last year, they hosted an Alice in Wonderland-themed party with fire performers, dancers, and themed cocktails.

Parfitt said he estimates they're hosting one or two birthdays monthly.

"It's more creative than the traditional short-term rental," he said.

During the offseason, the family of four lives in the smaller villa while welcoming guests and improving the compound. In March, they were on-site developing new menu items like a duck salad and testing new cocktails.

"We've got really good food and great cocktails," Parfitt said. "But at the end of the day, we try to make sure that there's something extra special as well."

• This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Welcome back to our Sunday edition, where we round up some of our top stories and take you inside our newsroom. Interested in a career pivot? A teacher with no tech experience shared the four résumé tweaks that helped him land a gig at Google.

On the agenda today:

• Steve Bannon tells BI why Elon Musk is "evil" — and his plans for a third Trump term.
• Real estate agents and Zillow are going to war over listings.
• Million-dollar payouts and no job security: what it's like to work at a hedge fund.
• A BI editor accidentally cheated on his taxes. Here's what happened.

But first: Back to the factory?

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here.

This week's dispatch

The push for 'manly' jobs

President Trump is pushing for a return to factory jobs. By and large, Americans don't want them.

BI's Emily Stewart is one of the most authoritative and original thinkers on how Trump's economic policies are affecting people and businesses in this country.

After her piece this week about whether men, in particular, really want the traditionally "masculine" manufacturing jobs the president is promoting, I sought her thoughts on her beat and the economy broadly.

The economic upheaval under President Trump is overwhelming. And yet, you consistently find ways to identify a particular vein and explore it with fresh takeaways. How do you get and sculpt your ideas?

I'm lucky that people often come to me with ideas or nuggets — my editors, sources, even friends. Chances are, if someone saw something and thought, "Huh, that's weird/interesting/annoying/scary," they're not alone.

I do think it's helpful to ground larger concepts in something that's more real and tangible. The economy isn't some nebulous theoretical concept, it's what we live day-to-day. I obviously read the normal business outlets, but I also listen to the friend who's complaining that the bridesmaid dress she's about to buy got more expensive because of the tariffs.

Besides Trump, what other economic trends are fascinating you right now?

There's a palpable anger across America at the ultrawealthy and corporations that's manifesting in really interesting ways. I've written about it in my coverage of middle-class shoplifting, but you also see it in the Tesla protests and even small-time stuff like consumers abusing return policies. People feel like they're being taken advantage of, and — right or wrong — they're finding little ways to lash out and reassert some agency.

What would you say makes you both most concerned and most hopeful about the US economy?

I know it's cliché, but there's so much uncertainty now that it makes it hard to imagine what stability would even look like. If we do enter a recession, there might not be any appetite on Capitol Hill to shore up the economy, given what happened with post-COVID inflation.

What makes me hopeful is that we've been "about to be in a recession" for what feels like forever. The economy is resilient, and consumers have kept spending even though they say everything is terrible. Things feel bad, but maybe it will be fine? It sounds silly to say, but that's the hope.

Steve Bannon, unchained

Fresh out of prison for contempt of Congress, Bannon remains an influential force in Trump's Washington. His podcast is a hot spot on the DC media circuit, attracting conspiracy theorists and leading senators alike for guest appearances.

Bannon's dedication to Trump hasn't wavered — even though he thinks Elon Musk "has always been evil." BI visited Bannon's sprawling villa in Arizona, where he reflected on his time in prison and shared his vision for Trump 2028.

Two days with the MAGA mastermind.

Zillow's fight for listings

Zillow and brokerages haven't been getting along lately. Some real estate agents are gatekeeping listings, and the search site is fighting back.

While Zillow is garnering some support for its new rule banning these "secret" listings, one of its rivals thinks it's all just a "power play." Either way, it's clear that the industry is on the precipice of a homebuying war.

Homebuyers will still pay the price.

Also read:

• The golden age of house hunting is over

Payouts and pink slips

It's easy to understand the allure of working at a hedge fund — payouts can reach tens of millions of dollars, and right now there's plenty of opportunity for savvy traders to stand out.

The downside? There's virtually no job security. Firms can be quick to cut and replace underperformers. "These aren't places to build a career usually," one former portfolio manager said. "It's a place to survive and get paid while you can." This piece is the second in our series on the Path to Wall Street.

What it's like to work at a hedge fund.

A tax nightmare

One tax season, BI's Zak Jason received a letter from the IRS. He soon realized he messed up his taxes: He forgot to attach his W-2 and declare his salary on his tax return.

Jason wasn't alone. Several million Americans fail to properly file their taxes each year. He also learned the system doesn't have to be this way.

Playing a game of chicken with the IRS.

This week's quote:

"Generally at Yale, not every student there is trying to become a startup founder or entrepreneur, so we saw that fire in each other and connected over that."

— Sneha Sivakumar on meeting her cofounder, Anushka Nijhawan, in their freshman year. Their startup Spur just raised $4.5 million.

More of this week's top reads:

• AmeriCorps and Peace Corps workers were building careers — then the DOGE cuts came.
• This is Mark Zuckerberg's theory of why Facebook is losing cultural relevancy.
• Wall Street dealmakers thought Trump was the answer. Now, they're not so sure.
• Sam Altman's play for a social network could get him data — and under Elon Musk's skin.
• It's easier than ever for businesses to jack up prices.
• Vibe coding is changing the way investors think about founders.
• Tesla showroom design makes them perfect targets for anti-Elon Musk protests.

• Netflix is charging ahead as one of the stock market's favorite recession plays.

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  The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.

• I was unhappy in my corporate job, so when we went remote, I started freelancing on the side.
• My initial gigs didn't give me a byline and paid a measly $.01 a word, but I was too happy to care.
• I kept at it and never gave up. Eventually, I quit my corporate job.

I was following the conventional road to success — finishing college, getting my MBA, and joining a tech firm — but after four years in the same job, I felt trapped.

I live and work in India. When the pandemic hit in 2020, our office went fully remote and for the first time, I felt some sense of freedom.

So I stayed at the job for three more years, but everything changed when they called us back to the office.

I was freelancing long before I quit my full-time job

Working from home was better than working in the office, but I was still unhappy, so I decided to give freelance writing a shot as a side hustle.

The early ghostwriting projects I scored from Facebook groups paid a measly $0.01 a word, but I was enjoying my new side hustle too much to care.

Gradually, after about six months, I secured technical writing gigs that paid up to $0.10 cents a word — a big jump.

I finally got my first-ever byline in early 2021 at a gaming publication, where I earned about $18 an article.

Those clips helped me get my first big break in mid-2021, when I became a regular contributor to a "how-to" tech website where I was paid $100 an article, on average.

The RTO mandate brought me to a crossroads

By 2023, I was accustomed to a remote lifestyle and had even changed cities to move in with my partner.

So, when I heard murmurings about the RTO mandate, quitting my job became more than just wishful thinking.

It sounded cool in my head, but walking away from a substantial paycheck — compared to what I was making as a freelancer — wasn't easy.

When the RTO mandate became official, though, I took a leap of faith and quit in January 2023. It helped that I had a partner with a well-paying job who could help with finances.

By mid-2023, I had procured another steady client at a large tech publication, as a PC hardware writer.

Thanks to that, I hit my first major milestone at the end of 2023 — earning around $2,000 a month, roughly twice as much as I'd earned from my corporate job.

Freelancing full time gave me the mental space I never knew I was missing

The flexibility of being a freelancer meant I was working around 25 hours a week instead of 40.

I loved starting the morning at my own pace and having my daily coffee in peace before working on the day's articles.

I was also spending more time with my partner, enjoying sports and PC gaming, and going on international trips with family.

It took a year of freelancing full-time to feel settled

Everything fell into place in the first half of 2024, about a year after I started freelancing full time.

I'd increased my output at my two main clients and had boosted my earnings to $3,000 a month.

Around mid-2024, however, I suffered a major blow. I was let go from one of my main clients. I still had the other gig, though, and the blow turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

With that extra time, I began writing more for the larger tech website. By the end of 2024, I was making an average of $5,000 a month.

I should have quit my corporate job sooner

If my unusual career path has taught me anything, it's that I shouldn't have waited years to combine two of my biggest passions — writing and technology.

Sometimes, you don't know what you truly want until a life-changing event opens your eyes to it.

I guess what I was missing the most in my corporate job was not the money, but the freedom.

I will never go back to the office, even in a hybrid role — I cherish my current lifestyle too much to even consider it.

• Season five of the hit Netflix show "Emily in Paris" is in the works and set for release this year.
• Filming is set to take place in Rome and Paris starting in May.
• Here's what we know about the upcoming season.

"Emily in Paris" season five is on its way.

The hit series, created by "Sex and the City" creator Darren Star, follows a young American woman (Lily Collins) who works in the French capital managing the social media campaigns of luxury fashion and lifestyle brands.

However, as audiences saw in the season four finale, Emily has left France for Italy to head up her company's new Rome office and continue her romance with a handsome Italian fashion scion.

But that isn't the only major change fans can expect in the upcoming season.

Here's everything we know about "Emily in Paris" season five so far.

Season 5 is set to begin filming in May 2025

It was announced that "Emily in Paris" had been renewed for a fifth season back in September, shortly after the release of the second half of season four.

Production is set to commence on location in Rome in May, according to Netflix.

Things will then move to Paris to film later in the summer, with the aim of releasing the series before the end of 2025.

One main character won't be returning

While most of the main cast is returning, it looks like one key character won't be back.

Camille Razat, who played Camille in the first four seasons, was a notable absentee from the list of returning stars shared by Netflix. When viewers last saw her at the end of season four, she was leaving Paris and planning to adopt a baby.

Those returning for season five include Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (Sylvie), Ashley Park (Mindy), Lucas Bravo (Gabriel), Samuel Arnold (Julien), Bruno Gouery (Luc), William Abadie (Antoine), Lucien Laviscount (Alfie), Thalia Besson (Geneviève), and Eugenio Franceschini (Marcello).

Bravo's return as chef Gabriel may come as a pleasant surprise to some fans, as the actor told IndieWire in October that he had become "frustrated with the direction" his character was taking and questioned whether he wanted to continue in the role.

"It makes me question if I want to be part of Season 5 […] because my contract ends at Season 4. I really want to see if Gabriel gets back to his fun, cheeky, playful, alive self," he said.

"Three seasons playing melancholic, sad, depressed, and lost is not fun anymore," he continued. "It's a comedy, everybody is having fun around me, everybody is jumping around, and I'm just slowly sinking into god knows what."

Season 4 ended with Emily taking on a new city and a new romance

Season four saw Emily finally free to pursue a relationship with Gabriel since he and Camille had broken up after their wedding. However, when Camille announced she was pregnant with Gabriel's child, things got more complicated.

At the same time, it was revealed that Alfie wanted to try again with Emily. By the time Emily returned to Paris single following a disastrous Christmas trip with Gabriel and Camille, Alfie had already moved on.

However, a new love interest appeared soon after in the form of Marcello, the heir to an Italian fashion house.

While their relationship hit a bump when Marcello accused Emily of only pursuing him for business reasons, by the end of the season, they had begun a relationship after Emily was appointed the head of Agence Grateau's new Rome office.

• Several airlines ditched the Airbus A380 during the pandemic.
• It's still flying high, led by Emirates' fleet of 118 superjumbos.
• Business Insider compiled a list of every airline operating the A380 and their summer routes.

Airbus took decades to develop the A380, a project announced in 1990 to compete with the Boeing 747. When the airliner entered service with Singapore Airlines in 2007, it became the world's largest passenger jet.

The high operating costs of the four-engine jet prompted carriers including Air France, Thai Airways, and Malaysia Airlines to ditch the A380 during or after the pandemic.

Now, airlines seem to be falling back in love with the superjumbo.

Lufthansa retired all 14 of its A380s during the pandemic but has brought back eight of them since 2022. Etihad has reactivated six jets and launched new routes to Paris and Singapore.

Meanwhile, Australia's Qantas has announced plans to restart A380 flights between Sydney and Dallas from August 2025, for the first time since before the pandemic.

Global Airlines, a British startup, has acquired an A380 formerly owned by China Southern, with its first flights scheduled for next month.

Based on fleet data from Ch-aviation and route data from Cirium, Business Insider has compiled a list of every airline regularly operating the A380 and the routes they're planning to fly in June.

Ten airlines operate the A380, but one has the biggest fleet by far.

Here's what all 92 routes look like on the map.

If you're looking for the A380 routes closest to you, then try this interactive, zoomable map.

1. Emirates

Dubai's airline is by far the world's largest operator of the A380. Emirates has 118, 24 of which are in storage or maintenance, per Ch-aviation data.

Like its rival Middle Eastern airlines, Emirates' A380 is highly luxurious — with business-class passengers able to visit the bar or even book a shower.

The airline's president, Tim Clark, told BI earlier this year that he'd like Airbus to build a new version of the A380 with more fuel-efficient engines.

Emirates' plethora of planes comes with a similarly broad route map. Brace yourself for an extensive list.

Emirates flies the A380 between Dubai and Amman, Jordan; Amsterdam; Auckland, New Zealand; Bangkok; Barcelona; Bengaluru, India; Birmingham, England; Brisbane, Australia; Cairo; Casablanca, Morocco; Copenhagen, Denmark; Denpasar, Indonesia; Düsseldorf, Germany; Frankfurt, Germany; Glasgow, Scotland; Hong Kong; Houston; Istanbul; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Johannesburg; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; London Gatwick; London Heathrow; Los Angeles; Madrid; Manchester, England; Mauritius; Melbourne, Australia; Milan; Moscow; Mumbai, India; Munich; New York; Nice, France; Osaka, Japan; Paris; Perth, Australia; Prague; Rome; San Francisco; São Paulo; Seoul; Singapore; Sydney; Taipei, Taiwan; Tokyo Narita; Toronto; Vienna; Washington, DC; and Zurich.

This season sees the addition of Munich, Copenhagen, and Prague.

Emirates also serves Christchurch, New Zealand via Sydney as a fifth-freedom flight. Plus, flights on the superjumbo are available direct between Milan and New York, or between Bangkok and Hong Kong.

2. British Airways

British Airways has 12 Airbus A380s, and 10 are in service.

Skytrax ranked the airline's business class 15th last year. In 2024, BA launched a $9 billion "transformation program," which includes retrofitting its A380s with an upgraded first class that is expected to debut next year.

"The A380 is an important part of our fleet and rightfully, incredibly popular with our customers," Neil Chernoff, BA's chief planning and strategy officer, told BI last year.

Behind Emirates, BA offers the second-highest number of destinations, most of which are in the US.

BA flies the A380 between London Heathrow and Boston, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Singapore, and Washington, DC.

3. Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines also has a fleet of 12, two of which are on maintenance, per Ch-aviation data.

The carrier one of just 10 to receive a five-star rating from Skytrax. It named Singapore Airlines' business class the second-best behind Qatar Airways — but top for first-class.

The airline offers enormous suites on its A380s, which have both an armchair and a bed. Two of these can also be uniquely combined to create a double bed.

Singapore flies the A380 between Singapore Changi Airport and Frankfurt, London, Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, and Sydney.

4. Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways cleaned up at last year's Skytrax awards, winning both best airline and best business class.

Like Emirates, the airline's A380 includes a bar for business-class passengers. It also has huge bathrooms, but no showers.

The A380s also lack its flagship business-class product, the QSuite, which you'll find on the A350 and Boeing 777 and 787.

Following delays to the Boeing 777X, Qatar reversed plans to retire the A380.

Its former CEO, Akbar Al-Bakar, said in 2021 that buying the planes was a "big mistake," given their high operating costs.

However, on the sidelines of last year's Farnborough Airshow, Qatar's new CEO, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said the quad-engine was getting a new lease of life.

Qatar has 10 A380s, but two are in storage and one is under maintenance, per Ch-aviation.

The airline operates the A380 between Doha and Bangkok, London Heathrow, Paris, Perth, and Sydney.

5. Qantas

Qantas has 10 A380s. Two are in for maintenance, and another is in storage, per Ch-aviation.

The airline's A380s fly from Sydney to Johannesburg, Los Angeles, and Singapore, where some passengers continue to London Heathrow.

Plus, the A380 is sometimes used instead of the Boeing 787 on flights QF93 and QF94 from Melbourne to Los Angeles.

From August, Qantas also plans to operate the superjumbo between Sydney and Dallas.

A severe storm warning and "incredibly high" demand during Taylor Swift's Australian tour last year saw Qantas use a standby A380 to fly Swifties from Melbourne to Sydney.

6. Etihad

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad is the third most prominent operator in the Middle East but is often overshadowed by Emirates and Qatar. That's the case with its A380 fleet, too.

The airline has 10 A380s, three of which are in storage — but that's down from five previously. Another one is on maintenance.

Etihad's A380s are unique as they offer the most extravagant ticket in commercial aviation: The Residence.

For $24,000, you can book the only three-room suite on an airliner, complete with a bedroom and shower.

Etihad flies its A380s from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow, Paris, New York, and Singapore.

From June 24, Toronto is set to replace New York.

7. Lufthansa

The German flag carrier has a fleet of eight A380s.

The airline appears to prefer the only other double-decker passenger jet. Lufthansa has 27 Boeing 747 jets — the most of any passenger airline, according to Ch-aviation data

Lufthansa initially retired all 14 of its A380s during the pandemic before changing its mind as travel demand bounced back. The other six were sold back to Airbus, Airways Magazine reported in 2023.

Lufthansa's A380s go between Munich and Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New Delhi, New York, and Washington, DC.

8. Korean Air

Korean Air is one of four airlines on this list, and 10 around the world, to be rated five stars by Skytrax.

Ch-aviation data indicated that the airline has seven A380s, but two are in storage and one is in for maintenance.

Korean Air's superjumbo jets go from Incheon International Airport in Seoul to Hong Kong, New York, and Taipei.

But four-engined jets are falling out of favor with Korean. In 2021, CEO Walter Cho told FlightGlobal that its A380s would be retired by 2026 and its Boeing 747s by 2031.

9. Asiana Airlines

Asiana Airlines has six A380s, all of which are active, according to Ch-aviation.

During the pandemic, Asiana flew empty superjumbos to keep its pilots certified, Bloomberg reported in 2020.

The second Seoul-based carrier on this list, Asiana has merged with Korean Air. For now, it's operated as a subsidiary but will use the same name from 2027.

The combined entity could have 13 A380s, the second-most behind Emirates, depending on by Korean's plans to retire its A380s.

Until then, Asiana regularly flies the A380 from Seoul to Los Angeles and New York.

10. ANA

ANA is the newest customer of the Airbus A380, with its first delivered in 2019.

The Japanese airline has three, which are only used between Tokyo Narita and Honolulu. One is on maintenance, per Ch-aviation data.

ANA is another five-star airline, with an impressive business-class product. But you'll need to fly on a Boeing 777 to experience "The Room" — or in first class, "The Suite," which includes a 43-inch TV.

Global Airlines

Hi Fly Malta also has an A380, per Ch-aviation data. The charter airline is a subsidiary of the Portuguese airline Hi Fly and has been working with Global Airlines.

Global aims to fly the superjumbo jet across the Atlantic, but its plans have been questioned due to the high cost of operating the A380.

The airline completed its first transatlantic flight in May 2024 — ferrying its A380 from California to Scotland via a stop in Montreal.

The 11-year-old jet, formerly owned by China Southern Airlines, had been sitting in a Mojave boneyard before being refurbished. It has since been painted white with a red tail.

Global Airlines has scheduled its first two round-trip flights for May, from Glasgow and Manchester to New York's JFK airport.

• I spend a lot on groceries every week because I love to entertain.
• I used to spend $125 to $150 on groceries each week at Trader Joe's, but then I discovered Lidl.
• At Lidl, I save on groceries, and my weekly bill is now around $90.

While visiting Portugal several months ago, I noticed Lidl stores everywhere. When I finally entered one, I found that the German-owned grocery chain reflects a European sensibility with fresh bakery items, great cheeses, and large wine selections.

The extensive and inexpensive wines immediately struck me. Portugal has a thriving wine industry, so this was not surprising, but the pricing was. You could buy a good bottle of red for just $2.

I also noticed a wide selection of canned fish, which is a Portuguese gourmet product and tastier than what we have in the US. I found free-range eggs for less than $3 a dozen. Also, there were gourmet cheeses and crackers. Suffice it to say, I fell in love with the store.

When I learned there was a Lidl location near my home in Maryland, I couldn't wait to visit. I didn't expect it to transform my grocery shopping.

I used to swear by Trader Joe's

We are a family of two — just my husband and me. Since we're retired, my husband and I eat most meals and snacks at home, so we spend a lot on groceries. I also have extended family nearby, so I shop and cook for them frequently.

Before discovering Lidl, I shopped primarily at Trader Joe's to save money. Although the brand is known for its cheaper prices, my grocery bill kept rising. It's especially challenging to stay within a budget when preparing and cooking for guests.

My family likes fresh vegetables and fruits. Items like berries, avocados, apples, and leafy greens were costly, running me around $40 a week. Dips, cheeses, and crackers are also great for entertaining, but they got expensive, too. I spent around $30 a week at Trader Joe's on these items.

I also purchased organic red meat and chicken for my family, which cost roughly $70 a week.

My average weekly grocery shopping was between $125 and $150.

Lidl has helped me save money on my weekly groceries

Once I finally made it to my local Lidl, I was able to save. Fresh fruit and vegetables, for example, were plentiful. We love avocados, and Lidl sells them for under $1 apiece. I sometimes buy a one-pound bag of French shallots for just under $3, and fresh berries are also well-priced at $3.99 for eight ounces.

I also save money on some meats. For example, I now purchase a pound of wagyu beef for $7 and a 32-ounce economy bag of frozen salmon filets for under $22.

I also purchase imported items like four-ounce jars of Italian anchovies for $3. This is less than what I spend on domestic brands, and the foreign brands taste better.

In the past six months since I started shopping at Lidl, I have saved a large chunk of what I spend in other stores for similar items. My weekly grocery bill is now around $90.

But Lidl isn't perfect. If you rely on an item, it might disappear next visit. And while there are some brand names, Lidl will not meet your needs if you are a brand-name shopper.

Still, if you're flexible, you will find products you want to try since prices allow experimentation.

My family has come to love Lidl, and I love the savings

My family appreciates several different products I have consistently purchased at Lidl. Specifically, they love avocados, the imported anchovies, the hummus, and the berries.

As grocery prices continue to rise around the US, I plan to continue shopping at this store. Just this Passover, I got free-range, organic eggs for $6 per dozen at Lidl, which is a $2 per dozen savings from other stores — if you can even find eggs at all.

I count this as a win for my budget.

• When I went to university in Paris, my grant didn't cover my rent.
• I found a listing to live in a rectory with 12 priests and other low-income students.
• I loved the little community we created there, though it was a long commute.

I walked into the rectory slightly worse for wear. It was my first week of university, and I had spent it drinking with my new classmates and desperately looking for somewhere to live other than my friend's couch.

I'd been over the moon when I got accepted to university in Paris — until I realized my grant wouldn't cover rent. The places I could afford were dire. I visited a flatshare listed as a three-bedroom, and the landlord earnestly showed me where I could build walls to create bedrooms in the empty attic space. Another option was described as a "triplex" but turned out to be a glorified stairwell. There wasn't even enough space for a double bed on the landings.

I scoured every rental site and even researched "logements contre services," or work/accommodation exchanges. My naive, 18-year-old self got a sobering wake-up call as I read through offers from men claiming to have space in their bed for a student — provided she also cleaned the kitchen, of course.

I found a room in a rectory

After reading a few dozen or so similarly hard-to-resist offers, I was ready for monastic life. So it boded well when, during yet another Google search, I stumbled across a list of Catholic student residences run by priests or nuns. Among them was a room inside a rectory, far out in the banlieues of Paris, where 12 priests had converted seven former cells into housing for low-income students. It only cost €250, including bills. The other options I had looked at were all over €500 — even the stairwell.

As I walked up the steps to the rectory, I felt like a disgraced woman from Victorian times seeking solace at the church's doors. The image was quickly dispelled when I was greeted by a priest wearing double denim and a wide grin. "I'm Father Gabriel," he said, shaking my hand. "Welcome."

He showed me to my room. It was a simple space, with only a bed and a wardrobe. But it looked out onto a vast garden surrounded by cloister arches, with carved statues peeping out of the overgrown grass. "Downstairs, there is a working space and a kitchen for you and the other students," he said.

I was thrilled by my new digs, especially when I learned that there were no rules or conditions, except attending semestrial dinners and occasionally checking in with the priests about my studies. We were expected to be considerate — no wild parties or trashing the place — but there was no curfew, we could have friends to stay over, and we didn't have to go to mass.

We created a lively little community

My other housemates were a friendly bunch: a couple of mature students, one studying marketing, another theology. A quiet German guy who studied maths and chain-drank Red Bull. Four students from Senegal, including a history Ph.D. candidate in his fifth year who, always got a slightly panicked look in his eyes whenever asked about his thesis.

My memories of the year are like a series of absurd snapshots, like sneaking into the house on a Sunday morning and running into the priests as they rushed to iron their clerical collars and robes and get to mass. Picture seeing that on your walk of shame.

There was a monthly rota for cleaning the common areas, and I fondly remember laughing with my housemates as we did chores. Since we were all in different universities and studying hard, we didn't spend much time together, so it was nice to have these homely moments, blasting music and mopping floors.

Once, I was sitting at the kitchen table, looking harrowed and a little manic as I worked on a particularly difficult assignment. A priest came in and asked for my help repotting his tomato plants. At first, I resented him for interrupting, but as we worked in the garden, I felt less stressed than I had in days. I realized I wasn't the one helping.

Another highlight was the group dinners that happened every couple of months. They always included great food and even better wine. The priests would ask us about our studies to check in and make sure we were doing OK. As the night went on, they began to share parish gossip as they topped up our glasses.

I look back on life with the priests and other students fondly

In many ways, it was a perfect place to live. There was a real sense of community among our odd group of priests and students. We were considerate toward one another, and I don't remember a single argument. I learned a lot about sharing space with people who see the world very differently — and how a little compassion (and a lot of red wine) can bring us together.

At the same time, I was always exhausted. I spent two hours a day on public transport. The last train back to the area was at 11 p.m., so whenever I wanted a night out in Paris, I had the choice between taking a creepy night bus or staying out until the first train in the morning at 6:23 a.m. I usually chose the latter.

I decided to look for alternative accommodation for the following year, and my university helped me find a cheap rental. It was a former maid's room in the eaves of a fancy building of the 7th arrondissement. It was so small that I could touch every wall without leaving my bed, but it was all mine, and in the heart of the city. I was happy, although I often thought back wistfully to the chaotic little community I had left behind in the rectory.