Deby

Today - had two pre-arranged appointments for 2 builders to do some remedial work. Neither showed up! It makes me furious, especially when I know people in France are struggling to even put food on the table! Duchess

Beaureaucratic nightmare! I had so many problems importing a German registered car into France - went on for months! Dont forget to test drive France before you move from Germany - there will be many plus's and minus's. The thing that struck me the most - is that everyone follows the rules in Germany and there is always a little dedidicated person (amt) to apply them but importantly resolve the issue/problem. In France its totally different, lots of rules to be applied willy nilly and never resolved- just chaos! Oh and get used to parking by hitting your neighbours bumper!!! :-)

District 9 - excellent film - a Sci Thriller and its not what you expect not at all predictable. Inglourious Basterds - excellent film - Mr Pitt plays an excellent character - as well as the German Officer - I tip him for an Oscar!

Thank goodness Quillan there are people like you in the world. I have a long list of excuses not to go and help out personally I'm sad to say.

Theo Grenoble has quite a few multi-national organisations - HP are still there. There is also the Syncatron (sp!) which is full of non-native scientists and engineers. There is a large ex-pat community which exists there and the Business language is English - I think that is what you meant? I worked for a French company and my french was poor at the time, but improved over time. I was very fortunate admittedly, but they wanted someone with multi-national experience. It is possible, but the HR depts are a nightmare and tend to use overseas recruitment agencies. It is almost harder sometimes when you are French - as some multi-nationals dont like employing native French citing the 35hr working week and the 'manifestation' - a HR friend told me on the QT one day, the only reason some french get the jobs is because they have to adhere to ratios otherwise they would lose funding/investment.

If I lived in Nice I would have helped you - this was in the days before extremism and Nigerian scams. Really sorry to say this, but gone are those days. I have to put on my sensible head which has taken precedence over random acts of kindness. You will probably have to use an organisation or Fedex I'm afraid. Bon chance.

Well I wish some of the sanctimonious posters here would get up off their rectal orifices and go to Haiti and sort the job out themselves... I can forgive you for calling me sanctimonious. My comments are an observation. Yes, It is quite easy for me sat in my ivory tower to point a finger! We should question what we see dont you think - rather than say nothing and be grateful! I could refer to many examples in history, where refraining from comment made things worse. Ignorance is dangerous. So is being sanctimonius. I take the latter - thank you.

http://english-news.charentelibre.com/editionEn.html?id_edition=278 Food for thought!

It was reported on the news that the Hospital tent organised by Medicines Sans Frontiers was not allowed to land in favour of military aircraft! Also, you could sense some of the frustration from seasoned reporters as to the chaos and lack of coordination. The Americans couldnt organise themselves post Iraq, let alone now!

I have no beef with Ryan Air - you just have to follow their rules. Have used the Angouleme route a few times, but the more the merrier. Nothing like healthy competition.

Mmh - would be great for us, but sounds too good to be true.... I wish them well though.

They failed to mention that the offer included an overnight stay on the train or the long waiting times.

Tony, I have followed this story and your posts - my heart goes out to you as this must have been incredibly difficult for you. Their wasteful deaths are a crime and as a policeman I am sure this makes this doubly difficult as you must have put so much faith in the law and its servicemen/women. I hope Mr Bridges will get his cumuppence but often in life this does not happen. If it were my family I could not rest until this very man drew his last breath. If he places so much value on his good name then this is where he will be hurt most. I would simply destroy it. Awful, awful situation.

Teaching English to 4 -5 year old children is not about teaching it is more about holding their interest. I have taught English to French primary aged children of this age and what works very well are songs, especially those with actions. Nursery rhymes are a good thing, but you might have to take into account cultural issues as you could land yourself in hot water especially if you are teaching to an Arabic culture. You could also try role plays or playlets with words and actions.

Gosh you are lucky, the local village boulangere closes for his conge right in the middle of august - because 'he believes' its the vacances for him too!! We were out in Blaye during August and the amount of shops which had 'nothing to buy' barely an ice-cream on a hot day frustrated me immensley. I stopped at a Pizza restuarant and guess what it was closed for Lunch!!

Aer Lingus flight dublin to paris http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20090911/tod-french-panic-as-plane-alert-lost-in-7f81b96.html Very funny! :-) Afterwards! Post edited by the moderators re copyright.

Another funny happened to me - there was a german guy in a french lesson and germans tend to struggle with the 't' and 'd' intonation -instead of explaing he took a shower in the mornings  he said  "Je me touche ce matin"  :-)

Fi, It is so refreshing to hear the help you have had and its good that you have posted your experiences. Hopefully this will encourage others to search for this help which is brilliant for your child  :-) Deby

Yes, it is negative. I am offering my opinion based on my experience.  I taught in French primary schools, several of them in fact, so I feel I can offer some opinion. I am not an expert.  I have also witnessed several instances of  french people just not understanding what special needs are.  The people who make comments about children or adults for that matter who have learning difficulties or other forms of disability, make these comments out of pure ignorance which is brought about by poor education.  Yes it is a sweeping generalisation, however these attitudes are very prevailent;. Waiting 3 years for a diagnosis is an awfully long time, but at least the UK has a system in place for a diagnosis, in France children are bundled off to the orthophonist (speech therapist) as soon as the teacher encounters a problem!! Teachers are not trained to deal with these current problems.  The UK is not foolproof but at least it is progressive. I am delighted that your experience has been positive, but honestly it is extremely rare.  Once your child is out of maternelle things do change and I hate to say this, they are significantly worse. Deby

Such a shocking post to read. When we first moved to France, all the Brits we knew drank and drove, especially after their long lunches.  A very well-educated colleague came into the office swaying one day bemoaning he had scratched the side of his car.  I was incensed! I did point out to him that he'd had a few which led him to give off to me on the virtues of life in France and as I only had been their 5 minutes shouldnt comment!!! As a mother of a small child I shut him up completely when I pointed this out! We attended a very celubrious French wedding, the father of the groom was an Advocat and his wife a society lady, the wedding was held in the most beautiful chateau where you could stay over.  My husband and I stumbled back to our room at around 3am in the morning only to see the very drunken advocat and his wife getting into their vehicle!! They lived and so did other road users that evening. I am very careful now driving in France after the Marche Nocturnales/Summer Fetes etc and dont like driving at night because every other car is boozed up with its occupants.  Its very sad and true, we do have the gendarmes patrolling but they are open to a bit of bribery. Tony - I am glad you posted as a reminder to all of us the perils of drinking and driving.

You've probably just done his homework!

My advice is simply dont! Fi's experience is a complete one-off.  Its' not hit and miss in France, Limoges is one of the poorest regions in France.  Rural life in France is quite extreme, I believe it is fair to say that children with even the mildest form of difficulties in France are shunned by the local communities. Some still believe that the parents must have done something wrong in order for them to have a child with a 'problem.' This is probably not what you want to hear, but dont do it.  The UK has some of the best help and facilities in Europe.  Life is hard enough for non-native French children as it is. Do your research by all means, but do it with a very open-mind and not to justify your move to France. I am happy that Fi's experience has been positive, but her boy is still young, further down the system things are very different. Deby

Panda - sent you a PM.  

Ps. Not sure where you are returning to in the UK, but some private schools do offer language scholarships - something you might want to look into before you return. Deby

Hello Panda, I only dip in and out these days regarding the forum, but do like to keep abreast.    You are certainly not a failure, I never felt I failed - just moved on to pastures new, a new phase in mine and my children's lives.  You afforded your child a fantastic opportunity and I can really see the benefits that my children have had from growing up in France. They stand out from other children in a very positive way, their horizons are broadened, their understanding of life is wider, their acceptances of other people, their appreciation of other food, their ability to go outdoors and enjoy it, their ability to make do - I could go on and on. I never have regretted moving to France, never regretted returning to the UK.  I miss certain things about France, but then I missed things about the UK and other places which I have lived. You sound as if you have the opportunity to go back and forth, a foot in both camps so to speak, that is a good thing. I am happy with the education system here and that was one of the main reasons for returning and it is also what I expected, I feel comfortable with it whereas I did not with the French system.  Not that the French system is bad, just simply not for me and my children.  My children really adapted to change very well which hopefully will set them in good stead for life.  Some children do not get the opportunities which we have been able to afford to our children.  So no you have not failed you have given your son fantastic foundations for him throughout his childhood.  No need for apologies, I never needed/expected one for a minute - cant even remember what you said! A+ Deby