blossom

Madeleine is as special as every child. And no, I havent done it before.  This is the first time I have thought of it.  Perhaps it is the high media coverage keeping it in the public eye, or perhaps it is because I recently became a parent myself and am chilled to the core. There is a time when the decent people of the world begin to fight back.  I believe that time is now.  Enough is enough. Please try not to be a little cynical about it and just open your heart and do all you can.

   The power of people can be amazing.  You are absolutely right, at least some people are doing somthing instead of moaning about the circumstances.  Have a heart! Anyway, I've posted a thread already but I just wanted to add, I have posted an appeal on ebay... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=006&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=160116337020&rd=1&rd=1 Ebay has a huge internationally community, millions of internaiton transactions go on every day. Please look at the appeal and add to you watch list - the more watchers, the more likely to appear on the home page and get hits.  Please then pass on to absolutely everyone you know.  Most people have an ebay account and when they are comminucating with the international community they can forward this on. Please please look and lets do all we can. Somebody somewhere knows something. xxx

    Thanks for adding...there are now nearly 300 people watching.  Please tell everyon you know and hopefully they will all pass it on to friends in europe, africa and so on. fingers crossed. xxx

Hi Everyone...I know it's off topic, but I wonder if you can help in the search for little Madeleine. I have posted an appeal on ebay for Madeleine http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=006&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=160116337020&rd=1&rd=1 Apparently, on ebay, the more people who 'watch' the item, the more likely it is to be featured on the front page and therefore more like to get more publicity.  The plan is for this to get everywhere.  Its huge news in UK and portugal, but not getting enough coverage in the rest of europe. If you have an ebay account, would you mind please 'watching' my item and sending the link to everyone you know by email. Somebody somewhere knows something!  Together we can raise awareness! Jo xxx

    Hi Turnip I've been wondering the same thing.  Have you done your CELTA course yet?  What is your teaching experience prior to moving to France? I notice nobody has replied on the forums, have you found anything elsewhere? B.xx

    Anybody got any? We've made our decision...We're moving to France.  Handed in my notice here and will probably rent out our house in the UK and rent somewhere in France for a while to see how we get on. Afte a day or two on the forum you can all consider my rose tinted speccies removed.  Smashed to bits on the floor, with a heelgrind for good measure :). My french is nigh on good enough to work and I am living in hope that I will find a job. Do any of you have any good stories?  Anybody care to share a tale of how they batted their CV around to all and sundry, followed up with calls and finally got offered a job that they are happy with?  ie.  Not just picking fruit or cleaning hotels. I've read all the bad stories and I know that the grass isn't greener, just different, but it would be nice to know that at least SOMEBODY found a job in france?  Am considering the taking a CELTA qualification.  I've seen a couple of posts about this but not many informative replies.  Would I be able to get a job in a language school teaching English to adults?  Why can't I just stick notices up and advertise for people?   I know I'm being naive, but I have to start somewhere...:) Thanks very much for all your advice so far!

I got as far as page three then gave up exhausted. If I let myself get carried away with this thread then most people would have done enough to put me off. But really, is the situation worse that the uk?  how many of you have actually forgotten how bad things are in britain? Fine for all of your forty soemthing who got on the housing ladder over ten years ago, but me and my faily are stuffed.  Our mortgage strips us of all our income- we honestly worked out that we have 4.72 pence after we have paid the mortgage, council tax , escalating fuel costs etc and 'luxuries' such as sky and a gym membership. Its not as though we live anywhere nice either - just a plain old  terrace in an 'ok'area (found a home made bong at the bottom of our garden last week and the tenants in the house next door regularly wake us as they vomit on the steps on a saturday night). I'm skint now due to the ridiculous house prices and council tax in the UK.  And the tax situation in the UK isnt getting any better for the likes of me either...Before long I will have to hand over 'cash per mile'more simply to drive my second hand battered car to the seaside. If I move to france, i will also be skint, but with a little cottage, half an acre, snowy winters, slightly warmer summers (okay not everywhere), then being skint seems a little more palatable. Dont get me wrong- It might seem like my move is to get away from the UK.  Actually I love france and the french countryside, my folks live there, I speak the language very well.  The french vary from place to place, just like the UK.  Some regions seem friendlier than others, just like the UK. It's hard not to feel apprehensive after reading all these posts, but life isnt a bed of roses here either so im willing to give it a shot.

Hello.  First post....so dont pick on me, but am open to honest answers. I've been looking through this forum and others...very negative comments regarding finding work in france, so bit concerned. I have few formal qualifications (mainly just good GCSE's) but 15 yrs  IT work exp , of which 6 are project management, and a Prince2 Practitioner certification (highly respected Project Management qualification in UK and Europe).  I speak pretty good french - confident enough to work, not just pidgen french in a bar.  My folks retired to france a few years back and ive spent  a lot of time here.  also worked in france a few yrs ago for UK customs and excise on the french side of the channel so learnt a lot then. Is it really that hard to get a job? Myself and family are moving over early this year...My husband works from home and has loyal UK based clients so no trouble for him there (aside from sorting out his tax in france), but would like to think that I could find work of some description. Just out of interest, why is the employment situation so bad in france?  I'm not too good on french politics...is the situation getting worse? Ta Bloss xx