Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

21/11/2007, 19:53 Jura Joined on 28/11/2005 Posts 805 Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome My sons were of school age when we came here, yet they were denied access to schooling when actually going to school would have helped them improve their french.  My son chooses to stay here and work at it; he wants to be with his family and continue trying to integrate here. He is learning French, he is looking for work. My other son hated France so chose to leave. I support them both. Di, take heed. Your daughter will have no future here going by the way she feels. And unless you profess a profound love of this country, no expat wherever you live will accept you either.          Report

21/11/2007, 20:00 Jura Joined on 28/11/2005 Posts 805 Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome Raindog, one other thing. We live just north of the Spanish border where the people prefer to speak english, catalan and french rather than Spanish. In Sweden the people in the majority learn a second langauge...english. And can function in such without any ill feeling. In Italy...well, they don't use their langauge as a tool to isolate newcomers like the French do. As we have found. I can find a host of things to 'whinge' about France without bringing language into it. I pay a fortune in taxes here so I am entitled to express my opinions about France as a taxpayer in France.    Report

21/11/2007, 20:34 Rose Joined on 06/02/2007 Dordogne (24) Posts 842 Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome  Di wrote: We are seriously considering moving to south-west France with a reluctant teen, when she finishes GCSE's at 16. Hi Di - your questions seems to have prompted a rather heated exchange of views!  I've been watching with interest and usually just watch from the sidelines and say nothing rather than enter someone else's fight but... then I thought perhaps I would give you our view of France? We've been here just 3 months and I have to say we have been surprised by the welcome we have received from neighbours, in our local village and our son's school.  We spoke enough French to get by when we arrived and it has improved 10 fold over the last 12 weeks!  We've been invited for drinks at each of our neighbours house, I've made a few friends at the school - even been for coffee with one mum and just this weekend we've been invited to a dinner party being organised by all 3 sets of our neighbours to welcome us to France... we've been overwhelmed by how kind everyone has been.   I'm sad to hear that Jura has had other experiences but I have to say we haven't found this?  maybe we're lucky? My question to you would be... what does your daughter honestly feel about moving to France?  I think only you and she can decide what is right but if you're asking what others would do... I would wait.   Our son was 8 when we moved and we felt this was as old as he could be if we were to make the move... it we hadn't done it when we did we would have waited for retirement.  Some people would question if 8 was too old but thankfully he seems to be flourishing and we are confident we made the right decision. Perhaps you should sit down with the family and make a big list of what you would gain from moving to France and what you would lose... I suspect at 16 your daughter would be losing quite a lot... but only she can tell you... Finally, we started planning our move 18 months in advance and the time flew by... maybe waiting just a few more years wouldn't be so bad?      Report

21/11/2007, 21:28 Bugsy Joined on 15/11/2006 Vienne (86) Posts 4,175 Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome  pale pink specs wrote:  Di wrote: We are seriously considering moving to south-west France with a reluctant teen, when she finishes GCSE's at 16. Hi Di - your questions seems to have prompted a rather heated exchange of views!  Only because Jura stuck her nose in..............................again. "Life is Short - Forgive Quickly - Love Truly - Laugh Uncontrollably........ and get yourself an Apple Mac".    Report

21/11/2007, 21:34 Rose Joined on 06/02/2007 Dordogne (24) Posts 842 Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome  Bugbear wrote:  pale pink specs wrote:  Di wrote: We are seriously considering moving to south-west France with a reluctant teen, when she finishes GCSE's at 16. Hi Di - your questions seems to have prompted a rather heated exchange of views!  Only because Jura stuck her nose in..............................again.    Report

21/11/2007, 23:47 Eos Joined on 10/09/2007 Leinster / Herault Posts 185 Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome  Bugbear wrote:  pale pink specs wrote:  Di wrote: We are seriously considering moving to south-west France with a reluctant teen, when she finishes GCSE's at 16. Hi Di - your questions seems to have prompted a rather heated exchange of views!  Only because Jura stuck her nose in..............................again. I know now, after posting in another thread and getting beaten about the head, that some of you seem to have had an unpleasant history with Jura. However, I feel that she is, like all the rest of us on this forum new or old, entitled to an opinion, especially as in this case views were asked for and her comments, extreme or otherwise, have a validity. Right, I'm hitting post now having dithered for a good ten minutes or so!! An apology is a good way to have the last word.    Report

22/11/2007, 8:03 raindog Joined on 26/09/2007 HERAULT Posts 796 Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome  Eos wrote:  Bugbear wrote:  pale pink specs wrote:  Di wrote: We are seriously considering moving to south-west France with a reluctant teen, when she finishes GCSE's at 16. Hi Di - your questions seems to have prompted a rather heated exchange of views!  Only because Jura stuck her nose in..............................again. I know now, after posting in another thread and getting beaten about the head, that some of you seem to have had an unpleasant history with Jura. However, I feel that she is, like all the rest of us on this forum new or old, entitled to an opinion, especially as in this case views were asked for and her comments, extreme or otherwise, have a validity. Right, I'm hitting post now having dithered for a good ten minutes or so!! I've only been here a few weeks and i'm still getting to know the place (i've only really settled in on the rugby thread ) But i've noticed that whenever jura's around she seems to rub people up the wrong way and sparks fly. I suspect there must have been some sort of altercation in the past that we newcomers aren't aware of. sociability is just a big smile and a big smile is nothing but teeth    Report

22/11/2007, 8:33 andyh4 Joined on 15/06/2005 Frankfurt and Ardèche Posts 959 Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome  Jura wrote: Raindog, one other thing. We live just north of the Spanish border where the people prefer to speak english, catalan and french rather than Spanish. In Sweden the people in the majority learn a second langauge...english. And can function in such without any ill feeling. In Italy...well, they don't use their langauge as a tool to isolate newcomers like the French do. As we have found. I can find a host of things to 'whinge' about France without bringing language into it. I pay a fortune in taxes here so I am entitled to express my opinions about France as a taxpayer in France.   Jura you are of course right there are many areas of Europe that are less progressive when it comes to speaking a foreign language.  12 years of living in Germany has taught me that many of the people I come across professionally not only can but want to speak English.  12 years of living in Germany has also taught me that once I break out of the "inteligencia", there is a vast raft of German people who speak no English at all - despite it having been taught in school.  And now I find France exactly the same, you can find many professional people who can and want to speak English, but out in the sticks (where we live) it's a struggle for any of them.  We did not expect any different and maybe that's why (despite our still appalling French) we seem to be accepted and folk take time out to explain things simply and slowly, maybe occasionally throwing in a half forgotten English word to help. You have to go at least half way, and having no French and expecting the whole of France to come to your beck and call is not realistic.   But if you want the real sinner with regards shutting out foreigners wth their langauge - Try the UK.  Everyone learns at least one foreign language at school and how many can speak it later - even when they emigate??     Andy    Report

22/11/2007, 17:01 The Riff-Raff Element Joined on 23/08/2004 South Vendée - The Particularly Nice Bit Posts 1,642 Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome  andyh4 wrote: you are of course right there are many areas of Europe that are less progressive when it comes to speaking a foreign language.  12 years of living in Germany has taught me that many of the people I come across professionally not only can but want to speak English.  12 years of living in Germany has also taught me that once I break out of the "inteligencia", there is a vast raft of German people who speak no English at all - despite it having been taught in school.  And now I find France exactly the same, you can find many professional people who can and want to speak English, but out in the sticks (where we live) it's a struggle for any of them.  Seconded! Once you're off the beaten track in Sweden (ie outside of the big towns) the number of people speaking English with any degree of fluency plumets. For the simple reason, of course, that they may have been pretty good when they were 18 but after 20 years where they've had little or no practice they forget it all. Just like France. I was told that the Dutch "all speak English" when I moved there a few years ago. And professionals and those in service industries are pretty good. But try finding a plumber or mechanic who is fluent. They learn it, they don't practice it, they forget it. Jon Doust-e hameh kas doust-e hich-kas neest    Report

Page 4 of 17 (153 items) « First ... < 2 3 4 5 6 > ... Last »

France Forum » Living » French Educatio... » Re: Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome

(Quick links) Forums Home |- Search Forums |- Active Topics |- Unanswered Posts User Options |- Sign In |- Join this community |- Forgot Password About This Forum (READ ONLY) |- About This Forum Moving |- Finding/Owning French Property |- Making the Move From Outside the EU |- Long-Term Letting |- Employment Vacancies in France Legal and Finance |- French Legal Issues |- French Finance Building and Renovation |- House Renovations |-- Working with Wood Living |- Earning a Living |- Driving |- French Education |- Pets |- Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection |- French Satellite TV, French Internet and Telephone |- Health |-- Changes to Healthcare Entitlement, CPAM, CMU and Cartes Vitales |- Swimming Pools in France Owning/Running a Business |- French Artisans |- Gite Owners |- Hotel and Restaurant Owners |- B&B/Chambres d'Hôtes Owners Leisure and Pastimes |- Gardening |- Sport, Leisure and Pastimes |- Shopping |- French Antiques, Arts & Crafts |- Photography |- Motorcycling in France |- Books and Literature |- Getting Married in France |- Pregnancy and Birth French Culture |- French Food and Wine |- French Culture |- French Language |-- French Language FAQs and Useful Links |- Wildlife/Nature/Environment |- French History Travelling to/from France |- Travelling to/from France |- Latest Good Value Deals to/from France Holidays |- Holidays General Discussion |- The Complete France Post Bag |- The Lighter Side |- Other Topics |- Forum Technical Support |- Useful Links About France/French Living Regions |- HOTEL SEARCH |- Central |- North East |- North West |- Paris Ile de France |- South East |- South West |- East |- West |- Corsica and DOM-TOMs