AnOther Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 When announcing out move to France to friends and work colleagues etc. the reactions have been universally positive and encouraging such as:Don't blame you in the slightest Wish I could go with you I'm planning to do it/similar soon as I can You lucky sodsand so on and so on etc.etc.Oh, and when can we come and see you of course.....[Www]Whilst some of this is undoubtedly politeness and idle talk I can scarcely recall a single person seriously questioning why or asking "what do you want to leave England for" or any such negatives.I wonder what other's experiences have been ?[I] Just had a thought - maybe it's because they'll be glad to see the back of us................[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Pretty much the same. We have had a number friends who have visited but a surprising number of aquaintances wanted to visit too. The latter being such a pain in the proverbial that the door is firmly shut to them now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 As it was so long ago and there wasn't all the hype etc etc etc, my good friend assured me that she would send me soap, when I told her where we were moving to.Ofcourse you'll hear all that from people, like some people have been asking me why I am moving back. And when they do, I ask them exactly what they know about France and how well they speak french and what they think of the politics, but ofcourse they know 'xxgger all' about France apart from holidays. Although not everyone wonders why we are moving back, most friends have said that it will be good to see us come 'home'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I think a lot of the reaction you have had has to do with grass being greener on the other side (EY). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 [quote user="Cassis"]I think a lot of the reaction you have had has to do with grass being greener on the other side (EY). [/quote]Yes, without a doubt, but even so I can hardly find a soul who has anything positive to say about the UK, truly sad and disheartning but the increasing exodus would seem to confirm the general level of dissatisfaction.Why, it's even getting impossible to get a decent sausage anymore.........[Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 When I told my friends about my house and introduced them to the region they said "Oh my god, I would go doo lally living here". But there you go, we are all different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 Absolutely and I'm pretty sure the semi isolation of our house will not suit some and may elicit similar responses but we will be more than happy to be living at arms length as it were and it's us we're pleasing at the end of the day.It's a generational thing also because with todays wall to wall entertainment the younger generation seem to have lost the ability to entertain themselves or be at peace with silence and solitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanguedocGal2 Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 [quote user="Just Katie "]When I told my friends about my house and introduced them to the region they said "Oh my god, I would go doo lally living here". But there you go, we are all different.[/quote]Identify with that JK.General reaction to my decision was ‘Why?’’. Most of my entourage know France well and so do not have the grass is greener view of this country. I had to beg a few to come out so they could ‘’understand’’ why I did. Some were only convinced because they saw how much I enjoyed the outdoor life here but most still think I’m mad. Those who left the UK for a different life, chose Canada and France didn’t even feature for them. One has had a couple of properties in Charente since the 90s but cannot envisage ever living there, loving his London life too much. The only one I know who does want to live in the south (Provence) knows France so well that she is reluctant to let go of her professional life in the UK as she knows she is highly unlikely to find the same here, even though she is completely fluent in French. In fact, since I’ve been here, most of my regular visitors have been French friends escaping colder parts of the country for a week or so. My British friends tend to prefer more exotic far-flung places to holiday and France for many is for the old and tired. Some go to Paris for the occasional weekend break but that’s as far as it gets. Obviously reaction boils down to lifestyle too and how dissatisfied people feel with theirs in the UK. Let’s face it, 100% of the British population is not knocking on France’s door. Personally, my choice was determined by two factors: better climate and health. From a professional and social point of view, it was a daft move and I knew that when I made it so no surprises whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 [quote user="Just Katie "]When I told my friends about my house and introduced them to the region they said "Oh my god, I would go doo lally living here". [/quote]Surely it's Yackie Dah, not Doo Lally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Most common reactions on moving here : "Won't you miss your friends?" "What will you do all day?" and "I couldn't live near all those French people". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betoulle Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 [quote user="beryl"]Pretty much the same. We have had a number friends who have visited but a surprising number of aquaintances wanted to visit too. The latter being such a pain in the proverbial that the door is firmly shut to them now.[/quote]Our first year here we had six months of non-stop 'friends' & ex work colleagues to stay, the true friends were very helpful & worked their socks off. They continue to visit us several times a year, but the vast majority came to be nosey & haven't been seen since & as quoted would probably not be invited..............when running a B&B the friends I find are 10 times more work than the guests who at least are paying for the service......NB definition of the 'grass is greener' :The grass is always greener on the other side of the hedge 'cos there's more c**p on that field......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Big mistake, Betoulle. Reading between the lines, you don't charge friends to stay. You're missing a trick there! [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-cat Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Just about everyone wished us well - health, happiness etc. Except my sister whe said - "You won't fit in - because you don't wear make-up"!! [8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 You've got the choice, surely - full slap or nothing. Never Mrs-in-between, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-cat Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 [quote user="Cassis"]You've got the choice, surely - full slap or nothing. Never Mrs-in-between, though![/quote]I'm a "nothing" person - never in-between. Can't stand the stuff - all sticky & horrible. Plus I rub my eyes all the time & would end up looking like a Panda!! [:-))]Do hope it won't stop any chance of my fitting in!! Maybe if I got Mark to wear it - it might help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Speaking of Pandas - the Chinese recently released a panda into the wild but it has vanished after having a fight with a wild panda. They are worried it might be injured as when last seen it had two black eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monika Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 This might be slightly going off thread but regards our Holiday home in France not one of my friends has been positive about it including my sister. They very rarely even ask me how we get on with our project, and I don't like to bore them, that's probably why I love this forum so much! They all seem to say the same, why do you want the worry of it, why do you want to go on holiday to the same place all the time. I have a friend with a holiday home in Spain, he gets exactly the same reaction with an added: "What, not Spain?" At least I don't get that, most people love France!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanguedocGal2 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 [quote user="Monika"]This might be slightly going off thread but regards our Holiday home in France not one of my friends has been positive about it including my sister. They very rarely even ask me how we get on with our project, and I don't like to bore them, that's probably why I love this forum so much! They all seem to say the same, why do you want the worry of it, why do you want to go on holiday to the same place all the time. I have a friend with a holiday home in Spain, he gets exactly the same reaction with an added: "What, not Spain?" At least I don't get that, most people love France!![/quote]Sorry to be a spoil sport Monika but I agree with your sister and friends. I live in France and love my region but would never have bought a holiday home here. My friends and family spent Christmas and New Year in the Maldives, Egypt, Gambia etc. It’s so easy now to take even a weekend break from the UK to Prague, Rome, Barcelona, Seville, Venice etc etc so what is be so special about holidaying at anyone location every time? If they want to visit France or Spain, they can book into hotels and gites and holiday anywhere in the country so why should they understand your desire to restrict yourself to one place? I holidayed on an Indian Ocean Island last year, as I needed a break from southern France [:)]Many now do home or holiday home exchanges so, in a way, that's a sort of acknowledgement that it can be a bit boring holidaying in the same place all the time for some.I have never understood the holiday home concept either, especially as the world becomes increasingly cheaper and easier to explore. The important thing is that you are happy with your holiday home irrespective of the views of others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-cat Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 [quote user="Monika"]This might be slightly going off thread but regards our Holiday home in France not one of my friends has been positive about it including my sister. They very rarely even ask me how we get on with our project, and I don't like to bore them, that's probably why I love this forum so much! They all seem to say the same, why do you want the worry of it, why do you want to go on holiday to the same place all the time. I have a friend with a holiday home in Spain, he gets exactly the same reaction with an added: "What, not Spain?" At least I don't get that, most people love France!![/quote]I think, with a lot of people, it's a case of the "green-eyed-monster". My sis was never positive about the move. She studied French at Uni, spent a year living here & goes to France nearly every year for a holiday. Meanwhile I dropped out of school, early, bounced from job to job & suddenly retired to France, where she loves. She probably thought it would be her, doing what we're doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert the InfoGipsy Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 [quote user="ali-cat"]Just about everyone wished us well - health, happiness etc. Except my sister whe said - "You won't fit in - because you don't wear make-up"!! [8-)][/quote]I find the hard part is merging the foundation into my beard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-cat Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 [quote user="Albert the InfoGipsy"][quote user="ali-cat"]Just about everyone wished us well - health, happiness etc. Except my sister whe said - "You won't fit in - because you don't wear make-up"!! [8-)][/quote]I find the hard part is merging the foundation into my beard. [/quote]Maybe ...... that's why I find it so difficult, as well. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanguedocGal2 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 [quote user="ali-cat"] [quote user="Monika"]This might be slightly going off thread but regards our Holiday home in France not one of my friends has been positive about it including my sister. They very rarely even ask me how we get on with our project, and I don't like to bore them, that's probably why I love this forum so much! They all seem to say the same, why do you want the worry of it, why do you want to go on holiday to the same place all the time. I have a friend with a holiday home in Spain, he gets exactly the same reaction with an added: "What, not Spain?" At least I don't get that, most people love France!![/quote]I think, with a lot of people, it's a case of the "green-eyed-monster". My sis was never positive about the move. She studied French at Uni, spent a year living here & goes to France nearly every year for a holiday. Meanwhile I dropped out of school, early, bounced from job to job & suddenly retired to France, where she loves. She probably thought it would be her, doing what we're doing.[/quote]I personally don’t know anyone who would be jealous of the fact that I live here. For family and friends, there’s absolutely nothing special about living in France (probably on a par to moving from London to Brighton but more hassle to get to me), so I have no green-eyed monsters around me, thankfully. Think I may have impressed them if I had moved to Outer Mongolia: just before they sent in the doctors holding out the straightjacket for me.[:)]Suppose your sister is simply going to have to get over any hang-ups she has about you living in France. In any case, you can't let it spoil your enjoyment of your new life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 They all seem to say the same, why do you want the worry of it, why do you want to go on holiday to the same place all the time. Monika, my mother used to ask the same question, we just replied that it wasn't just going on holiday, it is a second life. We have a great many friends both French and English, we are well accepted by all and join in with all that is going on.We also like the challenge of getting things done and the achievement when they have happened. Some of our friends in U.K. ask why we don't live in France all the time (perhaps they are trying to tell us something! [8-)]) but we like the best of both worlds and are happy with our lot.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monika Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I could not have said it better, Blanche Neige and it is true it is just like a "second life".I am also a very bad tourist, I have a very low "boredom" threshold, I like my own pillow and I like to cook in my own kitchen. I like the feeling of belonging to a place. The next best thing to a holiday home is a Camper-Van! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Yes, you have just summed up my feelings exactly.Also - the house in France gives us a base to travel (not that we have done much yet, but it is almost finished, and we will!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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