My name is Paul. I grew up in Marseille and moved to Paris to study social sciences. This year I put my studies on hold with the aim of making a documentary on a subject that's close to my heart: young people, their questions, doubts, anxieties and prospects.

I'm working on this project with two childhood friends: Alexandre and Bastien, with whom I grew up and with whom I share this desire to find out more about today's young people.

Our aim is to meet and interview young people of different nationalities and social backgrounds, with different aspirations and different life paths. We want to understand the issues we face as 'young adults', whether it's our relationship with success (belief in meritocracy or determinism), our anxiety about the future (adulthood and its responsibilities, eco-anxiety, etc.), our political commitments or our relationship with ourselves (mental health, the question of identity and the definition of youth).

My friends and I are a bit lost and this project grew out of our own personal quest and the lack of answers to these questions. We realised that we weren't the only ones asking ourselves these questions and that many young people share these concerns. That's why we want to give a voice to those who are directly concerned and hear their points of view, while taking an inclusive approach (we want to remember that these questions depend on gender and on the social environment to which you belong). We hope to find common ground, shared experiences and common issues in order to reflect the different perspectives and trajectories of youth in Western Europe.

Personally, my studies in the social sciences have led me to take an interest in people who have emigrated from their native country to pursue an artistic activity and live out their passion, even if it means leading a more precarious life with sometimes less social recognition (if we exclude the social recognition obtained in the artistic milieu in which these people create). More specifically, I'm looking at the issues (motivation, doubts, etc.) that affect these people and what triggers them to leave. I'm trying to understand why and how these people managed to move away from the 'classic' trajectories (studying or not, then entering the world of paid work), which are part of a reproduction of the capitalist system and which seem to be socially valued by the institutions, to live a life less focused on financial gain and more focused on artistic creation and sharing their passion.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm going on a tour of Europe in May and June with a view to making a documentary about young people, their questions, doubts and prospects.

This platform will enable me to get in touch with young people who are likely to take part in my documentary by telling me their stories and sharing their daily lives. These people could advise me on places to visit and also introduce me to people who might be interested in my project.

Interests

• arts
• electronic music
• social sciences

Countries I’ve Visited

Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Italy