To move to France?

[FasterThanASnakeAndAMongoose]

Dh has the opportunity to transfer to the French office of his company. It's in a nice bit of the south of France.

We have 2 dc (7 months and 2yo). I am on maternity leave from my teaching job. I could potentially find work teaching in France (I have a French degree and am bilingual). Resettlement package is good. We could rent our house out and rent over there while we decided if we wanted to make it permanent. Kids could grow up bilingual. The lifestyle would be great. We could go skiing at the weekends and drink wine and go to French supermarkets.

On the other hand...

Dh doesn't speak a word of French. The company does all business in English but he'd still have to learn if we were living there. I could teach him though, and work would also help with tutoring.

Our life here is really good. We have loads of friends. We've just spent a fortune renovating our house - much more than we would have if we were going to rent it out. We're in the catchment for the best state schools in our town. Our families are all within a few hours drive. Parents are getting older and might need us more (although they all think we should go). I'd have to give up my job which I love.

We would initially go for a couple of years, but even that would be such an upheaval. My job would be gone, we'd miss the school application process for our eldest.

I think it could be really great but I'm also completely terrified at the thought and feel so sad at the idea of leaving our life here behind.

Has anyone done this? Any regrets or tips? Should we just go for it? I don't know what to do.

If you don't do it now you probably won't until retirement because life has a habit of getting in the way. We considered it when ds was a baby and weren't in as good a position as you - we'd both have to find jobs and I can do conversational French but am by no means fluent. Dh knows the odd word. Fast forward 5 years and there's no way I'd do it now - I couldn't uproot ds from everything and everyone he knows. Far easier when they're young. You'll make friends. My parents owned a house over there in a French only speaking village. They were all very sociable and somehow managed to communicate with a combination of pigeon French/ English and body language/ hand gestures! They had lots of good times - and my mum is quite a reserved person so on paper she should have struggled more.

You absolutely would not need to retrain. There are jobs galore for qualified English teachers in France, both within French schools (and you can choose your school if you work within the state-subsidized Catholic private sector) and international schools. Don't touch the French state sector with a barge pole, however - French state schools are not nice places to work.

I agree with Eatshit. Think carefully about it, especially how long you think it will be for. I am in the south of france as well and on the whole love it but there are some regrets. I miss my family - yes it is not far but my sister who is miss a lot has just had children so it is not easy so I only see her a few times a year - a big change for me.
The children wanted to study in the uk and move back there ( i know this would have happened anyway and they could have gone to live anywhere) so they are now further away.
I made many expat friends and then they left so make sure you make mainlyfrench friends - you have the language so this should be easier.

The french school system can be difficult and is different the uk system I am told - you are probably aware of this - many of my friends took their children out of the french system. My children went to an international school so this is only hearsay for me. The international systmen had good and bad points for us.

I got a bit lonely and started to miss my job ( this was after 7 years though so had a good run for my money) but I know a job in the uk for my dh would be possible but day to day v v difficult and i think we would regret moving back to get work.

All in all I have loved it though. Been a fab experience, my children agree and it has given them many Opportunities.
Would consider how long it is going to be for and if you can move back easily at the that point, or if not are you happy to stay? And as eatshit says , keep a base in the uk.

I had the opportunity for a job in Spain when I left uni which I didn't take and have always regretted, I would go for it it's a fantastic opportunity for your dc

I would go now as the dc are at a portable age- Brexit will be at least 2yrs from the article 50 so now is probably the best time..
Re your work - don't undersell yourself if your ready/nearly ready for deputy head now you still will be in 2 years ..
the best time for a career break is when dc are small I know a number of teachers that went back once their youngest when to school and after a year or so (depending on the individual) they all continued their career progression..

If you go make sure to get a job even if it's a part time job. It's the only way to really feel part of the community.

Go. With Brexit it could be your last chance. The house will still be there when (if) you come back and I bet you'll still get the school places.

"I'd have to give up my job which I love."

Think very, very carefully about giving up a job you love. What's the job you're doing now? How similar is it to teaching English? Ask yourself honestly if you would enjoy teaching English as much as you enjoy your current job.

If you end up unemployed or in a job you're not enjoying, in addition to being far away from family and friends, you might find yourself feeling very miserable. And resentful of your DH, because the move is mainly for his benefit, although there may be benefits for the whole family too.

I love France. I have a French degree, I've lived there, my DH and in-laws and many of our friends are French, we visit often and I'm as close to bilingual as it's possible to be without having a French parent. However, I'm in no rush to move there. DH and I seriously discussed it quite recently, and it boiled down to where we want to bring up children. Even he (a proud Frenchman!) agreed that the UK is more tolerant and progressive. There are more/better employment opportunities for both of us here. We are settled, near our families (his sister lives here too) and have lovely friends. We may move to France one day but it's not right for us atm.

I'm not saying definitely don't go, but don't fall into the trap of romanticising it. It could be wonderful and it could be shit.

Go. For all the reasons above.
I've lived in different countries in Europe, granted I didn't have dc so it made my decision making easier. But it's still worth doing if only to see whether or not you want that sort of life.

Whereabouts would you be moving to? I live in a nice part of the south of France where we can ski at weekends!
Perhaps I can help you with local knowledge.
If it's intially for a couple of years. I'd do it. The kids are young enough to adapt easily where I live is a wonderful place to bring up a family.

The OP wouldn't have to teach English. There are plenty of English medium international schools in France where an experienced qualified primary teacher could find a job.

Can you speak to another expat family based in the French office to get the low down?

I agree with AnotherEmma. Even if you speak the language fluently, as my family and I do, France can be a difficult place to live. My advice is not to live remotely especially with pre school aged children and especially if you will be looking for work as you can feel very isolated.

As for your DH not speaking French, I don't think that will be a problem. I am sure they will have resources to help him. I know of one American guy who survived here for 2 years in a very senior position without speaking a word of French! It's more of a problem if people don't speak English in senior positions within French companies ime.

go go go !!! so wonderful for the dc, you can always move back!!! you dont need to feel like you belong, you just need to be able to enjoy everything that is on offer over there.

Bobochic
I missed the part where the OP said she's a primary school teacher. Yes, I agree that it would be possible to get a similar job in an international school. But are there international schools near where your DH's job would be, OP? Most of them are in bigger cities and towns.

If there are no international schools, how possible is it for an English teacher with English qualifications and experience to get a job in a French primary school? IME French employers are stricter when it comes to the qualifications they demand for certain posts. And I'm not sure I'd feel completely comfortable teaching French to French primary school children, even though my French is very good. (Admittedly I'm not a teacher, but I mean from a language POV.)

I think I would do a thorough search for suitable job opportunities in the area, and applicant requirements, before making a decision.

I don't know any expat teachers where I live who teach anything other than English as a FL. They either teach English in schools or in businesses. I can't think of one person I know who isn't French who does anything else, apart from my DH and he owns his business. Most of the expat non-workers here are fluent French speakers and well qualified in something, myself included.

If there are international schools where the OP intends to live then she should be able to find work as a generalist teacher. But where I live (a city) there are no international schools hence teaching English as a FL being the only option.

I'd look carefully for advice and experience of schooling in France. I gather that it doesn't suit everyone and can be viewed as quite rigid, strict and 'traditional'. Not sure how true this is though.

Very true LittleLionMansMummy Although the OPs DC are young and won't experience it unless they stay longer than the proposed 2 years.

There are increasing numbers of non-French national teachers working in French schools due to the chronic teacher shortage. Maybe teaching in CP would be difficult (and most schools seem to reserve CP and CM2 for highly experienced teachers) but GS or CE1/CE2 might be possible.

- French state schools are not nice places to work
that's a bit if a sweeping generalisation isn't it? Anyway if th op is only planning to be there for two years there's not a lot of point jumping through all the hoops to get a job in a state school. She'd be far better off private tutorinf kids in English as an autoentrepreneur.

I live in France (north though so no advice for the area).
I gave up a job I loved I won't lie it has been tough on me at times but it was absolutely the right decision for my family.
I am now teaching English to adults I found work easily enough with the chambre de commerce. I don't love it like my last job but I do enjoy it and have met some great people. I also teach English voluntarily in the village where I live which has been a good way to get involved in my community and get to know people.
My kids are in the French school system (primaire). It is stricter and more rigid and far more academic than the English system. They do however do plenty of sport in school and get a lot of art / play /creative time in the périscolaire (creche and periscolaire aré absolutely fantastic and very reasy ably priced). Both my kids love their school.
There are so many benefits we live close enough to mountains to ski at the weekends in winter, my kids are comfortably bilingual and we like the famity orientated life style France offers.
There are a few downsides; I miss my family and friends but we have made lovely friends local and expat and of course french beurocracy!! That said I can't see us ever going back to the UK.

I've been here 10 years and still feel like an outsider. I think it is pretty hard to totally integrate and around us, even people from outside the départment are also blow ins. But, it is a great place to bring up kids and giving the kids the opportunity to be bilingual. And the school is really a way for us to meet others in the village and we've made a lot of good friends through our kids over the years, as well as through local sports clubs.

On the teaching side, it may be challenging and I would be prepared to be teaching for experience and pocket money as the supply rates are pretty basic. But it does give you flexibility and experience in the schools. I would definitely see what the options are around international schools.

There's a current recruitment drive, which will give you an idea of the qualifications needed etc
www.devenirenseignant.gouv.fr/pid35072/inscrivez-vous-aux-concours-recrutement-education.html

The OP will not need to take any exams in order to work as a teacher in France. She is already qualified and experienced.

Go while the children are young. Your dh can probably get lessons as part of a relocation package. If there are international or bilingual schools you may find it easier to get work.

The only thing that would personally put me off would be the isolation as I speak very little French. This is obviously not an issue for you so I say go.

"The OP will not need to take any exams in order to work as a teacher in France. She is already qualified and experienced."

Surely this completely depends on the type of teaching she wants to do and the type of institution she wants to teach at.

Do you work in educational recruitment in France? If not, I'm surprised at such a categorical statement.