Joining the Exodus from France?

[Clair]

I want to add that I am slightly bemused when I read such misunderstandings.

Anyone can check these things for themselves.

[woolybanana (ex tag)]

If we checked things ourselves there would be almost nothing left to say.

[woolybanana (ex tag)]

Back to the original thread:

Most people who dont make it in France, I think,  fail to do so because they have an inadequate understanding or knowledge of the country at a very basic level. In other words they suspend their objective judgement when they get abroad or here.

There seems to be a wave of people returning at the moment who could not settle here. Yes they are seduced by stupid TV programmes and bad advertising, but that is not an excuse for not doing the homework and making an attempt to learn the language at least. How many buy in the summer for example without having experienced a winter in the area? How many get here and make fools of themselves by turning up at the Marie with bottles of scotch (illegal) for the Mare? How many think the traditional Xmas/New Year box to the pompiers and facteur is some sort of tax or payment for services? How many double their building costs by going to DIY shops instead of builders merchants to compare prices.

I could go on but better not. Sometimes I wanna scream when I see the things people think and say about the place because of ignorance. But I can't.

 

[cooperlola]

[:-))] always works for me, Tag!

[Gastines]

I wish it was as easy to research information as many seem to think. Many of the finer details in the usual books are now out of date. Vitually all the info given to us by the UK Depts dealing with health and tax had one major fault,the French Depts told us different. After having all our post sent directly to our home in France for 5 years , main home no UK property,we have just received a letter from the Inl Rev asking when we are leaving the UK and, believe it or not, WHY? We do actually get Uk interest paid Gross as we are tax payers here , a mere 3 years to arrange but they obviously forgot about that.

Better employ a few more that are up to the job, Gordon.

Regards.

[woolybanana (ex tag)]

If all the Brits go, then there is more space for meeeeeeeeeee

[trumpet]

then you would be Top Banana.

[woolybanana (ex tag)]

But if I left would be Banana Split

[trumpet]

LOL LOL you got me going again......now stop it...............please.[:D][:D]

[Ian]

Woolybananna wrote:

"Back to the original thread:

Most people who dont make it in France, I think,  fail to do so because they have an inadequate understanding or knowledge of the country at a very basic level. In other words they suspend their objective judgement when they get abroad or here.

There seems to be a wave of people returning at the moment who could not settle here."

Woolyb is right about some expats.

But

it would, of course, be wrong to assume that those Brits or French

living in each others countries who choose to go "home" all do so

because they "haven't made it".  The vast majority of French people I

meet living and working in the UK plan to reurn to France at some point

and I think I read that over 80% of Brits return to Blighty eventually.

These aren't failures - they are wonderful adventures, great learning experiences or valuable career developments

I'm

sure that most of these people would consider their time "overseas" to

have been of huge benefit. Children in particular seem to gain

enormously from a taste of a foreign language and culture.

I am

often asked "if this is a permanent move?" having settled here three

and a half years ago.  "Permanent" seems just so final to me.  Who

knows where I will move to next (if anywhere)? My time here has been

wonderful, fascinating and very rewarding - but if making it here means

dying here then I hope I don't make it for at least another 60

years.[:)]

[terry1956]

Hi, well my partner and I have lived in normany for 6 years, and we have had a great time, but we are selling up and returning to the UK, well not the Uk but the I of Man, The reasons are many fold, Even with both of us joining many local clubs in the region and both having a fair understanding of french, we are a bit fed up with the red tape, the total lack of of any time frame, and we have found that we are just pasting our days in a dream like state, Also we have found that the cost of living in france is going up, bit my bit and that there is a growing number of french who just like people in the UK are going for fast food from the supermarket, the local bakers and small village shop have both closed due to this and the other is just waiting for a new buyer, with little hope of finding one,

I will miss the easy of taking my boat to sea, the easy of travel to other counties with our motorhome. some good mates made over the years. farm food.

What I will not miss. endless red tape, when trying to sort out trailers, boat insurrance, barking dogs, france telecom, failing elecs due to poor supplie, poor supermarket food.

living behind shutters after 7.30. french people who drink to much wine. cross chanel builders, or french builders who think we are all loaded.

What I hope to get from moving. meeting new people, no barking dogs, a good pint of beer around a log fire with mates. less red tape. a feeling of belonging. curries, laying down roots, enjoying looking at the mags in WHS.

terry 

[AnOther]

I'm sure we all wish you well and hope you have no regrets, or at least less than you might have if you hadn't given it a shot living in France in the first place [:D]

I think many may secretly miss a good number of the things you list but one thing puzzled me a tad;

"the easy of travel to other counties with our motorhome" from the IoM....?????

Where could be easier than France for that ?

Good luck anyway.

 

[Panda]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

I think many may secretly miss a good number of the things you list but one thing puzzled me a tad;

"the easy of travel to other counties with our motorhome" from the IoM....?????

Where could be easier than France for that ?

[/quote]

You seemed to have missed the 'things I will miss line' as in things they will miss in France Ernie, so they agree it IS easy to travel with the motorhome from France.

[AnOther]

Oops, I stand corrected................[:$]

[terry1956]

Hi, yes it will be harder to enjoy alot of the things we do now, But having looked at things like the reason we moved from the UK in the first place, ie no law and order, a growing 3rd world feeling, councils milking home owners near to death, lack of space to move, and the sky high prices asked when we wanted to do anything. France looked the way to go, Now 6 years on we are a bit older, and have looked  at our cash flow etc, Moving to the IofM would allow us to buy much the same as we have in france, with lower taxes to boot, there is still law and order and due to the work visas needed there is not that 3rd world feeling, As for the motorhome, well we go away for around 4 months at a time, and yes we will have to lots of ferrie costs. Even taking in that fact we feel that we will still be better off in the long run, Also we wish to put down roots and just don,t feel that france is the place to do that, I think that we both had our dream broken by watching a follow brit who became very ill due to age and the loss of his wife, just forget all his french over night and could not get the care he needed. John had lived in france for over 24 years, he is now in a care home in normandy.surrounded by people he can no longer talk to, due to all is money being in his home he is unable to return to the UK.

Thanks for wishing us well. T    

[Gastines]

People are always saying that you should do your research before you move to another country and having just returned from 2 weeks in my old home town of Bournemouth, I would advise anyone thinking of returning to what they think they left behind to check that it's still there and that they can afford to live and enjoy life there. The cost of housing along with all the numerous bills that go with it, from stamp duty/council tax/ utility bills, which I think I can safely say have all risen substantially in the last 4-5 years. Car tax plus House and car insurance etc etc. Although the service bills have all risen dramatically the whole place gave an air of depression. The streets were dirty,weeds growing everywhere and many of the shops looked in need of a good scrub.  Whilst I agree it is easier to speak in English  I found that was about the only advantage.

Regards.

[AnOther]

[quote user="Gastines"]

Whilst I agree it is easier to speak in English  I found that was about the only advantage.

[/quote]Even that is becoming a slim advantage in some areas [Www]

[5-element]

[quote user="terry1956"]

 a follow brit who became very ill due to age and the loss of his wife, just forget all his french over night and could not get the care he needed. John had lived in france for over 24 years, he is now in a care home in normandy.surrounded by people he can no longer talk to, due to all is money being in his home he is unable to return to the UK.

[/quote]

Now I find this very scary as well as totally heart-breaking. I have (fleetingly) wondered with dementia and Alzheimer,  you gradually lose your short-term memory, and only retain long-term memory, does it mean you might be unable to remember your second language?

It is not a problem for me (French being my first language), but it would be for OH.

I wonder how many people who emigrate to France ever stop to think that far. Those who would be in a position to go back to the UK would be alright, but those who can't,  like this poor fellow. John... How I feel for him...

All the best Terry - I can well understand your wanting to go back.

[suein56]

[quote user="terry1956"]

... watching a follow brit who became very ill due to age and the loss of his wife, just forget all his french over night and could not get the care he needed. John had lived in france for over 24 years, he is now in a care home in normandy.surrounded by people he can no longer talk to, due to all is money being in his home he is unable to return to the UK. [/quote]

Is there no one who can help him? No family, close friends? Does he want to return to the UK; if he does then has anyone advised the British Embassy who might be able to assist him?

Sue

 

[woolybanana]

The Consulate may have a duty of care here but I'm not sure if it extends to getting him resorted in UK.

[terry1956]

Hi all, in answer to the above, I am sorry to say that John is on his own, We did look at a few ways to get him back into the NHS system, but apart from dumping him outside an Uk doctors there was nothing we could do.

I did return to the UK not many weeks ago and yes it is a dump. nowever the IofM as lower taxes then the UK or even france, low crime and there is no 3rd world feeling due to no one being allowed to start living there on benifits. Its not easy to leave our way of life here in france, but not paying road tax will not help when I can no longer drive, but being able to talk to others around me in my 1st language will.

We are able to move due to having rented out our UK house so allowing us to keep up with rising Uk prices. But just thinking of packing up all our odds and bobs is giving me a real pain in the head.

terry

[AnOther]

I'm afraid I have to agree with WB.

As sad as this gentlemans circumstances may be, he has after all resided in France for 24 years, presumably of his own free will, and the fact that now, in his later years, he finds himself in this situation, I see as neither the responsibility, nor indeed the business, of any part of the UK government.

Additionally, if he has been in France for that long it's possible that he hasn't paid sufficient NI into the UK system to derive any benefits from it even further disqualifying him from any assitance.

I wonder if there might be a charitable organisation somewhere in UK which might be able to help ?

[AnOther]

[quote user="terry1956"]We are able to move due to having rented out our UK house so allowing us to keep up with rising Uk prices.[/quote]So you'll be braced for a Capital Gains tax bill then [;-)]

[terry1956]

Hi, we will not be paying taxes on the sell of our Uk home as we have always had it as our main home in my name, the french house is in my partners name. We also have always paid the Council tax in my name, and have remained in the UK NHS system. I never have believed in burning bridges, just in case, And now thanks for a bit of foreward thinking we our able to move without to many taxes thoe we will be hit by these silly hip things.

terry

[Chief]

[quote user="Gastines"]

A some- what coloured view which many people seem to believe.

[/quote]

I think TV and the wrong mentality have a lot to do with it. People always take teh rose tinted glasses view when really what they should be asking themselves is this.... If i end up alone and with no friends, no job, no real social life, pretty much isolated on my own with just my family around me, could i survive here and be happy?  if the answer is yes, then move because teh cahnces are you will end up with much more than that, but know that you can survive if thats all you end up with.  If teh answer is no, then take another month or two out and have a serious think about your expectations and how they marry up to reality.  I alaso think that there is all teh usual stuff about crime, drugs, etc etc that you alluded to. Do people really move to france believing taht those things do not exist!! Reality they do, we just don't hear about it on a daily basis because we don't get french TV as a rule.  For those of us tuning into TV5/France 24 everyday, the reality is there in our faces.  Perhaps more shoudl watch.