Posts Tagged ‘French Life’

France is the world leader in tourism and lots of people would agree that it is a most attractive country. But vacations can be very different from actually residing somewhere. However, although money is still a difficult area for many of us, it doesn’t seem to have stopped people leaving the U.K. to experience living in France.

The English person’s most easily accessible part of “abroad”, France is a truly beautiful country with very varied landscapes and cultures. It’s sometimes referred to as being like the England of the’50’s, but this isn’t the whole story. It’s now a very modern country with its huge telecommunications industry and wide internet usage.

And the language? Well, of course there’s been a tradition of learning French in British schools. While this has produced some real lovers of the French language, many British people still almost boast of a national weakness in foreign language learning.

Others believe that they will be visited by an ability to speak French once they live amongst the French. In fact some French people also believe it and this can give rise to many difficulties for English speaking ex-patriots in France. I find it very frustrating that some French people quite clearly believe that I’m rather stupid in every aspect of life because I don’t speak perfect French! Of course, these are usually people who have never had to learn any foreign language.

It’s vital to make plans to learn to communicate in French. This isn’t about learning verb conjugations or lists of prepositions; it’s about understanding and using everyday vocabulary and phrases. The more you learn of these and some of the “etiquette” of France (such as greetings as you enter a shop, etc), the more confident you’ll become about learning and using others. Confidence is important and enables you to take some risks and to improve constantly. It will certainly get a good reception from the French who applaud attempts to learn their language.

And it’s this attitude that is important in making a success of living in France.

It’s difficult to let go of inhibitions and to try really using French, but it is an important factor in improving your skills. So think about this when planning your language work.

For some people this isn’t an issue and they will try, try and try again to make themselves understood by gestures, words and other means. They will probably get a French lesson in return as the other person tells them the French words for what they want.

For those who don’t have this self-confidence, it may be a case of forcing yourself on one occasion and then afterwards reflecting on the situation and what you learned from it. You then know whether to repeat the method next time or to slightly change it. It helps if you have an important reason for an exchange in French. When I arrived here my two children had to go to collge and I knew I (who previously on holidays in France had got the children to ask for things in shops) had to force myself for their sakes, to prepare for parents’ nights.

Sometimes the reactions you get will not be what you’d hoped for, but we all (including the French) have our off days and you shouldn’t let it upset you. Look forward rather than backward and just be more determined for the next time.

With your good intentions and willingness to work, what tools are available to help you improve your French?

New language learning methods arrive as new technology develops and old favourites still remain. Some examples: – selecting an individual telephone tutor; following one of the freely available on-line courses (try Radio France Internationale or the BBC), or buying a well-established tape or CD or video programme.

It’s quite usual to employ a personal teacher to come to your home to help with a subject like French – a good option if you prefer not to start in group classes which are also available in many places.

Don’t forget to consider how you learn best when deciding on ways to make progress. Methods that suit your individual personality are likely to be more successful.

Whatever methods you use, if you are determined to progress, you will do so. Living in France will become an even more enjoyable experience.

French Life and the joys of living in France have been featured in magazine articles the world over. To find out more of Living in France take a look at Amanda Lawrence’s new website at www.frenchvie.com. Lots of real life stories and anecdotes from the Quercy. It takes you right there – you’ll never want to leave. Don’t forget to register for her free newsletter. Author of White Stone Black Wine.

Many people around the world think that they know quite a lot about French life. This may be due to the abundance of caricatures of the French nation and also because France is the number one tourist destination in the world. This may seem a little odd when you think about some of the common complaints that French people are arrogant, rude and refuse to speak English which, of course, they can all do perfectly well . . .

So, what is French life famous (or infamous) for?

Few dispute the fact that French restaurants are excellent. French cuisine is endlessly copied throughout the world, and the French language is often used for menus and cooking terms. Although we often associate the French with “haute cuisine”, the day to day home cooking and standard cheap restaurant lunches are another cause for pride. Choice of ingredients and cooking methods interest the French public; choosing a restaurant or a dish in a restaurant can be a matter for heated argument. Food is important and it’s this importance that will keep French cuisine at its high standard.

With less overweight and the associated health problems, the French are a good example of how to eat. To eat a full meal at lunchtime with several small courses is better for us. We then have the rest of the day to use the energy and a lighter evening meal allows us to avoid going to bed with a full stomach.

Perhaps the most famous symbol of French life has been the French loaf. The term “French bread” is usually taken to mean the traditional baguette, but there’s a huge variety of shapes, sizes and ingredients available. Even going into a boulangerie to buy a baguette, you’ll find that there are a great many other long thin loaves which you might have thought were baguettes! Each of these has its own name (which might vary slightly from area to area). The traditional baguette goes stale within a few hours whereas a growing number of other breads, such as multi-cereal, wholemeal and so on, keep longer and this may be why they are gradually gaining in popularity with younger generations.

We know that the French are famous for their cheese but our knowledge of that cheese is sometimes restricted to just one or two sorts. Some people say they hate French cheese because they don’t like Camembert, not realising that this is just one out of over four hundred French cheeses with a huge variety of tastes, ingredients, maturing processes, textures, etc.

And so to the wine! French supermarkets offer a wonderful selection at very reasonable prices. It’s still a constant topic of discussion and there’s a lot of knowledge about the subject. It’s usual for a household to possess a “cellar” and to add bottles regularly. Every autumn, the majority of wine outlets have special tastings and offers. Driving through wine producing areas is always fascinating and a continual learning experience.

We may be admiring of the French wines and cuisine, but we are not so happy about how they are made. Whilst farmers and fishermen make up a small percentage of Finch workers, we do become annoyed at their apparently widespread power and there are frequent televised images of angry protesting farmers and others.

So what else is typical of French life in this land of wonderful food and drink with its assertive farmers and unfriendly officials?

The Arts are prominent in French life. Theatre, painting, sculpture, design and many other art forms all have a place in towns and villages all over the country. Literature and cinema are particularly well served and many tiny villages will have their own libraries and film showings, which are managed by teams of local volunteers. The Cannes Festival is the world famous symbol of the French involvement with film.

French designers are also world famous and Paris fashion shows are televised all over the world; we consider French people to be sophisticated dressers.

So, a complicated country and people, but visitors from all over the world readily embrace the French life when given the chance as tourists.

French Life and the joys of living in France have been featured in magazine articles the world over. For a real taste of Living in France take a look at Amanda Lawrence’s new blog at www.frenchvie.com. Lots of real life stories and anecdotes from the Quercy. It takes you right there – you’ll never want to leave. Don’t forget to register for her free newsletter.