Feeling At Home when Living in France
Published on 04 October 2007
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If you dream of upping sticks and moving to the French countryside you’re going to find that you are not alone. The number of Britons and other expatriates who have chosen to make this move is on the rise. With a beautiful landscape, charming villages and a relatively inexpensive property market, it is little wonder. Still, many Britons who make the move to France feel a bit isolated at first.
This article is about feeling at home when living in France because there are things you can do to help make the transition from living in the UK to receiving your post in France a bit easier. There are a few key tips that can ease the strain and these include: -
• Learning the language. The French like to speak their own language most of the time – fair enough! Although many French citizens do speak English they don’t make a habit of it in everyday conversation. If you’re moving to France, getting at least a handle on the language is critical. This is especially so for families with children. Unless an international school or home schooling is desired, expect your children to have to learn French quickly! This of course will make it infinitely easier on children to make friends, so it’s a good idea no matter what.
• Connecting with other expatriates. This is a fantastic way to feel a bit more at home almost instantly. There are fairly well developed expatriate communities throughout France. Finding these communities and taking part in activities and events can lessen the sense of isolation rather quickly. This route will not necessarily help you feel at home in your community, but it can lessen the feelings of homesickness considerably and remove the feelings you might occasionally have along the lines of – ‘why did I buy French property and think I could make a home in France!?’
• Meet your neighbours. This is the best way to start getting settled. Take the time to meet people in your community and work to become a part of it. Don’t expect miracles overnight, but when the right French manners come into play and patience is exercised, acceptance can follow. Key things to remember are proper greetings (bonjour monsieur, bonjour madame), eye contact and smiles. While some big-city dwellers will find this a bit odd, this is the way of life in France. Be friendly, helpful and outgoing and the French are likely to reciprocate and you’ll find living in France is so much more pleasurable.
• Join a social club or an organisation. The more people you get to know, the more at home you’ll feel. Take the time to put yourself out there. Whilst it is quite feasible that many French will still see you as an “outsider” after a decade, they’ll be more receptive to you if you connect on a common level.
Blending into the French community as a British expatriate might not be completely achievable, still, with patience and perseverance, living in France can be a rewarding and delightful experience.
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