24 Hours in Paris with No Money

Every traveler’s worst nightmare is reaching into their pocket to find that they’ve been relieved of their wallet, phone, or passport.

The boys over at Yes Theory decided to take that fear and turn it into a challenge. Adventure junkie Ammar volunteered to be abandoned in Paris for 24 hours without a wallet or any assistance. His goal was to see just how far he could get on the kindness of strangers and his own resourcefulness. While his story takes a surreal and heartwarming turn, the experiment itself stands as an interesting sociological study in the way people treat one another, particularly the way locals treat tourists in international hubs like Paris.

The French are often stereotyped by outsiders as cold or callous, but this video shows that as long as you approach others with confidence and respect, even absolute strangers can become fast friends. Going to a new place can be one of the best excuses to let your guard down, and discover just how much our treatment by others stems from our own projections of how we expect to be treated.

If you’re looking for more advice on how to get around in Paris while strapped for cash, check out this video by vloggers Damon and Jo.