Do you live in France?

[ggglimpopo]

Where do you live?
Why did you choose that region?
Why did you come here in the first place?
Do you work?
Do you regret it/love it?

Tell us all!

I live in Bordeaux.

I initially chose Montpellier and had everything (sort of!) set up there, but found it too hectic - and my original holiday accomodation was vile - so came to Bordeaux on holiday and stayed.

I came here post divorce!

I have had an epic time here - a very very rough ride, but life events rather than simply french ones, and am here to stay.

I love the region and will stay put in the south west. I would LOVE a house by the sea - dream on!

I don't regret it and have married a Frenchman to prove the point.....

Et vous?

Hi, OSOTC, I remember you saying on another thread that you'd lived in Burgundy. It IS beautiful and still so unspoilt whilst not being toooo rural - can't wait to go back this weekend (an added incentive being that I haven't seen my dcs or dh for 3 weeks ...).

With regards to education, there are things to be said for both systems, as there always are. I wish France had more flexibility and creativity, and that my kids had more IT and more up-to-date text books - things like that. But they are in a place where they can learn without constant low level disruption; where being curious and interested is seen as a positive trait by their peers; where there is an assumption that they will work - hard - without needing to be coaxed and persuaded and bribed to do it.

I know I'm generalising, and in the UK I've worked in a huge range of (secondary) schools now, both as a permanent and as a supply teacher, and my 3 aren't at secondary level yet, so my views are a bit skewed.

I think the thing I find most wearisome and dispiriting is the sense of disaffection and of the irrelevance of education for the kids in some schools; the lack of desire to take responsibility for the acquisition of learning in others, and most especially, of how the behaviour of a growing minority affects the right and desire to learn of a more silent majority. On the other hand, I love teaching and find it a huge privilege to have access to the perspectives and views and experiences of young people.

When I go into schools in the UK, I think to myself how lost my eldest son would be because he's still such an innocent in some ways at the age of 10 compared to what I see of his UK peers.

Anyway, a rough snapshot of my partisan views. I'd be intersted to compare experiences and ideas with you all.

Have a nice evening everyone.

Hey Jenpet what took you so long to get over here? Keep meaning to give you a ring, but busy, busy, busy over here and when not working spend too long on Mumsnet. Will deffo try and catch you before you go on hols as feel the need for a beach day.

Somebody said CP is a hard year, is this true? What can we expect as parents? Is there anything we can do to prepare the DC's before they get there? DS1's teacher in GS already seem to teach by pointing out the negative and although it really upset me at the beginning of the year DS1 seems to thrive on it as he doesn't want to get into trouble, and he really doesn't mind.

I don't do any reading in French with the DS's although they are learning to read in English with me, is it necessary do you think to do reading with them in French before CP starts in September? So many questions I know, but DS1 has dyspraxia and I always try to cover all bases before he's put into situations so that he can try and get a handle on things, also he's my PFB.

Hi new to all this. I live in Provence where we moved just under a year ago after 4 lovely carefree months in Cantal, no school, no electricity... We moved from the center of a small City in England to a tiny village and we love it. Big garden, big house, small school, beautiful area.

My french is useless but getting better, I think, and integration is slow, but people freindly.

Kids in CM2, CM1, and MS, and eldest moves to College next year, absolutely love the school and really happy with help and support they have been given since we arrived. Was a parent governor in England and used to dispair at the lack of resources and the constant reports of bullying.

Anyway thats me happy but realise early days and buffered by constrant stream of English visitors.

Hey judeat40, where in Provence are you? Maybe we're neighbours...

Hello there Jude

Walkthedinosaur, from what I understand, GS is about preparing the children to read so your. DS has been learning different sounds and how they are written this year in GS. The idea is that the average child will have learnt to read by Christmas.

I do a bit in English with DS but he isn't that keen to try and work out words that he knows all the sounds for. He seems to like it better the other way, eg how do you think 'cat' is written?

Hi, Walkthedinosaur, my dd is in CP and it has been fine - she's thriving on it. I was teaching her to read in English but don't touch French with them, and she's very a very fluent reader in both languages now.

I think their submersion in French is so great that it makes sense to me to concentrate on the English, otherwise they do begin to lose it a bit. The only French we do in the house is homework. All the books I buy for them are in English, but I'm a bit obsessive about them not exchanging one language for another, and keeping their cultural roots...

"I think their submersion in French is so great that it makes sense to me to concentrate on the English, otherwise they do begin to lose it a bit."
I agree.
We have French books in the house because DH is French and his family buy them as gifts but once we've read them we talk about them in English.

Am reading all this with interest as DS will be starting maternelle in Sept.
Working at the other end of the state education system, which is grim, wasteful and destructive IMO, I'm very curious to see what happens in the early stages before it all goes so horribly wrong.

My DS is also due to start CP in September. We have concentrated solely on reading in English, and although (like many boys!) he's a bit lazy - he'd much prefer me reading H.Potter to him rather than making much effort to read himself, he has picked up the basics and can handle easy "puddle lane" type books without help now. I had a long chat with his teacher on Monday (it's a tiny school & she has been with him since he started at 2 and a half) and she felt he would have no difficulty reading by Xmas based on the prep they have done this year [proud mum emoticon] I am so keen for him to read English as well - just to enjoy reading in either language for it's own sake, & I'm slightly worried that after a year of reading French at school (& me with a new baby & no time) it will quickly be just French...we'll see.
I have no 1st hand experience of the UK system (attitudes of children, teachers etc) since I was there in the 70's, so it's interesting to read the opinion of those who do know the system better.
My experience so far of parent/teacher liason, motivation, keeping the children interested etc here in France has far exceeded my expectations. But it's early days - and like everything, vast differences from school to school too...

Hi AuldAlliance I am near Isle sur la Sorgue where are you?

Other side of the Luberon, judeat40...about as far as you can get from l'Isle sur la Sorgue without leaving the département, I'm afraid.

Disclaimer!!

Not saying people in Glasgow tenements are not domestic jam making godesses, just that cherries are too pricey.

Hijack
coming to france on Holiday on Friday, going down the Loire Valley (Chambord)
Could anyone tell me if you have seen a weather forecast for next week?
Also is Diesel less than £133 a litre as that is what it is here and we are trying to work out how much to fill up before our drive down through French Countryside.

Sorry to Hijack..

Blimey. There are loads of us.

Diesel (where I live) is around 1.40? a litre.

the ? is a euro sign!

thanks ggglimpopo
I think it is worth waiting then

This is a great thread . It feels nice to be sharing common experiences.

Have a nice evening, y'all. I hear the weather is GORGEOUS in France at the moment - shame the same cannot be said of London [evny] but I'll be home soon.

Wow Doozie - Sounds like you have been through the mill! My heart goes out to you. Hey - You are in safe hands... AHP, so I am told, is the best of the best. Good luck, relax, and keep us posted on your development and Bub too!!!

ggg - did you write a book about a backpack by any chance?

Diesel is 1.40ish Euros a litre where I am too. Weather has been terrible until today, very unseasonal. Forecast is good from now on though.

There are lots of us aren't there? We should get together regularly for an update.

I live in the Deux Sevres region!!