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Teenagers in France - again!


Ac50

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For all of those who are hesitating taking their teenagers to France, I thought you might be interested in a quick update of how ours are doing.  No doubt the moaning myrtles will all crawl out of the wood work to shout me down but here goes[;-)]

We moved to Normandy in 2001, from South Africa, although originally from UK.  Children had never lived in Europe before and none of us spoke French.

Children were 16, 14 and 13 years old at the time.  All went back a year and eldest became weekly boarder at school in St Lo, as the school felt it would help her improve her french.  She passed her Bac (a mention assez bien ) and went on to university in Caen.  She has just graduated and is working for the AA (UK) in Lyon for the summer as a translator (she is now trilingual, English, French and Spanish) before starting her masters in September.   Our middle daughter is in second year at university and doing well, and our youngest has just passed his Bac (we can stop holding our breath now!) and starts university in September.  He turned 19 in March but has no hang ups about his age, opposed to friends in UK who seem obsessed if their kids don't have their A levels before they turn 18! 

All of them look upon their time at school in France as a positive experience and see it as opening up all sorts of opportunities for them now.

They have made incredible friends here, who they are still close to, and as you can probably tell, we are very proud of them.
Even though they are all now looking at moving away, they still think of our house in Normandy as home - my OH is based in Canada at the moment but he also feels the same way!

They are not exceptional kids but we did all want to live in France, which I think makes a big difference.

So, for all of you hesitating about making your move because you have teenagers, take the plunge, it can be done and you might find you all come out of the experience closer and happier than you ever thought possible.

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Don't worry about your 19 year old being too old for Uni, my son signed on at UBO Brest today and he is over 20 having done two qualifications at Lycée first which took two years and now he has 8 years of study if he goes all the way to a Doctorate. Those who want to do well here, will do so regardless of when they arrived, but those who refuse to learn french or go to school when they reach 16 will unfortunately find themselves left behind in the job stakes.
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Hi Val,

what subjects is your son going to study at Brest?  My husband was there recently as once of the judges for a doctoral thesis (he's a marine biologist)

He's done lots of work at the university of Brest and we've visited often, it seems a great place to study.

None of ours are doing science, think they had enough of it growing up! 

The main thing though is they are happy and I agree with you entirely when you say that those who want to do well here will do so.

I thought I'd be sad when our "baby" finally left school, but to be honest I feel quite liberated and am really looking forward to this new phase in our lives.

 

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Congratulations to all your children, AC50 - no wonder you are proud of them!! I agree, a motivatated teenager, who wanted to come to France, can do well - a lad started in 3eme at my son's school last year (in Carentan) and just passed his brevet with an assez bien as well. He is going to do a Bac ES - the school advised him to do this rather than the BacPro that his friend is doing, because they say he has the ability.
I have 2 teenagers - going into 5eme and 3eme, who have good moyens, the eldest of whom wants to do medicine, they love it here.

Chris

PS I was talking about you with Syvain Bourdet on Saturday - it was funny that he mentioned you and I immediately knew who he was talking about from your previous postings on here, even though we have never met!!!

 

 

 

 

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I think one needs to be very cautious about encouraging parents to move teenagers to France especially over the age of fourteen, unless the teenager has an absolute desire to do so and a history of strong academic ability.

The risks are very real and I certainly would not want the responsibility of encouraging a potentially disruptive move at such a critical time in an average teenagers education, if it did not work out as hoped.

You may not think your children are exceptional, but your elder daughter who is trilingual and going to start a masters degree and of whom you are rightly proud, is certainly well above average. 

Incidentally, the French University system is not currently well regarded internationally, with the highest rated French University placed at number 45 by world ranking. Something that the new President NS has pledged is his first priority to rectify. 

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Incidentally, the French University system is not currently well regarded internationally, with the highest rated French University placed at number 45 by world ranking. Something that the new President NS has pledged is his first priority to rectify. 

And the French have a cheek to say our UK based qualifications are not worthy of theirs.

A friend with a french au pair was astounded recently when the au pair believed her Licence was better than a UK masters degree 'as all french qualifications are obviously higher.'  I wonder what it is about the french that makes them believe in these things, it seems a national trait. :-)

I would be nervous of introducing 13/14 years into France with no language skills.

Deby

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Hi Chris

Sylvian is a great guy - as is his dad.  We have bought all our vehicles from him, including Rebecca's first car, a 15 year old Renault 5.  I got a nice Laguna from him last year, first car I'd ever bought without my OH checking it over!  He's certainly nothing like your stereotype car salesman. 

Do you live in Carentan or further out?  We are in town now, close to the train station.  Where does your son go to school?  Our youngest 2 were at Notre Dame,in Carentan, before going to Institut St Lo.  They were really helpful, arranging extra french lessons etc.  The English teacher there (sadly he was transferred to Caen) even arranged for our middle child to meet up with his daughter who was the same age, as he was worried she was lonely. 

Glad to hear your 2 are happy.  It makes such a difference - to you all!

 

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Hi Deby,

Do you have teenagers?  I am curious as to why would you be nervous of introducing 13/14 year olds into France with no language skills?  There are many people who have done so successfully and given their children opportunities they otherwise wouldn't have been exposed to.  Each child reacts differently and we had a back up plan if ours had found it too difficult.  Perhaps one of the problems with British nationals is we are too scared of taking a chance, especially where another language is concerned.  It's one of the things I love about the French in general - they are so confident and proud of their heritage.  When I compare our 3 to teenagers of friends in UK, I am so glad they had the chance to live here.  It was certainly not easy in the beginning but if ours can do it, then so can others.  

My husband had been an academic all his working life, until we moved to France. Where ever you go, that system thinks they are better than any other.  Speak to any UK academic and they will say the system there is still  the best in the world.  One of the reasons our eldest didn't want to go to Canada is because many European universities wont accept north american degrees, yet speak to anyone in Canada and they will say their education system is fantastic.  I am not sure where this survey was conducted regarding the french university system, but my husband is still asked to be part of the jury who decide whether to award a Phd when it is defended by the candidate, here in France.  He was recently in Brest and he will tell you that it is certainly much harder for a french candidate to get a Phd from that respect, than it is for one in UK or Canada, where he is also involved in post graduate research.  Our eldest's first year at Caen was exshausting but paid off when she was accepted into second year.  She certainly had more lectures and was expected to work harder than first year students in UK who are helped much more by lecturers and tutors. 

One of the reasons I stopped posting on this forum was because of all the negative comments I used to get every time I posted something positive about the education system in France and how children could cope with it.  You only have to read comments from Val2 and Chris to see we are not alone, although I do find it interesting we are all in Normandy/Brittany!  Whatever you may say, I know  that we have given our 3 a good start in life, and the fact they can now speak other languages fluently is a big bonus.  They wont be scared of taking a chance in the future, or hold themselves back by talking themselves into believing they can't do something before they even try, because they know already that they can do what many say can't be done.

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so people don't want to know that it's possible for English speaking teenagers to make it in the french education system?

How stupid of me to forget we don't do positive on this forum!

Do you have teenagers in France?

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I think you read so much in your face negative about the school system here, that it is nice to read something so positive.  I think there are lots of people on here that have very young children here and wonder whether all the stories of doom and gloom are true.  While I agree that it can be difficult for children who arrive as teenagers, in my personal experience as a teacher I have seen this year two students who came from Bosnia two years ago then aged 13 and 14, who were put down a year, and knuckled down, learnt the French, and now the eldest is off to lycée, and the second passed the tests to go into a classe europeenne despite only having started in 5ème.  Yes, I've probably seen more fail, (tbh, more the boys) but I think with determination and support from the parents, it is do-able, if the child is bright and motivated, and has had a good school career in the country of origin.  One who wants to go home and can't see the point of school, won't do so well.

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I don't care if it is 'In yer face positive' (and I don't think it is as it happens)  I think it's good to hear such a thing and the very best of luck to them.  I have 2 teenage boys in the UK so I know what a nice warm feeling it is when they both do very well .
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I also have children. In their thirties. (That doesn't make me old by the way) I too know the feeling you are talking about, don't get me wrong. 

Its the manner in which the piece was presented that I am not sure of.

The first word that came to my mind was Round Robin. Sorry if it offends.

Too much self (look at what we have achieved) information can sound very gratuitous and puts people off.

The poster remarked of how unsympathetically people have received posts by them in the past.

I can see why.

 

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I never said how unsympathetic people were to my posts in the past - I said I was fed up with only getting negative comments about immigrant teenagers attending school in France.

You seem to have missed my point entirely.  I was trying to encourage other parents who are thinking of moving to France with teenagers, not blowing our own trumpet.

I'm sorry, but as you say your children are in their thirties, I'm not sure why you are contributing to this forum anyway, as opposed to someone like ourselves who have had children go through the system and are trying to help others in the same boat.

In fact, I really am offended by your comments and think they are completely off the mark. 

 

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[quote user="trumpet"]But it does all come across as a bit of a Round Robin, circular. [/quote]

Interesting that it's a recent immigrant from AngloInfo who makes the snotty remark. [kiss]

I do remember AC50 from her previous incarnation pre-trip to Canada... 2? 3? years ago now. It's been interesting to catch up. Thanks for taking the trouble.

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Trumpet, as a relative new comer to the forum you will not remember Ac50 from the period before she moved to Canada, or her time in Canada (which was not so happy). Those of us that do are pleased to 'catch up' and hear that things are going well.

We often hear of times when moving to France has been a challenge for teenagers and parents. Its good see a different side for a change.

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Ac50 - Son will be at Faculté des Lettres Segalen inthe town centre where his sister has just finished her studies too, but its all part of the UBO which is pretty impressive although probably small by UK university sizes but then its way out west from the rest of the France. Luckily we live pretty close to Brest so know it very well and how to get around easily. I'm glad you too have had sucess here with the kids and as I said, those who want to learn and work will do so.
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I am a Teacher, all aspects of education interests me. I too relocated when my children were 14 and 15, so I was drawn to the post for that reason.

This is what I am reacting to. (One of the reasons I stopped posting on this forum was because of all the negative comments I used to get every time I posted something positive)

The remark about Anglo info was not necessary was it. I guess people want to score points in anyway they can.

I do not mean to offend. But as I said before the way a piece is written can either cause a good reaction or bad. I knew I was going to get a lambasting, that is what debate is all about.

And thank you Russet for putting me in my place. Yes, I am a newcomer.

 

 

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[quote user="trumpet"]

I do not mean to offend. But as I said before the way a piece is written can either cause a good reaction or bad. I new I was going to get a lambasting, that is what debate is all about.

And thank you Russet for putting me in my place. Yes, I am a newcomer. [/quote]

Trumpet, as someone who is not only your neighbour in France but, unbeknownst to you, was an even closer neighbour of yours in the UK, you might not have meant to offend but you did. Although for many of us our date of registration on LivingFrance appears as 23 August 2004, as it does for me, this was because of a software problem with the original site; in fact I first joined in October 2000. What I am trying to say is that many of us have been here a long time - crikey that dates me - and have seen many people come and go, with attendant problems of a lack of understanding re established members - such as AC50 - who have been members off and on for years.

Calm it lad and you will do just fine.

Sue [Www]

 

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AC thanks for such a nice "warm feeling" post. I was a lurker of this board before I joined for some time and I must say there is a somewhat downer or negativity that looms. However, most of the time I see the negativity as more of a warning to the likes of myself (about to ambark on such a journey, just like yours). I mean 'warnings' in a nice way though, as pointing out the negatives enables you to do your research better, to avoid the pitfalls. There is nothing better than learning from other peoples mistakes and avoiding what would have been a painful experience.

As others have pointed out, you are right to be proud of your kids, and bloody good on you. If it were me I would want to share such fantastic news too. Especially as some posters seem to think you are a minority, but I think you have just dispelled a few myths for some people, for that I thank you. Shout it from the rooftops as there are those of us out there that love to read things like that.

Bob

 

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