I get a lot of questions about what I enjoy about living in France, and what I miss about being stateside. The truth is, there’s a lot of pros and cons on both sides, so I decided to put a list together. Not included on these lists are the obvious, the questions that make me roll my eyes when asked: yes, I moved to France to be with Christophe, so he is the first reason why I like living in France; yes, I miss my family and friends terribly; no, this was not an easy decision; yes, I miss my job; yes, it’s hard to leave after our annual Christmas visit; and yes, I wonder and sometimes hope that we’ll move to the United States. Until then:
Top 10 Things I Like About Living in France
1. Universal Healthcare.
2. Food Diversity.
3. Cheeses.
4. The patrimony, gastronomic and otherwise.
5. The scenery can dramatically change within minutes, which makes road trips interesting.
6. At times, there is absolutely no concern for “the rules”; even the most law abiding citizen disregards them at one time or another.
7. People still use and swear by folkloric methods and old wives’ tales. This explains why I sometimes see staples in trees.
8. Okay, okay I admit it: the wine.
9. I can take wild mushrooms to the pharmacy and they can tell me if I can eat them or not.
10. There is no Target.
Top 10 Things I Don’t Like About Living in France
1. Bank charges – for everything.
2. Losing my humor. (It’s not that I don’t find things funny, it’s just that language makes things difficult. By the time I get the joke and formulate a response, the moment has passed.)
3. There are taxes on taxes, literally.
4. “Customer service” is non-existent. Don’t expect help with a defective product after it’s purchased. You’re on your own.
5. Everyone takes vacation at the same time.
6. Stores are closed between noon and 2 pm.
7. Strikes; and bowling is not popular here.
8. Toilet paper does not come with the phrase “number of sheets or yard length included”, so there is no comparing a regular roll to a jumbo roll. This gets me upsets every time I go shopping.
9. The French could be a bit ridged with their language. Try speaking a few phrases to a French person and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
10. There is no Target.
The seeing staples in trees *could* be related to the wine. Or the mushrooms. Just sayin'. And yes, I can totally see the Target conundrum.
ReplyDeleteActually, the staples in the trees is to prevent a new branch from growing where one has been cut off. Staples are placed in the stump and viola! No new branches! Honestly, there is a lot related to the wine... and the mushrooms. Just sayin'.
ReplyDelete