Great Expectations, part 4

The Power of FOMO

“Am I crazy for wanting to go to Paris to watch a volleyball tournament?” I asked Iain.

“You’re crazy, but going to Paris to watch volleyball isn’t that crazy for you,” he said.

Let me explain. First of all, I love Paris — the last time I went was right before the pandemic in January 2020, and I always enjoyed visiting my friend Chiawen when he was living there. The city is beautiful and the food is amazing…what’s not to love?

When I found out a few weeks ago that a church volleyball friend was going to Paris to watch a professional beach volleyball tournament, I was immediately jealous. “Take pics and tell me how it is!” I said to Ethan.

“I will!” he promised.

Shortly afterwards I started pondering the possibility of making the trip overseas to watch the tournament myself, and the more I thought about it, the more jealous I got I wanted to go. The timing wasn’t great because there are critical work deliverables when I would be gone, but I figured out a plan that my manager was comfortable with, so I went ahead and booked my flights and hotel. I would have to work on a couple weekends, but #yolo.

And that’s how I “spontaneously” decided to go to Paris (apparently as an adult it’s spontaneous to plan a trip 2 weeks in advance, even if it is international). If it were some other European city I probably wouldn’t have bothered, but because it was Paris I had major FOMO and “had” to go.

Given the circumstances, I’m not sure it’s possible to properly manage my expectations for this trip — I am excited about going even though I just went to AVP Chicago and was slightly disappointed by the lackluster venue. Since the Paris tournament is happening at the Roland Garros stadium (home to the French Open), I harbor zero illusions about its potential for comparison to the LA beaches. Plus, Paris is special and different, and I would have time to explore the places I loved there.

On the other hand, I do wonder whether returning to a place I love holds the highest potential for disappointment. For example, one of my favorite restaurants in Paris is Breizh Café, which specializes in galettes (savory and sweet buckwheat crepes). On my last trip I introduced Nathan to the restaurant, and he liked it so much we went back for a second time (I expect to do this same this trip). What if I go this time and it doesn’t measure up to how I remember it? Is it better to artificially talk myself down and keep my expectations low so I wouldn’t be disappointed, or should I just full send and expect deliciousness?

Then there are circumstances I have no control over, like the weather. It wouldn’t be ideal if it rains (is it ever?), so how should I prepare myself to enjoy the trip if it does rain? Would it be worth making the trip across the Atlantic and working on a couple of weekends even if there’s crappy weather?

It’s feels funny to say that I’m determined to have a good time regardless of the circumstances, because…well, there certainly are circumstances that could make the trip less fun than expected. But I remain hopeful and will do my best to let go of my expectations and embrace the unpredictability of life. There will for sure be moments where my expectations will not be met, but I’m looking forward to make the best of each situation and enjoy the surprises along the way.

So here’s to Paris, to volleyball, and to new experiences…let’s see where this spontaneous journey takes me.