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The least amount of money it takes to make you happy


mint
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I watched it.

I was forcing myself not to throw up to be fair. No disrespect to her (or yourself) but is that not a cliché ? It is not sterotypically French life at all. She has worked hard and good for her. My friend (French) is a sales rep selling Belgium knickers and bras. A French David Brent. His wife (French) sells plastic dolls made in China. LOL.

"I am really more French than English" she says. How does that work ? My kids are half French and half English. They are neither more French or more English.

A Parisien park (or any city park) on a Sunday morning or afternoon after lunch. That is French life for me. Where families come together.

And why has everyone integrated in France lived here nearly 20 years ?
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[quote user="alittlebitfrench"]

A Parisien park on a Sunday morning or afternoon after lunch. That is French life for me. Where families come together. [/quote]

As a certain John Pattrick Mc said years ago, "You cannot be serious, Man!".

Paris isn't France. Indeed to a Parisian all the French living outside Paris are paisan; and to all the French outside Paris, the Parisian is an overly pretentious poseur and extremely, "Up themselves"! It is rather the same as suggesting Spanish people and society is is represented by los Madrileños: far from it.

In our little bit of France the paisan and families in particular, are always doing things social together. Indeed all the communes in the canton have loads of events, social, cultural etc.

[quote] And why has everyone integrated in France lived here nearly 20 years ?[/quote]

Sorry ALBF: I don't understand this bit??

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Gluestick said..

"Paris isn't France. Indeed to a Parisian all the French living outside Paris are paisan; and to all the French outside Paris, the Parisian is an overly pretentious poseur and extremely, "Up themselves"! It is rather the same as suggesting Spanish people and society is is represented by los Madrileños: far from it"

Hmmm. You are wrong of course. I will explain.

Firstly, 25 % of the French population live in Paris/Ilé de France. So of course it is representative France.

A typical Parisian is actually someone who was born and lived all their lives in Paris. A typical Parisian reminds me of a cockney. Fantastic working class sense of humour. I worked with what I call a typical Parisian and they were not at all as you describe. He was fantastic. At our local school, there is a Granny that waits for her daughters kids at lunchtime and at night. She is just brilliant. Fag hanging out of mouth, nice smile and she always looks out for our kids. The caretaker at the school is the same. Typical Parisians.

So, my wife has always worked in Paris but she is not from Paris. Is she Parisian ? My Aunty in law is a nun in Paris and and as been there 50 odd years. Is she Parisian ?. Their family home is in very rural Bourgogne. My OH's Grandparents were mechanics but worked in Paris for two thirds of the year because that was where the work was. Where they Parisian ?

It is not so clear cut. A park in Paris (I don't mean the tourist ones) on a Sunday is a snapshot of French life.

BTW, in French forum world if you want to have credibility you must state that you have lived in France for nearly twenty years and your neighbours love you......and of course you are more French than English.

I have been saying that I have lived in France for twenty years for the last three years. LOL....and this is actually my nineteenth year.
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When I joined this board, I had only been in France for 19 years too[Www] And it meant that I was considered a troll having an opinion about France and french life.

My France did not fit in the some of the rose coloured spec'd incomers who had just arrived to live in regions, that frankly those I knew from those regions, had left because there was no work, no prospects, no future, and were generally considered 'poor' and were being depopulated. No surprise that the properties were cheap.  And that was never my France.

I spent my first two years in a big city, and then 25 years in what became a bit of a dormitory village, as we were central to two cities and a few  towns. which did not mean that  the heart of village was not made up by sadly too many locals, who had never been to Lyon or Geneva, both an hour'ish away, and seeing the sea, no, never.

And going to parks, no, not in the big city where I used to promenade my tiny baby, never many of us there on any day of the week, and I would have thought there would as most of us lived in appts. Same in the city I ended up living closest too, we would catch the bus through and go to the parks, and few there and also much appt dwelling there too.

In fact when I was back a few weeks ago, yet again, in spite of the good weather on some days, there were very few buggies or prams about and I did not see anyone in a wheel chair, just felt like it always did.

If I admit that some french things have overtaken me by a sort of osmosis, then at my heart I will never be french, or think like the french about so much in life, but I know I do understand things french these days. And when english friends ask me about stuff, I really do not know where to start, as life is looked at at a different angle.[:D]

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Idun wrote:

"And it meant that I was considered a troll having an opinion about France and french life.

My France did not fit in the some of the rose coloured spec'd incomers who had just arrived to live in regions"

Yes exactly. In another forum world, you are a troll if you talk about real France and your views do not fit in with what they were selling or 'protected members' were selling.

France is still a good country to live in. I just wish the British media and others would sell the real France rather than not the clichés. Then maybe more people would move to France and be happy.

Went to a secluded beach today on the Loire. You would only find this place if you were a local. The kids went swimming and there was another family fishing to cook whatever they caught on the barbecue. The tourists were up the road being tourists but of course missing the point.
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