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What is it like returning to the UK ?


Deimos

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Bugbear, I am sure TU will answer for herself but what I get from her post is that she is saying that many Brits compare urban UK with rural France, its not comparing like with like.(Isn't that part of Miki's point too ?)

No doubt she stayed in France because she found somewhere she could be comfortable - thats why I live where I do and why you live where you do too I suspect. That doesn't mean that you have to be unaware of problems elsewhere in the country.

Dave, all I can say is that people really DO believe what they see on the TV programs, ask anyone who has been a member here a few years. I can remember at least two people who posted who had never even been to France and posted that they were DEFINITELY going to live here, one still posts from time to time. 

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[quote user="Teamedup"]

But Dotty you haven't had to move to an HLM in a cité and not a cat in hell's chance of a little house, another HLM, with a garden have you, or HAVE YOU?

Moving here to your own home is perceived as coming here with money, as so many can't ever envisage having that luxory. 

                                                                              ----------------------------

 

[/quote]

Yes Gary. What is HLM and why are you talking to Dotty in a derogatory manner?

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[quote user="Chris Head"][quote user="Teamedup"]

But Dotty you haven't had to move to an HLM in a cité and not a cat in hell's chance of a little house, another HLM, with a garden have you, or HAVE YOU?

Moving here to your own home is perceived as coming here with money, as so many can't ever envisage having that luxory. 

                                                                              ----------------------------

 

[/quote]

Yes Gary. What is HLM and why are you talking to Dotty in a derogatory manner?

[/quote]

Chris, I have no idea what a HLM is as I didn't post that particular answer, it was Teamedup that was being derogatory.

I do, of course accept your apology.

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To say I really do not fancy going though all this again with some one who is either deliberately taking it the wrong way or I am sorry, it really has gone miles over their head is a huge understatement.

Some of us have been through all this before with others, more than once and most have long gone I believe. So very sorry but I am not going around in circles all over again,. If you didn't understand what I had hoped might be pretty simple to comprehend, then I am only going to waste more time and those who keep harping on about the point Dave makes, I am also sorry for them also missing the point. I thought I made it clear but alas no......................................your last post shows quite effectively that you did not understand my post but there you go.

Oh and yes, I have lived near Marseille and worked out of Tower Hamlets, sadly no Wentworth on my portfolio of ex addresses though.

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Where should I go bugbear?

There is as much crap in the UK, at least where I am going to live as there is here. I accept that as part of life and will get on with it.  

 

Should you feel guilty? that is up to you. I know I often feel embarrassed these days by some 'brits in france' behaviour and I can do nothing about it either.

 

RE this board:

 

So many posts appear to me to be smug and self satisfied. I missed the yuppee times, maybe it rubbed off on most people, I don't know.  

Incidentally I realise most say that they are escaping the possession thing, whilst going on about possessions ie buying houses and land and doing them up, which makes little sense to me. 

 

I have no idea as to how this all comes over to the locals, especially when they hear that folks are buying property and land but not doing the right thing in France, ie registering their businesses, or worse scrounging off the Seçu one way or another.

 

Which brings us to a backlash. I know that I have had comments made to me recently, I don't appreciate it, we live here perfectly legally and more than pay our way. Brit behaviour everywhere in France does affect my life here.

Now here is a thought, maybe I am wrong, maybe all the brits should move to these unpopulated bits of France and bring along all their yuppiness and make these areas thrive and become some sort of new franglais nation, as it won't really be France.

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I'm sorry, I have no axe to grind with anyone who's contributed to this thread, really I don't. I do find it funny in a sort of ironic way, though, given the nature of the discussion, that someone's had to ask "What's an HLM?" ......   er...q.e.d?[:D]
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Dotty, you said you aren't well off. Well, compared to lots of french people you are. Having a mortgage means that you have means, more means than anyone who lives in HLM accommodation. These people wouldn't have a chance of a mortgage. And I did ask if you did live in an HLM.

HLM (habitation à loyer modéré) is like old council housing only it is for people on very limited incomes ie people who are not well off and if they earn more, then they have to find somewhere else to live.

 

 

 

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I was going to reply before, about HLM but wasn't sure enough of my facts.

In UK, you can live in a council house even if you become a millionaire.

In France, is it the case that access to HLM is means tested (after the event) so if I needed it now, and later became very wealthy, I would have to leave?

By the way, I know someone in Sheffield who lives in what was classed as 'hard to let' council property. It's now a very beautiful house (Georgian) and he has lived in it for 20 years, though he is wealthy now, he still pays peanuts to live in it. Mind you, he has spent a lot of money on it, but that's just a little anecdote thing.

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In theory you would have to leave. Some of these rental properties are dependant on lots of things, ie some friends had one with three bedrooms even though they only had one child. It was 'understood' that they would have more, but they didn't and had to fight like mad to keep their home. I suppose it would depend on the number of demands for accommodation as to how they deal with this.

In villages these tend to be called OPAC these days and maybe different areas have slightly different rules pertaining to them. 

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Thanks for the info. 

I don't consider myself being well off, but compared to folk living on the streets, then yes I suppose I am. But compared to my French neighbours I'm not.  What I'm trying to say is I haven't moved here having made loads of cash in the UK, bought my house for cash and decided to play at living in France, though if folk have done that then good luck to them.  I have to budget very hard each month and that is something I've chosen to do.  For me and my family, living here is, at the moment giving us a 'cleaner' way of life.  For an example, we don't have a freezer so all our food is fresh, I have space to grow my own veg and fruit and my kids are now able to converse confidantly in two languages.

I'm not saying life is perfect, you know my personal circumstances, but for the moment like some others on here I'm happy and have no intentions of returning to the UK.

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We have reached dead lock then bugbear.

IF my comments have an element of being unacceptable to you, then those (few I know) that post asking how to get free medical care or the rmi and get around paying french 'charges' are equally unacceptable to me.

 

And good for you if you care what goes on in your adopted country.

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[quote user="Teamedup"]

...................................., then those (few I know) that post asking how to get free medical care or the rmi and get around paying french 'charges' are equally unacceptable to me.

 

And good for you if you care what goes on in your adopted country.

[/quote]

Now on that point I'm totally in agreement with you.

 Drinking Red Wine 

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Gary, this isn't a question of 'targetting'.

It's a question of people simply not realising (or at the very least acknowledging) that most western, developed democratic nations have the same 'social' problems, and that 'running' from one to another country doesn't mean those problems don't exist in the country we 'run' to, just as they do in the one we left.

We can just afford or choose not to be faced with the realities of it every day, if we choose to.

The same effect could possibly be achieved by not having a TV or a newspaper in UK, or talking to anyone (neighbours etc) about current events.

I suspect this is an option that sits happily with many people here, but how many of those people would honestly say they cancelled their TV License and  daily papers before leaving the UK?

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>>not people like us.<<

But isn't that the point ? The forum is not full of people 'like you' its a diverse group - people with all sorts of attitudes and circumstances are forum members and people with all sorts of circumstances and attitudes move to France, that is clear from this thread.

There does seem to be a group who move from urban GB, where they perceive their life as being stressed or dreadful or they are just tired of it, to rural France where naturally enough they experience an entirely different way of life which they prefer, all that is fine but among those people are a few that persist in telling everyone just how wonderful France is, without any knowledge (or sometimes interest) in anything other than their own patch.(and sometimes not even that)

Thats a bit like me saying England's wonderful when I live in Piddlehinton (for example, I don't live there) and don't read the papers or watch the news.

 

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[quote user="Russethouse"]

But isn't that the point ? The forum is not full of people 'like you' its a diverse group - people with all sorts of attitudes and circumstances are forum members and people with all sorts of circumstances and attitudes move to France, that is clear from this thread.

[/quote]

Of course it's a diverse group but that surely is why both you and I can express our opinions and question others.

and long may that continue........................................

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