LanguedocGal2

TU, I can't say I have noticed this distinction on TV reports/discussions but I'll pay attention and see.  What were your conclusions about the Fonctionnaires not knowing the difference? When I first arrived, I decided to apply for a Carte de Sejour and the woman was going to write 'Anglaise' on the form. I decided not to proceed but I wonder what would have gone on the actual Carte?  It's not a personal thing, with me. They could write Nepalese for all I care as I'm only interested in the end results of their bureaucratic processes. I simply think it's strange as they never seem to make the same mistakes with Belgium, Spain and Swizerland. So, why are the Brits so fortunate? Perhaps a French person on the forum can explain? Does it come from the education system?

Jon, the ordinary French may not  know the different ethnic groups of the British Isles, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium etc but if corrected, it would probably be nice of them to accept the correction as I do when they correct me on the local culture. However, the fact that officialdom in France is ignorant of the difference between Britannique and Anglais is stupid, especially for a country that loves form filling.  I personally find the whole thing funny but fail to understand the inability of journalists and fonctionnaires  to get that right. I have watched news reports/documentaries where they have used Les Anglais and les Britanniques interchangeably. It cannot be that difficult for professionals to learn the difference between the language/ethnic groups of a country and the official nationality. Simple professionalism is what I’m talking about. 

[quote user="Cassis"]If I ever have the good fortune to be caught in the Census net, perhaps I should say I am "Geordais".  Do you think that would work? [/quote] Wouldn’t recommend it, Cassis.  You’ll be labelled as some mad revolutionary and put under 24-hour surveillance. What I love is when they ''correct'' you and put Anglais/e as they did with Gardian.[8-)]

[quote user="Cassis"]We love you here as well, LDG. [:D] [/quote] Thanks Cassis! I know you mean it.[:-))]  The fonctionnaires love me so much here, they are surely counting the days till I move to another dept. But no way. I'm staying and they'll just have to count me as Britannique in their census.

[quote user="Cassis"]And if you were Welsh? [/quote] Then they would really be ''Britannique''. Aren't the Welsh the real Bretons/ Britains or did the teachers lie to us again?  To really confuse the Census people, tell them the English are originally Germans.  I've had this problem with officialdom, trying to explain to them  that ''Anglais/e) is not a ''nationality'' but an ''Ethnie'' like the Bretons, Occitans, Catalans etc. Therefore, the legal nationality is ''Britannique''.  It's always fun watching their expressions.  To really annoy them , which I do to get my own back for them wasting my time, show them your passport and ask them to find any reference to ''English'' in terms of nationality or citizenship.  They love me here![:-))] 

TreizeVents, sounds to me that you are incredibly harsh on yourself. I think most Brits moving to France would be delighted to have your competence in French.    Your issues with writing could stem from a self-imposed mental block. Are your French friends the intellectual types? If they are, I’d say –stuff them (linguistically speaking, of course[;-)]).   Remember that French is not your mother tongue, so there is no point in comparing your written skills to theirs. There is no harm in working towards ‘perfection’ but it seems to me that you have already achieved a good level to communicate effectively in enough registers and hence in your daily life in France. You can only progress.   Perhaps you can try an exercise we used to do in the UK. Get yourself  a few ‘’Audiolivres’’ from a public library or Mediatheque on subjects you enjoy and do ‘’Dictee’’ at your own pace, using short excerpts. You will need to get the book of the audiolivre to enable you to check. Don’t take it too seriously but the exercise of transcribing what you hear can help increase your confidence in writing French generally. As your confidence in written French increases, you will also find yourself more confident in expressing yourself in a wider range of registers. In this manner, Dictee is both a passive (listening) and active (written) exercise so it can really help. If you find it boring, then it probably wouldn’t work for you but it works for some. Allez, COURAGE!

[quote user="Cassis"]Does anyone know a French person who is not on medicaments of some sort?  [:D] [/quote] Apparently, there is quite a lot of special 'medicaments' washing up on the Charente-Maritime coast at the moment. So, any forumer walking around with powdery white fingers/noses, we know where you've all been.[:D]

Sacrilegious stuff indeed! Hope this journalist lies low because she’ll soon be lynched by the French lifestyle mob and accused of hating the country. [:D] I saw the Ridley Scott film a few weeks ago and it was totally unworthy of such a great director. Not surprised if some French (those who could be bothered to see it as it wasn’t popular in my local cinema) felt insulted by it. For those who haven’t seen it,  it’s called ‘’Une Grande Annee’ in French.  I personally wouldn’t recommend it as I too found it terribly patronising and boring.

You will both be able to renew via Paris as mentioned above and also via your local consulates if you are not in a desperate hurry.Not quite sure why you think you may need to get French Passports though.  Are you and your wife French nationals?  Being a resident and a national are two completely different things. If you are not a French national, you will not be entitled to a French passport. Emergency same day renewals I know this may not be convenient for everyone but I renewed my passport a couple of years ago using this service. Simple, quick and efficient. 1) Made an appointment with passport office in Victoria 2) 10 am: handed in my old passport and completed forms. 3) 2 pm: collected new passport and paid. The only problem I had was trying to get through to those premium rate numbers from France so a family member called and made the appointment. I don’t know if this service exists in other passport offices in the UK but it should be easy to find out.  So, don’t worry 2360CU it’s relatively simple but just allow yourself ample time if you are renewing by post, especially during holiday periods.

Bugbear, did you actually read WibblyWobblys post and also look at his website?  Do you think that Wibblywobby reads the various threads on this forum because if he did, I think he would see that there is excellent advice for those moving to France. However, he seems to want to hear the utopic nonsense on this very normal country.  For that, he could always buy the tons of books depicting France as some amazing idyllic, trouble/drug free paradise. He doesn't have to seek the advice of people who live here.   I personally live in what  I would consider the France of the ‘average citizen’ and I will not paper over any ills nor knock it down for the sake of it. Wibbly Wobbly, if you and others moving to France do not want to hear about the non ‘’France expo ‘’ version of this country, I suggest you get your ‘official’ information from Tourist Offices of your region and be done with it.

[quote user="KathyC"] Wibblywobbly Do you know David Icke? [/quote] [:-))][:-))]  Wibblywobbly Ehhh, which dept is your house in? [+o(] 

[quote user="Miki"][quote] [/quote] Well LG, probably the same place that says that all French pensioners get double the UK pension, that life is slower in France, that all the Brits coming here will stay here for life à la "never going back", that no racism exists, that kids are free to roam safely wherever they want, schooling is magnifique that no grafiti exists and on and on...France is great at one thing though, it leads the way in Myths to Brits [;-)] [/quote] Well, at least I know that lot is a load of B*****ks! [:-))] Can't believe anyone falls for that rubbish!   Had my move to France been planned for my late 40s /early 50s, this would have been essential research not to be skimmed over. Any other approach would have been irresponsible. Having said that, I think the information coming out by those in the know, on this thread, should be part of an essential France pack for those moving here in their later years. Oh, and I think that their off-springs back in the UK should know too. As a matter of interest, apart from one poster who has -to his integrity - openly admitted that he would return if things don't work out in the next couple of years, are there any other forumers who had planned on a return to the UK in their senior senior years? Just interested....

[quote user="Teamedup"]I know of two families where the old person's family who live in Italy have been contacted and are expected to pay. What I don't know is if they pay up or not.[/quote] This is fascinating! I’m afraid, I only plan my life in chunks of 10 years so did not research this aspect of French life. My knowledge is thus extremely vague. So where does this myth about the elderly in France being so much better off (cared for by the State) than those in the UK come from? Sounds to me that the off-springs being pursued to finance their elderly relatives' care maybe the flip side of the succession laws protecting their rights.  There is some justice there somewhere.

A truly exceptional man who has left his country an amazing legacy.

[quote user="Deimos"] I found it amusing and seems to fit the character from the excerpts I've seen. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2557136,00.html# Ian [/quote] Thanks Ian!  It's priceless and going up on my office wall.

Having expressed my views on the quality of Sky News, I have to own up that I did appreciate it one day last year.  This was the day the Whale came to London and Sky showed the images live virtually all day. I was riveted and sad when the whale died later. I know that in the scheme of things, this is of little importance but I found it very moving.  Still, had I not had Sky, I would simply have read about it and not wasted an afternoon of my life like a zombie.  I also miss British Comedy and try to get hold of DVD’s of French and Saunders, Vicar of Dibley and others. I can well understand those who are fully integrated into French society and lived here for years having British TV, as that could be a plus after years away.  However, for those yet to integrate and needing to learn the ins and outs of their new country, I fail to see it's usefulness even if it's entertaining. Though terrible overall, French TV offers a few good comedy ‘shorts’ like Kaamelott, Camera Café, un gars, une fille and a few others.  There are also a number of interesting series such as Question Maison, les Racines et les Ailes, Thalassa, Zone Interdite etc.  I’ve got used to watching the odd American and UK series in French but that’s more a linguistic exercise.  As for cinema: I never watch English language films in VF, as that would be sacrilege.  

5-E’s thread was light-hearted but I actually think it’s quite an important issue. Like  Beryl and 5-E, I don’t watch (or have) UK TV either.  I think I would feel a little cut off from certain aspects of French life if I didn’t watch some of the nonsense on these channels (see 5-E’s post).  Since the mass availability of Satellite TV, one can see how certain communities in the UK are wired virtually 100% to TV from their home countries.  I didn’t really feel it helped these communities’ integration because, whether we hate TV or not, I believe there is a certain amount of ‘modernity and socialisation’ that exists via this medium. One can turn one’s nose up at it but it’s a reflection of our society up to a point and many foreign originated communities in the UK are cut off from this to their detriment, as I feel are many Brits in France. Of course, not every native French or British home has a TV but these people are usually avid readers and are fully aware of what is going on in their country due to family and social networks. However, most foreigners lack these elements when they settle in a foreign country so TV takes on greater significance. I don’t feel cut off from what is going on in the UK because there are news channels such as TVE, CNN, SKY NEWS (rubbish), AL Jazeera and CNBC Europe etc  Also, in terms of keeping up with what is going on in the UK, there is the internet and newspapers but this is hors thread. I certainly don’t feel superior but it’s a bit of a philosophy with me. Having grown up in a Multicultural Britain where communities were so out of touch with local culture: knew exactly what was happening ‘back home’ but not in the next town, has convinced me that this is a good philosophy. I’m not at all suggesting that TV is the only way to integrate, however, I put TV relatively high on the list of things to help with language and integration when you first move to a country.  I don’t understand the usefulness of being glued to the TV of ones home country when settled on a permanent basis elsewhere. French TV is terrible but there are occasional quality products, as with TV of most countries. In any case, surely, no one moves to this beautiful country to be a couch potato[:(]. I would, however, recommend ‘’some’’ UK TV for British children growing up in France to help them maintain fluency and awareness of cultural developments.  

[quote user="TWINKLE"] I'd have worn peach and black - did you? Okay - maybe someone will get this thread back on track[:)] [/quote] I wore black as couldn't have carried off peach. A lot of people had peach umbrellas though. Thread back on track -----  Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, ''Blues Music is Soulless'' - Discuss vehemently (Controversial enough?[6]). When Dick reads this, I'm going to have to leave Europe and cover my tracks[:-))]

A very difficult one and just a suggestion. If your home in France is in good condition, perhaps you could persuade them to come out with you for a few weeks when you move out to 'help you settle in''?  It may make them feel part of your new home and maybe a little less resistant.  It may even be an idea to get them involved in the whole process of moving out by asking their advice on pratical matters, irrespective of what you actually do. I didn't read your posts last year so you may already have tried the above. Good luck and hope you find a solution.

[quote user="TWINKLE"] Found this Languedoc Gal 2! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jTbFa3I8s0 Well that's nice and kitsch for me - however this title is slightly more pop /funk and much less roots than the old Sly stuff. Lucky you getting to see the Purple One[:)] [/quote] Thanks for the YouTube tip.  I think it will be hard to find video recordings of James prior to 78 but I'll check with titles. He was very kitsch and funky later. The reason I linked him to Prince was partly to do with this kitsch element (Prince's purple rain days), as well as the way he later produced female singers much in a similar vein to Rick James. James was also a mean musician but  I think the drugs element - well documented- overtook everything from the late 70s. I saw Prince in Paris and, on the ticket, people were instructed to wear either Peach or Black. I was amazed that so many did just that.  

[quote user="TWINKLE"] Well I personally think that Sly and the Family Stone were a huge influence on him and obviously Jimmy Hendix. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EscWg2n4vR4&mode=related&search= [/quote] I agree.  I tried to find an early 'straight' recording of Rick James and couldn't so I suppose the YouTube example I provided above isn't very good.  But, Sly and Hendrix of course.

[quote user="TWINKLE"] For the Artist Formerly Known As Fluffy Kitten! Is that better?  I have everything Prince has ever done - I love him.  He did have some great teachers though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWAZ0Rq3apE Terrible recording and the worst backing vocals I've ever heard - he should have called me[:-))] but 10 out for 10 for the groove factor. [/quote] I love Prince too and managed to see him during his ‘sign o’ the times’’ tour in the 80s. He is truly impressive.  I don’t know anything about his teachers but when I first heard him in the late 70s, I always thought he was a ‘straighter’ (no sexual pun intended) and more serious version of the funkier and humorous (slightly crazy) Rick James. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPnXW7LmX44  Though don't judge Rick James by this. He really was much better but he sadly often lost the plot. I have his early recordings and I sort of think he must have had some influence on Prince.  Sadly, Rick James seemed to have been far too involved with the powdery white stuff, which didn’t do much for his career and he passed away a few years ago. I’ve always considered Prince to be the most talented and complete artist (singer, songwriter, performer, dancer, composer, producer) of my generation.

[quote user="WJT"][quote user="LanguedocGal2"] Re Parquet Having decided this much, I suddenly feel very Zen. WJT, I send you and yours some of my Zenness to arm yourselves with for the next time you have to face the builders.[;-)] [/quote] Thank you for sending the Zen. We are leaving tomorrow for France and the macon is meant to start on Monday. Could you send me enough to ensure that he will [:-))]! By the way, I personally think you could make them look beautiful [:)]. [/quote] Bon sejour and lots of luck.  I can transmit the zenness but you may need a miracle or two[8-)].  Hope all goes to plan.

Re Parquet When I first moved in, I did look into wooden floors/parquet as that’s what I’m used to, but quickly dismissed them once I realised that the only ones I liked were around 60/100 € per sqm. The devis for the laying were also very high.  The cheapest I could have done the room for was in the region of  4000 €.  Well, after that, alternative solutions had to be found! In the short term, I thought I’d leave them to see if I could get used to them. Mais non! Not possible! In fact, it was whilst researching this DIY issue and French inheritance laws (to see how to get around them[:@]) that I came across the LF forum. So, very glad the forumers have helped resolve one issue. The other, sadly, is out of your hands. Wjt: Re final choice: It’s pretty much a toss-up between the glaze/wax or good quality lino. I’ll spend a couple of months researching the best option out of the two. Having decided this much, I suddenly feel very Zen. WJT, I send you and yours some of my Zenness to arm yourselves with for the next time you have to face the builders.[;-)]

[quote user="WJT"]  In any case, I wish this was the sort of problem I was having at the moment instead of electrics, plumbing, sorting out damp etc.. [:)] Edit: Agree with Will, beautiful rugs can transform a room [:)]. [/quote] No doubt, it must be a pain at the moment but when it’s all finished, you’ll be in heaven. [:D] You've read my reaction to tiles in perfect condition that I hate, so can you imagine what state I would be in if I had to worry about plumbing, electrics and septic things? I’d be more of a wreck than the place. Putting things to my taste (kitchen, bathroom, walls, tiles etc) is all I can cope with. When I read what people have to go through in terms of renovation of their French homes, I cross myself and I’m not even religious. You’re a courageous bunch. Re Rugs: I think I’d see the tiles through them[:(].