By now, you’ve probably read this popular CNN article that has been shared extensively over the past couple of weeks. It features an American couple in their mid-70s who moved to France from California a little over a year ago. “Frustrated and exhausted,” they decided to move back to the U.S. after realizing that France wasn’t what they expected.
I shared the article on my Facebook page and just like the comments on the article itself, my comment section was full of judgment and ridicule. It’s easy to see why. The couple, Joanna and Ed, made a bunch of mistakes and I’d like to share my thoughts with you.
Credit: www.shutterstock.com/ fizkes
I won’t sugarcoat this. Moving abroad IS frustrating and exhausting… some days moreso than others. It’s not a cake walk and anyone who is expecting all sunshine and unicorns needs to adjust their expectations.
Over the years, I’ve faced a ton of challenges along the way and it’s not for the faint of heart. I’ve said many times that I wouldn’t have moved abroad the second time (for good) if I wasn’t married to a French guy. I had the living abroad in France experience the first time to teach English and was grateful for it but was OK moving back to my life in the U.S. after.
Do not underestimate how much a move abroad to France (or anywhere) can rock your world, sense of self, confidence, and a billion other things.
Now all that said, moving to France was one of the best decisions of my life, the most rewarding, a catalyst for personal growth, and I have zero regrets.
I’m going to break down my commentary on the article into two sections:
General thoughts and then my reaction to a few of the specific reasons they cite for struggling.
Credit: Shutterstock.com/bellena
General Thoughts
1. Culture shock is a real phenomenon and manifests in different ways. It can take several years to truly settle in somewhere. You’ll feel foreign and out of place. Everything seems strange and abnormal. Be ready for this to come in waves. Some of what I was reading in the article can be attributed to culture shock as well as having majorly unrealistic expectations.
2. Keep in mind that articles are edited and rarely do we ever have the full story about someone’s life. Quotes can be taken out of context or edited in a certain way. We can’t judge until we’ve walked in someone’s shoes.
Real people are always on the other end of the comment section and I think we can still offer feedback and be critical while still being kind.
Joanna and Ed are real people going through a hard time and if I were them reading the comment section, I’d feel even worse. Did this couple do everything right? FAR from it. Do they deserve the criticism? Maybe. But do they deserve the nastiness? No.
Yes, they opened themselves up to judgment by putting themselves out there, but wow, I’m so tired of people being ugly online.
3. You’re not a failure if you move back home. I think that’s a problematic way to look at things and I hate seeing articles and people in general saying that if you move home after living abroad, that you’ve somehow failed.
That mentality is exactly why people don’t talk about it! Because when they do, they get raked over the coals and judged. OK, maybe this couple did more things wrong than most, but still.
Anyway, the first reason I don’t consider it failure is because learning is never failure. You took a chance. You tried something new. You made somewhere your home. You learned from it. Then you made a change. Knowing yourself well enough to move on from a situation that isn’t working should actually be applauded. It’s better than staying somewhere and either settling or being miserable.
Second, it positions living abroad in France or anywhere as some sort of prize or paradise that everyone is aspiring to. It paints the living abroad experience as superior to all else as if it’s hands down the best choice to improve anyone’s life everywhere. That’s just not the case.
Plenty of people have no interest in moving abroad and are perfectly happy where they are. Also, you can take a dozen people from a similar demographic and plop them into the same foreign city and they’re going to have 10 completely different experiences. Some of them won’t be great. None of them are failures.
I think it’s dangerous to fall into this mindset that everyone who lives abroad has somehow won the life lottery. Or that living abroad is inherently better for everyone. It’s so much more nuanced than that. I use that word a lot but it’s true. Let me leave this point there or this will be a 10,000-word post.
Credit: www.shutterstock.com/Yulia Grigoryeva
A couple of the specific struggles they mentioned:
1. They didn’t make an effort to learn the language.
About the language, Joanna says, “I have been so busy packing, unpacking, assembling furniture etc. that I haven’t really found time to hunker down and start (learning French),” she admits. “It was always on my list but (I) just couldn’t find the time.”
Learning French is crucial if you want to live here long term. Read that again. No, you don’t have to speak French perfectly by any means (I sure as hell don’t!), but learning enough to have a sense of ease in daily life and being able to participate in the world around you is absolutely essential for a happy life here. That’s just my opinion but I stand by it.
That said, many foreigners don’t learn French and some do just fine but I’d argue that being conversational is the bare minimum.
HOW MANY HOURS A DAY CAN YOU PACK/UNPACK AND ASSEMBLE FURNITURE?? This is one of the MAJOR issues that I feel led to the couple being unhappy. How the heck can you do anything without speaking passable French? It doesn’t even seem like they made learning the language a priority and this is mistake numéro une. They thought they could get by just fine without speaking French. Mais non!
Make the time to focus on French language learning. You can’t possibly be “busy” all of your waking hours. It’s a matter of priorities and learning French should have been at the top of the list.
Will speaking French ensure that you’ll have French friends or a social life? No, but it is a prudent first step in the right direction.
Maybe this is an uncharacteristically harsh take, but if you have no intention of learning French to at least a conversational level, you shouldn’t move!
2 . All the rules and regulations
“Joanna was continually bewildered by the rules and regulations when dealing with seemingly simple things, such as setting up a French bank account.”
Yes, there’s a lot to get used to. No argument there. Setting up a bank account requires you to make an appointment ahead of time and have a bunch of paperwork, that is if the bank even accepts Americans (due to FATCA reporting requirements, some banks don’t want the headache).
This can all be overwhelming and when you add in everything else, the stress can get the best of you. This ties into what I said above about culture shock. So much is different. The sooner we accept that all these strange and annoying things are how they are and just deal with them, the happier we’ll be. Screaming into a pillow helps. So does researching everything in advance so you know what to expect and can mentally prepare.
3. They didn’t like the food
“People go, ‘Oh my god, the French food is so fabulous,’” she says. “Yeah, if you want to eat brie, pâté, pastries and French bread all day long,” she says. “But who eats like that?”
She goes on to say the produce wasn’t great either.
My initial thoughts were to balk at this because there are amazing farmers’ markets and produce/food in general is pretty good. But depending on where you live and what you’re looking for, you may have to seek it out.
My local Intermarché has subpar produce and if you go on a Monday, everything is wilted from the weekend and there are no deliveries until Tuesday. Produce in France is by the season so don’t expect to find ripe strawberries in January. If you never go to markets, not all supermarkets have consistently great produce.
But I think you have to go deeper. French restaurants are becoming more adventurous and most cities have different ethic cuisine and vegetarian fare. Overall, my experience with French food has been pretty good, so this one left me puzzled.
4. Importing a car was a “nightmare”
Never, under any circumstance, should you import your vehicle. You don’t have to look far online to read people’s horror stories. One of my readers shared her cautionary tale of trying to import her RV (paperwork and trying to figure out the emissions issues, customs, and all that has cost her well into the 5 figures and the mess still isn’t sorted).
Just avoid the headache and don’t do it. Unless you have unlimited funds and patience. France sells cars. Nice ones too. Look into one of those instead. 😉
5. Couldn’t find a doctor
“You have to find a general practitioner who will take you on as a patient,” says Joanna. “Well, we went to like six doctors. (They all said) ‘We don’t take new patients… ‘We don’t take new patients. We don’t take new patients.’
This was my experience as well and if you’re someone with health concerns, it can be anxiety inducing. Some areas are “medical deserts” (yes, even decent size cities) and it can be really tricky to get a doctor to take you on as a new patient.
Bottom line
I don’t think there was one straw that broke the camel’s back, but instead a bunch of things that inevitably led to the couple hating life here and regretting their move to France in the first place. Culture shock was a major factor too.
A bunch of their struggles could have been avoided if they had been more prepared — the biggest of which was to dedicate time to learning the language — and adjusted their expectations. But you live and learn… and they decided to do so pretty publicly.
Before writing this blog post, a FB reader asked me what I thought about the article and here’s what I said:
“First, I think life is too short to be unhappy. I applaud them for trying something new and then realizing they aren’t happy here and considering a move back to the US. There is no shame is moving back and it’s not failure to do so. I don’t look at France as a “prize” or “dream life” or any other romanticized notion people have.
It’s a real place and being able to “stick out” France isn’t a good measure of one’s character. Life is about feeling fulfilled and happy. That’s the real prize, so no judgment from me. We all want different things out of life.
All that said, I think moving abroad can be really hard and made even harder if you don’t speak the language and are not actively working to learn it. Even if you do know the language, as they pointed out, there are aspects of life here that can get really tiring depending on a lot of factors, many of which are out of our control.
And one headache leads to another and before you know it, you end up hating everything and seeing problems everywhere you go.
Should they have adjusted their expectations, made learning French a priority, and done 100 other things better? Yes, absolutely yes. But you don’t know what you don’t know. This comment section is full of judgment and light on empathy so that’s why people don’t usually speak up about their hard times.
I first came here alone for work and then moved back to the US when my contract was up. I was happy with my France experience and didn’t expect to move back here long term. I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t have a French spouse! When there’s a lack of ease in life, it can be really tough especially when problems compound. There’s not much ease when getting set up abroad, so I feel for them.
I’ve always believed that talking about the not so great sides is super important, as is doing your research, but a lot of times we can’t truly prepare for a big life change and predict how it will be. Learning French is an ongoing process that never ends and my French will always be far from perfect.
It took me 7 years before a GP in my area (hour radius) would take me as a new patient. My local grocery store doesn’t have great produce to be honest. The bureaucracy can be a pain. None of these are dealbreakers. But they can be major wrenches is one’s plans and contribute to an overall less than ideal experience when you’re already dealing with so much. There’s a lot to get used to.
I wish this couple the best on wherever life takes them next.”
I stand by what I said above but at the same time can’t stress enough how important it is to do your research before your move. I’ve written about the not so great aspects of life abroad at length so I won’t rehash all of it here, but read this, this, this, and this, for starters.
I also believe that for many people, visiting France is a better choice than moving here. You know yourself best and what you want out of life.
If you’re getting all kinds of rosy info from content from people who have a vested interest in your move (people who offer a visa or handholding service, paid moving abroad consults, courses on if moving is right for you, etc.), put even more effort into finding stories from people who didn’t like life abroad, people who moved elsewhere, people who are from a different way of life than you, different age/stage of life, etc. I can’t shout that from the rooftops enough.
It’s not that those people are wrong or that their experiences are invalid. It’s that it’s just one point of view.
Do yourself a favor and take your time, do your research, and always have a backup plan.
***
What do you think?
I could not agree with you more, Diane!!! I know I romanticize France, and I admit it. I have visited as long as two months at a time and love every minute of it. And my limited French and a big smile and politeness take me a long way. But I know I am not prepared to move to France full time. YET. My friend described me as an optimistic realist and I agree. I followed their story a bit and I understand why it wasn’t the life for them. However, they definitely did not fail! They experienced something few of us will ever experience. They should be proud and brag about their adventure! Good for them!
Thanks for taking the time to read my post, Julia. Keep coming to visit France and the next steps will present themselves when the time is right. I hope Joanna and Ed are proud of their adventure and learned a ton about themselves and how to handle a move abroad in case they ever want to try again (or stay).
We too have considered moving to France in our mid 70’s. Our desire to leave the US enhanced by recent politics. We have spent 3-4 months a year in France. We learned the language and read it better than we speak. But while the French wouldn’t consider us fluent, they value our attempts and find our pronunciations humorous. One of the advantages of living in France is not being invested in their politics. And far enough from ours to avoid being. overwhelmed. Finally we decided to continue to come to France 4-5 months a year.
I think spending a few months a year in France on an extended vacation is a great compromise!
Honestly they were expecting something not based in reality. I feel for them because they didn’t get the result they were hoping for but to make zero effort to learn the language or take help from other expats is just foolish.
Making an effort to learn at least conversational French would have made the experience SO much better.
I hold to the adage “what you get out of something is what you put into it.” My main issue with this couple, or at least how the article portrayed them, was what I call “American Exceptionalism” – that (1) as if somehow, all admin and daily tasks would magically just flow – “figuring it out” in a new country with a different culture and language is, to me, dismissive of the country and region to which they moved. Bureaucratic nightmares abound in every country, why would France be different?
and (2) not bothering to learn French (or whatever the local language is) is something I have seen in some people attempting to move France (or any country for that matter) and it baffles me. Also, I am baffled by their comments about the lousy food and poor quality produce. I suspect that the cities have a weekly farmer’s market? Nîmes and Montpellier aren’t exactly small villages. For us, we don’t shop for produce in the local supermarket, we go to the weekly farmer’s market; France does often abound in options beyond just the supermarket.
A friend of ours, whose family were Bosnian refugees in France in the early 1990s during the Bosnian war, said to me years ago, “Look, you don’t want to feel isolated in your adopted country. It’s why my family worked so hard to learn French, even though it was a huge culture and language shock coming from Bosnia.” Maybe it’s also the difference between feeling like an ex-pat vs an immigrant?
For me, more than anything, it is also respect – to respect the new culture enough to understand that there are differences in culture and traditions, to try to learn the language, no matter how imperfectly, to try to interact with the locals, to show interest in the community, and to be respectful of the fact that the country, village, and community do not owe it to you to make you comfortable, but that with time (years! I agree, it takes years!), patience, fortitude, commitment, and just plain curiosity, it can happen organically. Of course it’s ok if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t click, if you just don’t have the time and energy for the effort. But to be clear, that isn’t usually the fault of the new country, it’s just that you prefer the customs, culture, and habits of your home country. That’s ok and totally understandable. And for those without the option to go back to their home country, and I have met quite a few, it is also very humbling to hear their stories and to acknowledge that for many of us, being able to “go home” is a luxury.
Also: WE IMPORTED OUR CAR!! I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT! 🙂 But we did it because it was, for us, a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new or used car in France. Our car is over 5 years old, so in terms of fees, taxes, etc, it made financial sense. HOWEVER, what we saved in costs we definitely underestimated the sheer time, energy, willpower, and determination that we would need to get though it! Also, a 90 Euro ticket for expired temporary plates. But hey, we laugh about it, our French friends think we’re nuts for having even tried it, the local dealership (it’s a European car by origin) said it’s the first Americanized European car they’ve ever serviced, and I’m glad that we did do it because we can dine on those stories for years to come. Also, heated seats. But seriously, I’ll be happy if I never hear about DREAL, UTAC, RTI or any other lettered agency associated with cars. 🙂 We just paid our 90 Euro ticket to ANTAI so I hope they go away too. Still waiting on the final carte grise, but hey, no rush, ANTS! (ha ha ha) 🙂
Also: doctors. My parents live in a medical desert in Pennsylvania. This issue is not particular to just France or Europe. Many doctors in PA and even in NYC are not accepting new patients or there are simply not enough doctors to get appointments in under 3-4 months. My family in FL and PA are suffering from these issues, and we have too in NYC.
Hi Joanna, thanks for your thoughtful comment (as always). 😉 Yup, not learning the language was the beginning of the end. Frustrations from not being able to communicate seep into every area of life and then everything snowballs. Also, my point in mentioning the medical desert wasn’t to say it doesn’t happen in other countries like the US, but to point out it happens in France too. I think people hear how wonderful French healthcare is, and yes it’s great but not without its flaws, and that it’s pretty common to have long wait times and have trouble in some areas finding a GP.
Oh, I agree! I apologize, my comment about the medical deserts in the US wasn’t directed at you, but rather those, like this couple, who don’t realize that exactly like you said, FR healthcare has its pros and cons, and that’s normal. I guess I was trying to say that sometimes, Americans believe that the US is better than France in terms of healthcare access but often, it’s similar…
Totally understand and agree! Just wanted to point out the medical deserts In France because people assume everything is perfect here and that’s not the case. France is a real place!
All I can say is, Mon Dieu! I feel bad for this couple—especially if they got nasty comments. It’s like someone kicking you when you’re down.
I agree with everything you say. It sounds to me like this couple eventually got so overwhelmed that they developed another all-encompassing problem—a bad attitude. And when you see everything through that lens, everything turns bad. Their biggest problem, in my opinion, was making no effort to learn French, and then coming up with excuses for not making this a priority. Come on, folks. Make an effort! During my recent trip to France, my attempts to have conversations in French were met with such appreciation and kindness. (I used to speak French fluently, but hadn’t spoken it in 40 years!) Also, frankly, this couple’s comments about French food pissed me off a bit. Again, with the negative attitude, and dismissive comments about brie and bread. I lived in France (in Aix) for a year as a student, and even the food in the student cafeteria was amazing. And the food we ate on our recent trip was amazing. And the produce we saw in the many farmers’ markets looked amazing. We were not only in Paris, but all around southern France, including Arles, which, as you know, is not too far from Nimes. I do totally empathize with the cultural differences this couple experienced. I think better research and more realistic expectations would have helped. Some things, you just have to accept. Like the difficulties in finding a doctor and getting a bank account. This is just a lousy reality of a different culture, with perhaps a more labyrinthine bureaucracy to navigate. I understand that the social isolation is very real. I experienced the difficulty of making French friends when I lived there. But, oh my, all the wonderful aspects of life in France! For me, they far outweighed any of the difficult stuff I had to deal with, living there. I think, though, that if you’re viewing France through the opposite of rose-colored glasses—like this couple—you’ll have a less than rosy experience.
Yeahhhhh, they know they made mistakes and don’t deserve to be kicked when they’re down. No one does. I think a bad case of culture shock that turns into homesickness can morph into resentment and contempt and then you end up hating everyone and everything.
I agree that this couple didn’t “Fail” per se but they were absolutely thoroughly unrealistic and totally unprpared for this major life change. The facct that they couldn’t be bothered to take immersion classes in French so they hae a least a rudimentary handle on the langauage was unforgivable. Did they think everyone would siimply speak to them in English?! Or that the many beauocrats have the desir or time to cater to two Americans? The whole food/produce attitude is absurd and untrue. France has the most amazing fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables, whether bought at the numerous outdoor marches or supermarches. And her comment about eating only “cheese, bread, wine, chocolate” etc. is again, so ludicrous. What France is she in? Clearly these two retirees didn’t research anything, from the nightmare or transporting their American car to health care. Not that they deserved their difficulties but their lack of prep and naivete in general aren’t suited to living anywhere but California. That whole frozen yogurt remark said it all for me (BTW, I by frozen yogurt in Picard and other supermarches. It’s not TCBY or whatever but still…)..
Totally agree that some more research was needed. A real mismatch between expectations and reality. Glad they realized it wasn’t for them and made a change.
I know a few people who have made a go of it here and for various reasons had to move back. Sometimes it just wasn’t a good fit. Sometimes life happened and they had to go back because of family matters. They all learned something in the process and had at least a viewpoint of “well it was an experience I am had to have had”
This couple… sigh. Maybe if they hadn’t also done an almost identical interview a couple of years ago about living in the UK. Maybe if they didn’t come across like influencers wanting to happen. Maybe if they actually tried to make the situation work (and didn’t keep one foot propping the exit door the entire time with a rent controlled apartment back “home” (which in and of itself is a major violation they should not have publicized). Maybe I’d feel sorry for them. Or at least have empathy. But to willfully do everything wrong and refuse to do anything to make things easier (refusing to learn the language AND refusing to interact with people in similar circumstances that could help? That’s…oof).
I wish them well but I suspect they will never be happy no matter where they are and in two years we will have another interview complaining about how horrible an experience living in X was.
I hope they’ll find happiness or atleast whatever they were looking for.
I couldn’t agree more with you, Diane! And I am willing to sympathize with the couple, of course, because I wouldn’t want to go back to Europe (where I originally came from) in a million years! Certainly not France. It’s not that people are bad there, but I prefer the American way of life and consciously chose it over Europe. However, I also have to say the following::
It’s a great mistake for people to idolize and idealize Europe and France in particular. When they do, it’s because they don’t know anything about the place and have been repeating hearsay they haven’t been able to confirm. The same goes for people who idealize Scandinavia! I’ve heard terrible delusional statements, my favorite of which is impressions that everyone will accommodate American expats who don’t bother to learn the language and will also invite them to participate in their social services they never paid for through their taxes! An acquaintance once suggested that, because of the political situation in the US which was not to her liking, “we should all move to Finland.”
This statement certainly reflected her arrogance that she, as an American, all she would have to do would be to simply show up in Finland and partake of what others have created and paid for. She never considered that, just showing up there, was not as easy-peasy, and, if the US can have a strict immigration law, so could Europe. Americans sit on their high chair and expect everyone to welcome them when they don’t, which is their right, but assuming that others wouldn’t have some similar law/policy, is plain arrogant.
What about health care, I asked her? She replied that, “if the US had been a decent country,” it would have an … “exchange program” with practically everyone in the world, and everyone moving to those countries would partake of that benefit as well. Well, I had news for her: not even the EU allows that for its country members, and reciprocity exists only if one goes to the ER while traveling to the other country, provided they have a health insurance card from their country of origin.
Not learning the local language, I also find arrogant and unreasonable expectation. Especially in France, where people take their cultural heritage, including their language, very seriously.
It’s really not easy, and it’s not paradise. The other country does not have the obligation to accommodate someone because that’s what they want. And it’s not because of American policy, but because the same thing happens in every country.
As for me, I made my choice a long time ago, then had to go back to my country of origin, not out of personal choice might I add, but 10 years later, there I was back in the US, and I don’t want to leave. I made an informed decision to do that because I weighed the pros and cons very carefully. In life, you win some, you lose some. The decision we make is which situation is overall better.
Sara!!! Yes, yes yes yes yes ….. all I can do is say yes. Excellent points!
Hi Sara, thanks for your take on things as a French woman. You’ve made a lot of good points. What you said about expats assuming people will cater to them is so spot on. French people are already established and living their lives so why would someone want to take time out of their day to help/get to know/learn from a foreign couple who doesn’t speak the language. Most wouldn’t lift a finger and that’s the case anywhere. We need to give more than we take and if we can’t do the bare minimum, why should others make an effort for us?
I came racing down here without reading the other comments to scream loudly one thing — WHAT A GREAT KIND TAKE. You are so balanced and real and mature in this it made me so excited. You are so so right on Diane! and this is why we love you.
Thank you for your kind words, Claudine. There’s no point in kicking someone when they’re already down (or ever).
Diane,
your comments are very good.
i migrated to Australia and i had to do all the things you said about the couple moving to France.
migrating from France was not quite a feast at first. My English was school English, the language seemed different from what i had learned at school. i asked the Australians to speak slowly to me so that i could understand, but do you think they did? No way.
food different from France, but just as good.
i agree with you, visit the country, you are a guest, move to the country then adapt to the culture of the new country. Australia, Canada (where i live now), USA are countries full of immigrants. they all have to get used to the culture and many succeed well.
and i agree with you. the couple did not failed, they learned and grew wiser from the experience.
for me, a native Frenchman, i hope that the couple will return to france and having learned from the first experience, they will enjoy the second time around.
thank you.
jean Barrucand.
HI Jean, thanks for your perspective. I hope the couple tries out France again but with a renewed, more prepared perspective the second time around. Thx for reading 😉
At 65 I came to france to spend a year living in a European country, for the experience and a a long vacation. I brought two suitcases and two dogs. I had a long stay one-year visa, and it was my intention to return to California. I had visited France several times for 2-3 months, enjoyed it, so chose France as my “long vacation.” I knew a few words in French, but could not actually speak French. I settled in a small village in the south, made a couple of English speaking friends, and within a few months had decided to stay indefinitely. I worked my way through bank account (with help from an American friend), buying a car, extending my visa, etc. Its now been 16 years, I’m still working on my French (I have trouble understanding what people say), and intend to spend the rest of my life here. I have no idea why this couple ate nothing but brie and pate, I seldom buy it or have it served to me. I now live near Avignon, and there are good “supermarkets” which sell local fresh produce, an excellent weekly markets. I find the produce much fresher than cheaper than when I visit in California. Restaurant meals are cheaper or on par, and tipping is not necessary, especially at lunch. I’m very happy with my medical care and its low or no cost. I think one piece of advice that would have helped the unhappy couple would have been to plan to stay one year, not import a car (madness! there are cars already here), and take a few french classes. Its much easier to return “home” if you were treating your stay as temporary, its much easier to turn a limited time visit into a longer one, than it is to back away from a full on move.
bonnie in provence, formerly in san diego
Hi Bonnie, thanks so much for sharing your perspective. I’m so happy life in Provence is treating you well. 😉
If you move to a different country, expect it to be _a different country_.
Anyone expecting a different country to either be like their home country or to accommodate their previous lifestyle is in for a rude awakening.
Personally, I think it is disrespectful and arrogant to expect a new country to provide you with a good life when you are unwilling to even learn its language, let alone learn and live according to its culture, customs and policies.
I am an American living in France for the last five years and I find the benefits of living here to be well worth the effort it takes to acclimate to my new home. That being said, I knew I was heading into the unfamiliar and that I would have to learn and adapt, but I still hadn’t considered how much I would be starting over from scratch, and that is exactly what it is. From finding the right toothpaste to learning road signs to opening a bank account–it is all takes figuring it out all over again. Little French pre-schoolers know more than I do about how to live here! But that’s okay because every issue is a learning experience, every win no matter how small is a victory, and every interaction solidifies my place here. I appreciate everything that life in France affords me and in return, I make the effort to be a good citizen. Learning the language is a given.