Never mind the French....it's FRANCE that's boring!

[vickybear]

....and I'd applaud too if I wasn't so busy creating.........

It's been a good week so far [:D]

[Cassis]

Can't wait to see the results, WVW.  I'm expecting something like the Venus de Milo but without any bits dropping off.

[ali-cat]

I hope you two realize, that if anyone isn't following the Mr Potato Head, thread - they will now wondering what you two are up too!!  [:-))]

[Cassis]

Jude says she sometimes thinks my bits dropped off ages ago ...  it's only 'cos I'm tired, honest.

[ali-cat]

[quote user="Cassis"]Jude says she sometimes thinks my bits dropped off ages ago ...  it's only 'cos I'm tired, honest.
[/quote]

More information, than we needed!!  [:-))]

[Pun]

You dont say what dept your in,

If your any place near 23, theres always a smile and a drink on offer along with a chat

[vickybear]

Who are you inviting? You're not very specific, you know you could end up with the whole Forum turning up if you're not careful. I'm in Charente.

[Llantony]

Maggi wrote:    "I may be strange but I don't actually want to be retired"  -  the same Maggi who said to me 'why don't you just sell up and come to France full time?' !  We haven't yet, tho OH is very keen.  Much as I love being in France for holidays and never want to come home, I do worry I could be bored not having a focus.  I don't want to sit around in bars complaining about France and the French - like some I know - and the winter could be very dull. I don't want to spend years renovating a house.  But I do long for the time I don't need to set the alarm 5 days a week....

I didn't contact you this summer Maggi - I thought you'd be too busy with the chambres d'hote.

Maz

[cassie]

Having been here for just three months I am worrying that I am never going to find anyone of a like mind to interact with. I adored theatre and music when in the UK and played a big part in local theatre. My husband is away for the main part of the week so I am trying to find someone to be a pal to or just have as a friend to chat with occasionally.  I am a very social animal and would welcome anyone who is of a like mind. I love my garden and my dogs, but their conversation is very limited as are my efforts to speak french to my elderly neighbours. I am in between Dinan and Rennes. Anyone out there????? 

Cassie H

[Cerise]

Hi Maz

That'll be me - but not suggesting that you retire even if you move to France!!  I don't want to be retired and that can be a problem as the French do want to retire young on the whole and (in this area) still have a fairly sedentary mentality which doesn't suit me.  You love your French house and you are both full of projects so if you could afford to do it I reckon you would be happy.

We have been VERY busy and haven't even phoned my poor mum  let alone anyone else.  Will be in touch as soon as it calms down a bit.

 

 

[Deimos]

[quote user="cassie"]

Having been here for just three months I am worrying that I am never going to find anyone of a like mind to interact with.

[/quote]

3 months is not very long (12 weeks). Personally I prefer have fewer good friends rather than loads of casual acquaintances. When new to an area I have always found it takes a fair time to settle-in, to find out what is going on and where, what is best, where, etc.

One thing I have found in my area is that there are loads of clubs for a wide range of activities. Some things I thought were not really happening here I am only now discovering actually do (after 3 years). One thing I have found is that around me and compared to the UK a lot of activity clubs seem smaller and more local. There are more of them than in the UK and they are thus smaller and more locally based.

How easy it will be to join in different activities will probably depend on how good your language skills are. However, even with poor language capabilities, I have found most French people are very welcoming. You do need to "get out there". I'm sure there are "like minded" people around and its just a question of meeting them. For example, join a dog club. Most meet twice (or more) each week - agility, flyball, obedience (bit of everything). Normally they have a Sat afternoon meeting which (depending on the club) is more about people spending a social afternoon with their dogs and maybe doing a bit of training. Maybe you will meet like minded people, maybe not but either way it should be fun.

Another thing I have noticed is that a lot of clubs and organisations do not always regard having a web site are high on their priorities. Some do but a lot do not. Often they are not listed in the white/yellow pages and thus can be difficult to find. Sometimes the local Marie will have info about very local clubs, sometimes they might be listed on your Conseil Général departmental web site. If there is a national controlling organisation for an activity then sometimes their web site will list local affiliated organisations, etc.

I assume you are looking for local people and NOT local Brits.

Ian

[Catalpa]

[quote user="cassie"]I adored theatre and music when in the UK and played a big part in local theatre. My husband is away for the main part of the week so I am trying to find someone to be a pal to or just have as a friend to chat with occasionally.  I am a very social animal and would welcome anyone who is of a like mind. [/quote]

[quote user="Deimos"]I assume you are looking for local people and NOT local Brits.[/quote]

Ian, it may be different for men! [:D] I know what you are saying but

in the 2-and-a-bit years I've been here, the only women I've felt an

instant connection to and with whom we've covered about 10 subjects in

depth and 20 more in passing within the first 15 minutes of

meeting have been British. I find (after only 2+ years here, I admit)

the majority of the French women I

have met are just not on the same wavelength as me. (Obligatory

qualifier: and why should they be! [:D]) I've met some very nice people

and we have coffee, and chat in shops, and if we could help them we

would and if we needed their assistance, it would be instantly

forthcoming, but that's relatively superficial and not the point I think Cassie's making.

Language limitations are obviously highly relevant but so is the different culture. I know it's probably because I'm in very rural, agricultural France rather than a city, but I find many of the

women in my circle so far are quite restricted in their attitudes,

interests and expectations and to be blunt,

experience of life outside their family. I'm not criticising them just

analysing and stating the differences. I'm

sure if I joined a dog agility club (in which case my 12 year old lab

would probably report me for cruelty [6]) there would be plenty of people

I'd get on with on the basis of a shared interest in dogs but on a more

general level, I don't think I'd make the enduring friendships that

I've taken for granted previously.

So what I'm really saying, Ian, is I don't think one should dismiss the

desirability of looking for friends of one's own nationality, if indeed that's what you were saying. Cassie -

you are identifying something I've come to recognise and I think it is

something that is not realised until someone actually moves. I also

think it applies more to women than men because of the way we're wired

to communicate. Though men like Cassis are the exception that proves the rule. [:-))][:D] It does rather highlight, I think, why so many people

spend so much time on these forums: it can replace the sort of easy

social interaction and discussion that we miss in "real" French life.