03-08-2012, 09:51 AM
11
Re: Great Migration a la Francais!
There are basically four groups of people that want to live here in France, and subject to your skills and knowledge of the French language will basically determine whether your life here will be as good as you think it will be.(Group One)
These are usually the younger age group, they have a firm hold of the language,they have more than likely holidayed, or, have been part of an "exchange group", lived as a French person by living with a faimly -- au pairing --- or worked grape gathering etc. These are the ones that love the style and the country and want to live and make a life here.
(Group Two)
This group is the most popular and best loved by most expats. In this group most have basically retired from their working life, they are in a financially stable situation having sold a home in their mother country, or had a very good redundancy package, or have been left a substantial fiscal amount.
The main aim of this group, (which includes me) is to live the "Bon Vie" , (the good life), to mingle with the locals, learn the langauge, by listening to it, (as opposed to taking lessons), to enjoy local events, even take part in some,and to have a smattering of "English speaking friends".
This group, in the main, have burned their bridges and are determined to enjoy life as they see it, they are quite happy to suffer the lack of "customer service" in large shops, quite happy to get,"brain fatigue" as they struggle trying to translate English into French, in their heads before actually saying it. They get a real sense of satisfaction knowing they are "getting there?.
Life for them is at the stage of , walking slowly and smelling ALL the roses.
(Group Three).
The hoilday homers.
The "holiday Homers "are a funny group really, they spend approximately one month a year, usually split into two fortnightly sessions, they arrive, throw their arms around their next door neighbour greet them as if they are long lost relations, walk down the village street, shaking hands with one and all, and just think life is a continuation from when they last spent time here. They are usually very friendly, full of vitality and enthusiasm and want to do in the fortnight they are here, EVERYTHING you have struggled for a yerar to do. They are basically like the relations that dump themselves on you for their annual holiday, You are happy when they arrive, but even happier when they leave.
Group Four.
This is the group to keep well away from if you REALLY want to live the life and live the dream the dream ---the dreaded ----"BRIT PACK". Everything they do , socially, has to be in English, Wednesday nights is the " PUB QUIZZ NIGHT". always held in a bar run by Brits , for Brits, they all gather, play the "French Game" of kissing both cheeks, their drinks arrive in a Pewter tankard, supplied by themselves, the more decrotive the mug the more self importance is attached, the only French they know is ---- MURRRceeyyyy hiccups" ----- or ------ orrreeeee vwaaaaaaar. In the summer they can be seen, herded together in another English owned drinking hole, complaining about --the French --- the country ----- the beaucracy --- they EXPECT all that speak to them to speak in THEIR mother tongue, and if they don't, its a cursory wave of the hand of dismissal ----------
If you want to live the life you hoped for ------KEEP WELL AWAY FROM THIS LOT ------ life here in France for the expat is truly a wonderful dream as long as you let go and flow with the tide.
03-08-2012, 10:11 AM
12
Re: Great Migration a la Francais!
Originally Posted by Jonsey
->
There are basically four groups of people that want to live here in France, and subject to your skills and knowledge of the French language will basically determine whether your life here will be as good as you think it will be.(Group One)
These are usually the younger age group, they have a firm hold of the language,they have more than likely holidayed, or, have been part of an "exchange group", lived as a French person by living with a faimly -- au pairing --- or worked grape gathering etc. These are the ones that love the style and the country and want to live and make a life here.
(Group Two)
This group is the most popular and best loved by most expats. In this group most have basically retired from their working life, they are in a financially stable situation having sold a home in their mother country, or had a very good redundancy package, or have been left a substantial fiscal amount.
The main aim of this group, (which includes me) is to live the "Bon Vie" , (the good life), to mingle with the locals, learn the langauge, by listening to it, (as opposed to taking lessons), to enjoy local events, even take part in some,and to have a smattering of "English speaking friends".
This group, in the main, have burned their bridges and are determined to enjoy life as they see it, they are quite happy to suffer the lack of "customer service" in large shops, quite happy to get,"brain fatigue" as they struggle trying to translate English into French, in their heads before actually saying it. They get a real sense of satisfaction knowing they are "getting there?.
Life for them is at the stage of , walking slowly and smelling ALL the roses.
(Group Three).
The hoilday homers.
The "holiday Homers "are a funny group really, they spend approximately one month a year, usually split into two fortnightly sessions, they arrive, throw their arms around their next door neighbour greet them as if they are long lost relations, walk down the village street, shaking hands with one and all, and just think life is a continuation from when they last spent time here. They are usually very friendly, full of vitality and enthusiasm and want to do in the fortnight they are here, EVERYTHING you have struggled for a yerar to do. They are basically like the relations that dump themselves on you for their annual holiday, You are happy when they arrive, but even happier when they leave.
Group Four.
This is the group to keep well away from if you REALLY want to live the life and live the dream the dream ---the dreaded ----"BRIT PACK". Everything they do , socially, has to be in English, Wednesday nights is the " PUB QUIZZ NIGHT". always held in a bar run by Brits , for Brits, they all gather, play the "French Game" of kissing both cheeks, their drinks arrive in a Pewter tankard, supplied by themselves, the more decrotive the mug the more self importance is attached, the only French they know is ---- MURRRceeyyyy hiccups" ----- or ------ orrreeeee vwaaaaaaar. In the summer they can be seen, herded together in another English owned drinking hole, complaining about --the French --- the country ----- the beaucracy --- they EXPECT all that speak to them to speak in THEIR mother tongue, and if they don't, its a cursory wave of the hand of dismissal ----------
If you want to live the life you hoped for ------KEEP WELL AWAY FROM THIS LOT ------ life here in France for the expat is truly a wonderful dream as long as you let go and flow with the tide.
We have lived here almost 13 years now quite happily. Sure there have been more than a few exasperating times, but you get there in the end. Would we move back to UK? No, at least not willingly.
03-08-2012, 10:35 AM
13
Re: Great Migration a la Francais!
The tour de France came our way last year, you stand by the roadside for two maybe three hours, then all of a sudden there's a WHOOOOOOOSH of rubber on road,---- a smell of B.O., ----- a "mon Deiue" here and there, ------ a flash of trailing cars carrying everything but the kitchen sink , and then ????????????? NOTHING >>>>>>>>>> thats the Tour d' France if you are an actual spectator. I'd sooner watch paint dry.Here in the rural part of France, life is truly superb, we live in a very small commune, ( if I could put photo's up I would), of thirty four houses, this is part of the larger village of Bernac, wich is about three/ miles from us, three main families live here ---
the NEGRY'S ---- they owned a lot of the land around here before selling it off to settle family disputes, they are rather a secretive lot, not mixing in with commune life.
After these comes the -----
MAZAN's, he is -- patron en charge de la chasse -- Leader of the local Hunting group, he's a big, thick set man sporting a large bushy moustache, very friendly and jolly.
Every year the "chasse" hold a twelve mile "country walk", it costs about 12 Euros to enter, ( apporox ten quid). You will start out in a local village walking, say for three kilometers, where you then come upon the fist "TABLE" ----- Now imagine if you will, you are sat in a restaurant, you are going to eat a five course meal, all served with wines that compliment the food you are about to eat --- to continue ----- the first table is the entree, normally a salad type dish, served with wine -----FROM GLASSES NOT PLASTIC CUPS ----- you can stay there as long as you like, but we move.
The route is marked with arrows, paint sprayed on the earth/ road, there is always a "short", or "longer" walk between each stop. You walk at a leisurely pace, 95% of those taking part are French, the English find this " getting together" rather off putting, plus the French speak a funny language they don't understand. As you ramble along you chat to anyone, they in turn are very understanding of your lack of fluency, but they applaud the effort you put in to try and integrate with them.
The next stop looms ahead, tables laid out in a field, willing volunteers to serve you, much kisssing of the cheek and shaking of the hand, you sit anywhere, and a---"déplacer vers le haut un peu" --- (shove up a bit) --- will get you a smile, a raising of the glass, and a smiling ---'Salut", then the wine arrives, an hour later its time to move on ----- somewhere behind you you can hear one or two voices singing in some kind of harmony, ( the wine is kicking in).
This goes on until you reach the end, where there a tables set out, "nibbles" to eat and wine and cognac to be drunk, we left quite early on ---- around 11p.m. --- and who said the French aren't social.
The dion's of the village are the FRANCIOS -------
Madame Francios being the matriarch of the family, aged 85, standing all of five feet tall, chubby visage and a look, when required that could cut you off below the knee's, she is the only one of that name still here in the village, but her realtions and descendants are dotted around. Being the "smoothie" I am I have "cultivated" her, firstly by respectfully chatting to, opening her car door, helping with the shopping from the car, that sort of thing. From then to a kiss on the cheek when meeting, ( thats the first sign youu have been accepted), up to now with me calling out in a voice the neighbours can hear ------ " Ahhhhhhhhhh bonjour ma petit chou chou" ( Hello my little cabbage) an endearment meant ONLY for those of a childs age.
The reply is an ---- 0000oooooooo --- and a giggle, she LOVES it, so much so, Sue , {my wife) and I have been instructed that on the next "Repas du Noel" we will sit next to her on the head table, reserved normally only for the Marie (mayor) and dignitaries, knowing her, she will just "pooh pooh" any suggestions not to, waive her walking stick in the air and expect it to be done.-------------------------- more to follow.
I've never been to France proper - apart from going from Calais on a coach when going to Germany on Holiday. It is one place I would love to travel round
03-08-2012, 05:51 PM
18
Re: Great Migration a la Francais!
Originally Posted by clumsy
->
Not my intention to take over Jonsey's thread Morticia, but having lived in Kenya until moving to Spain I can tell you that moving to a European country, even with the hassles, is a doddle after Kenya
Its not my thread, its everyones, but those like us that have actually ------ Jumped ---------- I would imagine to others it wous appear if we were somewhat ???? well I dunno, but they would.
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