New to forum, not new to France

[Proxima]

Hi all, and what a lovely warm welcoming atmosphere this forum has. I've been reading through a LOT of the threads and a ton of other info relating to France and just had to sign up.. got a few things I need to get off my chest, so to speak.

I had previously lived in France, in my own place, for roughly 3 years. I loved it, but getting legal work was always a problem. Eventually I had to sell up and move on..so I started my own business half way around the world where the sun always seems to be the same temperature... really hot.

Any way..long story short... the business failed due to various things (stones thrown through windows, general abuse of equipment, other anti-American behaviour (I am not American, but they failed to notice the difference)).. and now all other manner of problems have come along..like my visa expiring in about 3 weeks time..

To be honest, I'm a bit peeved.. if I had known about the information I found here http://www.livingfrance.com/expert-advice-working-red-tape--42949 I would still be in France, living and working as any other. Not one person, French or English, ever informed me of this method. I tried to sign up with temping agencies, but  my skills are not something they needed and they said I had to improve my French (be fluent in other words)... So it was a bit of a bad time.. even though I did have some work with French neighbours and in a restaurant (French owned)

Yet still, I was not aware of info in the link.

Thing is, I'd love to come back to France and give it another go. As most of those from UK who now live in France are aware, there are several reasons why I do not want to return to the UK. After the research I've been doing over the last few days, my options are very limited and France seems to offer a bit more flexibility than the UK currently does, or ever will...

Time and finances are against me. I have a few ideas about getting started (a French address is something that can be easily obtained after reading some of the threads here and expanding the research on that.. nothing illegal of course.) but it's getting a little bit of work in to get going that might be a bit more awkward.

I'm multi skilled and am a bit of an 'odd job' man...or 'jack of all trades' (master of none??) as they say.

I'd like to head towards central/southern France. Has anyone got any ideas, possibilities, advice or any other form of help they can forward?

I hope this post is within forums T+C.. I didn't realy know where to post this.

Thank you all and nice to meet you.

[Cat]

Hello Proxima [:)] 

Good legal advice is not hard to find in France, but stick with it.  I myself am pursuing a criminal prosecution at the moment, and have benefited enormously from the advice that I have been given here. 

Work on your command of the French language, you will need it.

 

 

 

[tinabee]

hi

not sure what you are asking, do you want suggestions for finding work? or starting a business? 

[woolybananasbrother]

yeah, give us a bit more to go on please.

[Proxima]

Hello and thank you for your replies.

Sorry if it seemes a bit un-clear. I didn't want it to look like i was 'advertising my services'. Basically, I need work..any kind of work at the moment.

Yes I would like my own business eventually (though I know how expensive that can be) but with a bit of luck I'll be starting out with this method;

[quote]the Chèques Emploi Service Universel (CESU) provides a really simple

structure for declaring casual part-time employment in the domestic

service sector.

The jobs that fall into this classification include working in

private houses doing general housework, domestic spring cleaning,

ironing, light gardening, baby-sitting, helping with computer problems,

washing windows, giving private lessons, doing small DIY tasks like

putting up shelves, dog walking, helping with homework, providing

companionship for handicapped and/or older people and sorting the pc.[/quote]

http://www.livingfrance.com/expert-advice-working-red-tape--42949

I'm good with computers (amongs other things), everything from building them from scratch to making basic web sites and getting them online. I'm very much the 'odd job' type.

Previously, I was given little choice but to work in the black. Although that helped, I was not happy with it (obvious reasons) and was still finding I had to commute to UK for temping agency work.

I am yet to arrive in France, or even work out where I wish to base myself, though anywhere from central to south will be ok. I've 'done' the North  :)

I will be on a really tight budget, but whatever I do, will be better than my current situation.

I hope that makes it a little more clear.

[Bugsy]

[quote user="Cat"]

I myself am pursuing a criminal prosecution at the moment, and have benefited enormously from the advice that I have been given here. 

[/quote]

Couldn't we just [kiss] and make up ?

[:)][:)]

[tinabee]

why not try house sitting, it can allow you to try out different areas at a very low cost, and some offer a small salary as well as accommodation, there are websites that advertise for house sitters

there are also other forums that allow you to advertise your services for free, where you can specify that you want to work under CESU 

[Proxima]

Thank you tinabee.. that's a good idea.

Any links for the sites that allow free adverts for operating under CESU?

Off to do a google for house sitting sites now.. no doubt many will want references.. lol.. if it's not one thing, it's another.

[cooperlola]

Proxima, you have a pm.

[tinabee]

have PM'd you

 

[Proxima]

Thank you very much coops and tina.

I've been going through some sites and a vast majority of them want me to pay up to get listed to hopefully get employed..

Sad type of business if you ask me...asking a potential employee to pay to get employed.. IMHO, it should be the house owners paying to post their vacancy especially as the majority do not pay the house sitter a penny.

Kinda defeats the object.

Yes, the idea of portage for IT side of things is another option.. I'm also qualified in the car mechanic world, but is a bit difficult to get into that in France.

First I have to re-learn all the cars parts names in French and then trying to describe a problem is a bit beyond my current capacity.. some I can do, but not all..

I have worked on a French home pc before and can quite easily navigate around a French windows OS due to years of working with pc's, so that is not a bad field to get into.

There's a thread about a camp site which has caught my eye too..I'm about to add a further comment there as what has been suggested by the OP is in my range of skills too.

Thank you once again for your input.

[woody234]

what country did you go to where they chuck stones through windows and they do not like americans, was it canada or brazil

[Llantony]

You might get work fixing cars for Brits, but I suppose you'd still need to learn the name for parts so you could buy them!  Ideal way would be to get a job in a garage, you'd learn pretty fast then.

[Proxima]

Woody, I'm all the way around the other side.. way over in the Asia area.. almost on top of the equator.

Llantony, yes fixing and servicing cars is not a big problem, neither is getting spares from dealers or from breakers.

What's most annoying is the price of some of the parts for cars. A french made Bosal rear exhaust box was close to 300 Euros, where as the same part in the UK would cost you about 60 pounds.

Getting to know the parts is not so much the problem..that wont take too long. I've been able to describe the function or placement of certain bits to ask for what I need in dealers/breakers.. as for working in a garage would take a bit more practice..trying to explain a particular problem on a car.. also I'm a bit short on the ability to cart all my tools all over  the place.. but that'll come in time.

It's all a bit of a mess and I'll be starting from scratch almost. I know it'll all come together again sometime.