Teamedup

Tracks? some, not all, of our local farmers take PaD with their tractors from 'tracks', and frankly who am I to stop them in my meer car. If there is an entrance from the right and no lines as BB said, then I treat it with caution and I ALWAYS give way to tractors that are pulling out on me.

[quote user="Logan"] I have never really understood the concept of integration. I mean at what point do you say to yourself, ‘I am finally integrated in France’? We live out our lives as émigrés, go to work if we are unlucky, learn the language, are matey with the locals and make friends with some and avoid others. Go to some social gatherings and avoid others, read the local papers occasionally, watch French TV very occasionally, shrug, grunt and complain like everyone else. Does this mean we are integrated? I think it means you live a perfectly ordinary life as you would anywhere else. I hear all this talk about integration as if it’s a goal to achieve and unless you do misery and unhappiness results. I personally think its all tosh. In my experience French folks do not give a tinkers cuss if the Brits integrate. What they do expect are folks to behave in a polite, reasonable and lawful way. The concept of integration does not exist. To them you will always be ‘les Anglaise’. [/quote]   But that is it Logan. You don't hang around with a little expat group who know next to nothing of France, who don't speak or speak little of the language and moan about the UK all the time. AND if all foreigners do so much as you described in any adopted country then the locals, I believe, will be well pleased, I think that they do mind. There is no way I am expected to be the same. They know that, they accept my being different, but giving it a go and getting stuck in and showing up at things, is good, it is integrating and it isn't tosh. I think maybe there could be a better word, but I can't think of one, so integrated is what we will have to call it. It is being a member of one's community even if one is a little different and in my case eccentric.

Too much. Too little. A split really, some friends really do give way too much and I find it down right embarrassing. Some just accept our efforts as some sort of 'right'. I don't like that. I don't get the meal thing either. And as I am not a drinker and a driver when we go out for a meal, if I want another soft drink during the meal, when 'they' have been ordering say, extra wine, I just tell the waiter(ess) what I want. I think that the worst was when I had taken friends to the airport. She had quizzed me about how much the tolls were, but not offered anything towards them. As their flight was later that day we had visited the local city and they had bought quite a lot of stuff. As we were heading towards the car, she said that I may as well have the rest of their holiday money as she wouldn't be need ing it. I looked at the money and said, 'well it might just be about enough to pay the parking'........ but I said it very sweetly. AND it wasn't enough[:-))] anyway. Strange isn't it.  

I rarely use our local market. The produce is ordinary, I will go as far as to say the fruit and veg can be mediocre and most certainly nothing to make me thing, must go and buy there. I do use growers and will get a plateau of fruit from time to time. I usually buy potatoes from a local farm. And I  buy at small shops and local commerces, but  not all the time. Most of my budget is spent in supermarkets and hypermarkets. I have my favourites for certain things, even within the same chain, I will use one branch over another, and it doesn't always seem to be because gerant's run these places. I am in no way extrordinary in the way I shop. My shopping habits are similar to everyone else's, and I am the only brit in the village. True some people will use the village market, but I see them in the supermarket picking up fruit /veg and cheese too.   Friends and neighbours also have their favourite supermarkets. I'm only mentioning all this, because there was a cheese stall on a brit tv program with  'makes' of cheese in their wrappings for sale, which one can buy anywhere. The only thing one is doing when a person buys these from a market is keeping the market going, and not a bad thing in itself, that is why I use local commerces sometimes. [:)] But the cheese isn't 'better' for being more expensive and from a market stall.    

LOL Only broken ones and the rounded side up as if they are full pot that is half buried. And sometimes just the neck and shoulders sticking out and I get husband to stick a plant of some sort in the hole. I don't have lots but I have planted a few. So no weeds and I give them a wipe occassionaly. My only success in the garden.   EDIT  I only plant nice looking ones, not your run of the mill red ones.

And 'I' didn't say you either.    It was a general constat of how France is seen or encouraged to be seen. Ignoring what the natives have to put up with and how they live is hardly giving a realistic picture of France. Although I really am starting to believe that the french actually don't count for much in this great move people are making, as long as they make an effort and make sure that everything is available in english for those who don't /won't learn.   [:)]WOW Lassie, how could a northern woman like me say France with anything other than a short 'a' when saying it in english. I have never got the 'ar' sound that southerners have for things like 'ba th' etc, we don't say barth, or parth.

[quote user="andyh4"][quote user="Teamedup"] Come on dreamcommuter, stress free France, that is just rubbish and you should know it if you know french people as you say you do. They suffer stress and worry and are very fond of taking anti depressants....... a little reality about France from you would be appreciated by me. Not only were you party to a program about France that made it look like some Utopia, but you are perpetuating the same thing on here. And with me at least it won't work.   [/quote] TU The fact that my neighbours may be stressed does not mean that I have to be. In some respects my existance is like DC's.  Weekly or bi-weekly commute, but by and large I am not stressed in the way I was when back in the UK, nor indeed now in Germany.  So for me (sorry to be selfish) France is stress free or at least less stressful.  I guess this will be a very personal thing and will depend on where you are coming from and going to. One frequent reason for stress is of course the lack of employment and money that accompanies it.  By definition an international commuter has no problem with the former and so is less likely to have a problem with the latter. [/quote]   Funny really, since my teens I have never seen the world through just 'my' eyes. I have always felt for those around me. I just am not the sort to see my french neighbours struggling etc and having worries and depression and just thinking, well, your problem mate, I'm OK. So why didn't dream commuter just say, I'm all right, I have no stress in France? But he didn't, he said, stress free France, and that is not so. Dreamcommuter has already got 'his' message out to millions and 'I' am having my little say on here, that is all.

[:)] Now that would imply that 'everyone' in the SE of England was stressed and they aren't. I just don't believe it. We have friends who live in London and greater London and they are fine and happy and a John we know, would never ever live anywhere else in the world. He has travelled extensively, but loves London and living and working there. When we first met him........ what 20 years ago and we said we lived in France, which frankly was a novelty to hear about then, he looked incredulous and said WHY. He has never changed his tune. Anyone can get stressed, but personality I reckon plays a big part. My good friend in France, and I have to say that they are quite well off, she will sit down and mutter and oh la la as if the worries of the whole world were upon her and when asked will say she has 'souci's'. She hasn't really, but she gets very stressed about nothing. Re the rent, well, I am really starting to wonder about renting myself. I have seen the maps recently of possible flood areas with global warming and am wondering if I really want to invest in something that may have no value in 20 years time.  [:)] Or maybe we should be thinking of buying a boat instead of a house?

As if, Mr Up might smile quietly, but that is not what it would be about.......... what can I say, I make him smile and laugh. And he has always called me boss (unsolicited on my part), which french males seem to have a problem with.   I had the misfortune to see Gareth Pierce on the TV today and suspect that women like her would be trying to rule the world it if was just down to women to do it.  Men might not have made a very good job, but when I see people like her, I know that I don't want her ilk either.   Truthfully, just get rid of all religions and give it a try like that and maybe we could end up with some humane for both sexes.    

It's easy enough to google for flights to where ever you want to go and see where the escale's are. I have never flown long haul directly from France, price being a factor. Friends have, but always from Paris.

Please do not shout. I suppose that you should ask at your Mairie and  ask for a delay........... and maybe try and get a loan like most people do when they need things, rather than zeb's suggestion that the french state should bail you out.

Boy oh boy do you need to move.......................   [Www] that is exactly what I imagine the petit patelin where some of you live to be like, quelle horreur...... [:-))]

Come on dreamcommuter, stress free France, that is just rubbish and you should know it if you know french people as you say you do. They suffer stress and worry and are very fond of taking anti depressants....... a little reality about France from you would be appreciated by me. Not only were you party to a program about France that made it look like some Utopia, but you are perpetuating the same thing on here. And with me at least it won't work.  

Could you really not stay with family for a few days. I take it that this is costing a fortune, and it just feels like you are cutting corners/putting yourself at risk, by rushing back to France. I don't think that I understand all this really.  

The only car I ever fell in love with was the very first Range Rover I saw, it was a vision of wonderfullness. That was a long time ago and there isn't a car since that has 'done' it for me. All I can say is that I like yellow cars, it is my prefered colour, don't know why, it just is.

I have developed a method that suits me well. It includes being cautious and also making eye contact with the one coming driver if I can. I acknowledge that sometimes it just isn't worth the risk of trying. I often wonder if we don't see many people out in wheelchairs because of the dangers of road crossing.

I am not sure if they are out of time. If the agricole people get involved then they may have the last say. It is after all a hygiene thing, and he DDASS may get involved too. Get the geometre to do their stuff, it will cost, but if it shows a 50 distance then there is no problem. IF there is less than a 50 metre distance, then you need to get checking up as to how to get around it, if you can.

I think that what always amazes me these days is the expection that an individual should own their own place and be young to do it. When I was young, it was the aim of a couple, who would have thought that two youngish people could get together and both own their own places. What happened? I missed this change over of expectations. I have no idea as to what expectation young people either on their own or a couple have in France with regards to buying. It seems to be me that renting is something that a lot of people accept doing.

I'm in the alpine bit of the Rhone Alps. Things here don't change here much. And yet, some of the most important research about dyslexia an(d other such related things have been done in this regions for quite a number of years, some of the things associated with the IUFM, I always hoped that something would come of that link). Some of this region has the four day week, other areas don't. No one I know has mentioned 'them' having the choice, all I have heard is the usual complaints about school days, just the same old things that we were talking about when my kids were young. We asked and asked for lockers, but as was pointed out in college, how can the kids do their homework if their books are at school. The college was never prepared to issue a double set of books and used to have enough difficulty issueing one set in good condtion. So the cartable continued. How exactly is this done at college level in your area. Incidentally I do know of one college privé that have got round this. But only one and it was just that a set of text books were kept at school and issued with each lesson and the other set was for home, but it was costly to do this, but being privé the parents paid up, and public colleges simply wouldn't have the means around here to do such a thing. I can sort of understand why you suggested the cahier bit being in english, but I don't think it is a good idea. If we had both been on the same committee, I would have been saying non.  I just don't think it  helps anyone learn french. You have got stuck in, joined in, but those that haven't and don't understand french, what should they do. Either be at the school gate and get the teachers to explain in simple french, or see their neighbours, both things encourage learning the language. They have to make the effort IMO. I really do have a problem with people who 'just move' and don't take learning french as a priority and when they have children, how can they, I'll even go as far as say, dare they, just move in complete ignorance. I know I would have had real problems if I had had english speaking neighbours or english speakers in the vinicity. It was a struggle for me to learn french, my english isn't wonderful and I can't be alone in this. But we chose to live here and I don't think that it is up to the french system to cater for our inabilities. That is 'our' problem, not theirs. And another thing, I just cannot imagine it going down at all if you had been a maghrebin and asked for these notes in arab, and yet, there is a possibility that there is far more need for that, than in english in a lot of France. Maybe someone will tell me that this happens and I wouldn't think that it would be a good idea either.      

[:)] I don't believe for one moment that the french authorities care about the length of the school day, the way the holidays are organised or the weight of the kids school bags or the size of the school books (college). Many years ago they decided to give a new system with regards to the hols a try. 5 or 6 weeks on(sorry it was a long time ago),  and 2 off and it was said to be really good for the kids. And it seemed to be. It lasted one school year around here, and that was it. Didn't suit the tourist people and we cannot do anything around here that doesn't suit them. And there was still the 2 month summer break anyway. And they are just mean, I mean, mean, too, how many holidays start and the kids have to go in on the Saturday morning........ I ask you. The school bags, no change there then, well not around here when the kids are in college. There is a problem in France with children through to adults with bad backs. No wonder is it, on a sports day for those at college and it could weigh as much as 10 kilos. Not helped by the fact that some of the profs ask for excersize books to be 240 pages. Woe betide a child who only has a hundred pages, do they use those pages, no, not at all, both my boys only ever used about 50 to 75 pages. The homework.......in primaire banned from the 1960's. Was it reintroduced? A few years ago they said that school lessons would finish a bit earlier and the homework would be done at school......... so maybe the powers that be realised that home work was still being doshed out. I have no idea as to whether that is still the case, but I go next door and the eight year old is doing what, 'homework' and her mother grilling her about some incomprehensible (to me) bit of grammer, and that is after a full day at school. Aptitude, when the same pressure is applied then the best come out smelling of roses, but they have to keep those good marks up. If your ability isn't up to it, what happens? Re sit, so that you can have the same old blah blah a second year, which, if it didn't make sense the first year, may well not make sense the second year. Sometimes a few minutes explanation with a child could bring them on and aid comprehension, but how many teachers have enough common sense to do that. They never saw that happen when they were at school and they had been in that top group anyway, so didn't need it....... and wouldn't think about doing it. Teaching should have some common sense as well as the teacher having intelligence and knowing their stuff. [:)]I have to say Hoverfrog, you do make me reflect on things. I was quite militant in trying to do something about  everything mentioned above,[:D]  with absolutely no success at all, but I had to try. Simply, I was very involved in school. And what happened, well, normally the parents with children in primaire who helped throughout the year were invited to the end of year trips. I wasn't. The headmistress used to get so angry with me at the school council meetings, apoplectic sometimes........ I dared speak the unspeakable. No way was she inviting me on a jolly with the school, not that it was really. The teachers tended to let the parents they invited discipline the kids on the trips and they had a pretty peaceful day out....... And when one son was in college the profs had a further go at him, telling him that I was arrogant and gonfle and had no right to mêler in things that didn't concern me. So there you go, how small minded was that in a country that announces, liberty, egality and fraternity, how often do we see that? I don't think that most teachers 'care' in the sense I mean (the ones that do are special, what gems they are). I did find a wonderful association of lycee profs who were very concerned about how badly so many kids were doing at school and the drop out rates, I don' t know whether it still exists, but it just felt good to find  people in the metier were concerned and trying to do something. It would be nice if they could, but I suspect that their colleagues, the great mass, wouldn't be interested.   EDIT Must add successes we had. Foiled a class closure. Had a new maternelle built. Had a new cantine built with improved services. Improved garderie services. Got computers in the school well before other schools in the area. Improved the school bus service too. New locale for the school library.   It wasn't as if we were always fighting a losing battle as there was a little group of us parents who were like minded, but our successes were very 'local'.  

Most of the British children I have met, now grown up, are part of the French culture and are far more educated than ours over here.   Really? You do surprise me. I consider our boys 'culture' , to be down to 'us'. My eldest son's girlfriend is contantly amazed at his connaissance's. I really cannot see any benefits in leaving for school at 20 to 7 and getting home at 7pm, what rose coloured specs you have about horribly long days and all the rest too.   What would I know, my kids went through the whole system in France and I know kids in the system as well as those who have also gone all the way through it. IF it worked, really, I'm not kidding, IF it worked, the french would rule the world! 

The eurotunnel is so quick that one doesn't get out of the car, I'm not sure if there are any toilets anyway. What does it take, half an hour 40 minutes. There are certainly good knee surgeons in these Alps I live in. Ski accidents mean that we need good surgeons in the area. How do you know that the surgeon will be good in the UK? Do the clinics have a league table of how well surgeons do?    

David, I too cannot believe what you are proposing.  My husband had his crutiate ligament (sp) operated on a couple or so years ago. He was in fit state to go anywhere for a couple of weeks. He needed injections twice a day too. I reckon that you should be straight down to the tunnel and through there. It would be your quickest option and safest as far as I am concerned. You won't need to get out of your car at all and then you will be in France and I assume medically insured in France, if you have a malaise. A longer drive yes, I realise that, but you could take your time. How long will the clinic be keeping you in?

[quote user="Dick Smith"][quote user="Teamedup"] I didn't know Peter Mayle was a proper author, so there you go. [/quote] Does an ad-man who saw an opening count? [/quote]   I have read one of his offerings and he doesn't seem a proper author to me.   I always wonder how Simenon had time to write, what with his other activities. I

ANAH, I thought that was for doing places up to rent, isn't it?