Well, where do I start? Name is usually the best - I'm John, aka Braunstonian. Been living in France, or to be precise, the Essonne since August 1997. Moved here from Leicester in the UK to be with my French girlfriend Isabelle.

We live in a small village of about 1,300 inhabitants, 15km from Corbeil-Essonnes. Presently I'm a stay at home Daddy to our son Rémy who is 8 months. My girlfriend, Isabelle, works as Commercial Assistant for a company that manufactures industrial computers and markets touch screens and various related technologies.

In the UK I first worked for a bus company in their marketing dept, then ended up in a copyshop/design bureau. Since moving to France I've worked on a few graphic design projects, been a stores person, worked in a supermarket and have done some translation work too. The reality of life in France is reflected in the fact my employment history had been very chequered compared to that back in the UK.

We have several interests. Isabelle is into the theatre and has performed with a couple of troupes. She also is a dog lover and likes embroidery and anything arts & crafts.
For me, well I've been almost a lifelong bus enthusiast - although that has taken a bit of a back seat lately ('scuse the pun) . Cool
Much of the time I'm mucking about with Linux and my website, but I also enjoy photography, cooking English stuff occasionally, walking, reading too much and listening to music from the 60's, 70's & 80's - I'm a bit of a Britpop/Ska/Motown/New Wave fan.

John.

Welcome to the forum John.

We also love listening to the 60's, 70's and 80's music including my three teenagers. The best music ever.

We are originally from London, but moved a lot further than you.

Regards

Michelle (nice French name, but no French connection)

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www.expatsinargentina.ning.com

A wonderful place to live

Hi Michelle,

Thanks for the welcome. I guess you can't just hop over the channel from over there, mind you, it's an expensive trip back home if we take the car! I forgot to point out that we're about 40km south of Paris.

Whereabouts in London are you originally from?

Being born in 1970 I totally missed out on the 1960's but it's a period of time I would have loved to have experienced. But I have memories of 70's music from my childhood at least.

Have a nice day (9.35pm here),

John.

Hi John,

I was born in 62 so I was around to enjoy the music, especially the 70's and 80's.

I was born in the East End of London and lived all my married life in the London Borough of Redbridge (East London).

We certainly can't just hop over the Atlantic ocean - it takes about 8 hours to cross by plane. We certanly don't miss London. I don't even have any inclination to go back and visit. Isn't it a shame that so many of us Brits feel this way. I read last week in the Daily Mail onlne that "700 Brits flee the country everyday".

I am married to an Argentine, so that is how we ended up here. He did live 25 years in London, so he did his time there also. We are very fortunate that our kids all wanted to come with us and they love it here.

Chau

Michelle

__________________
www.expatsinargentina.ning.com

A wonderful place to live

Hi Michelle,

I suppose I'm an out and out Midlander. Born in Warwickshire but lived the years till I moved to France in Leicestershire - I don't seem to have lost my accent so it'll be interesting to see if my son Rémy picks it up once he starts talking.

For the last 10 years I've been without British telly, then we changed internet provider and now have digital television and thus BBC Prime. There seems to be no end of programmes on there about people who have fleed the UK for a better life - although I've not seen any about those who have gone to Argentina - more Spain and France. Mind you, it isn't always a better life considering the big unemployment problem here in France.

I've also got used to my weekend dose of Eastenders now, which I've not watched these last 10 years aside from during the couple of weeks I spend in the UK every year.

We're only over the channel but I always get a bit of a culture shock when I go back home, it's my country but it's no longer "home" for me even if there are a few things I miss from the old place. Another problem is that I now speak mostly French, although I speak English to my son and occasionally to my girlfriend. But definately speak 90% French daily now.

Do you manage to find things from the UK in Argentina such as food stuffs or aren't you that bothered?

Have a nice Sunday - it's lovely and sunny here today but very chilly. We've just got back from a restaurant meal with my in laws.

John, Isa & Rémy.

Hi John,

Like most Brits, we were addicted to the "Soaps" especially Corrie and Eastenders - I am just so happy that they are not available here. They used to rule our lives - we would run home to watch them. The fact that we had five TV's in our house in the UK was a typical British family. Now we own one TV and the kids don't even bother putting it on, even though there are many cable channels showing English films and News.

Dec, Jan and Feb is holiday time here and it is wonderful to see the kids going to the beach and not sitting at home on the computer or TV. My children found a freedom that they never knew existed. This was our number one priority.

The weather was our second priority and yesterday I was in the sun too much, so today I have given the sun a miss, but will be back tomorrow for more. For us the last winter was very mild, but according to the locals it was freezing - it still reached 10 degrees most days, with pure blue skies and there was very little rain.

For many years I never felt at home in the UK and it was always my wish to move abroad. My oldest brother lives in Vienna and my youngest brother lives in New Orleans and my sister, who is still in London is seriously considering moving abroad, especially after she visited Argentina at Christmas and loved the laid back way of life.

It is impossible to buy English goods here and the children have had to adapt. I think when you go abroad, you should integrate into the local culture and do as they do especially eating very late. Most nights we don't eat before 10 pm - totally different from 6 pm in the UK.

I can't imagine living back in the UK - the people here are so much happier. They earn very little, are not materialistic and smile all the time. Many people call this a 3rd world country, but believe me, it certainly isn't and it could show the rest of the world how to do somethings properly, such as collecting the rubbish six nights a week.

Saludos

Michelle

__________________
www.expatsinargentina.ning.com

A wonderful place to live

Hi Michelle,

Been a bit busy lately.

Can't get Corrie here - unless I buy a dish and a Skybox, but that's just another expense when we already have a few programmes on BBC Prime. Most importantly there are some kids programmes for Rémy, which will help him to be bilingual in hearing different British accents that he just won't hear here.

I like to watch Eastenders at the weekend - I usually end up recording the programmes on our Freebox HD as we are usually doing something else when they are broadcast.

It' been lovely here this last week - it's set to last till after next weekend. Lovely and sunny today and very warm for Feb. Took Rémy to the park earlier. I'll say one thing, though. At least we GET a Summer here in France...

I think I felt fine with life in the UK till I moved here. I just didn't know any different and realised that the lifestyle is a lot better in France, even if a lot of other things aren't.

I do integrate. I don't eat English stuff all the time - just as an occasional treat. In the last 10 years I've integrated into French life more than I ever felt possible when I first arrived here.
We tend to eat at around 8.30pm - as the French do. Sometimes later if Rémy won't sleep.

I'm happy to go back to the UK every now and again - mostly to see the few friends and family who have remained in touch since I moved to France. We have some nice friends here, even if a lot of people here in the Paris area can be very selfish in their outlook and occasionally rude.

The same cannot be said for the rest of France - just put it down to a big city mentality. I suppose we Brits are just too polite in comparison.

Bon aprèm,

John.

Hi John,

"I'm happy to go back to the UK every now and again - mostly to see the few friends and family who have remained in touch since I moved to France."

It is totally true what you say about "the few friends and family". With all the technology today, you would think that more people would keep in touch and not less. All my children and I have experienced the same phenomen with fewer and fewer friends keeping in touch. As they say "out of sight - out of mind". I wonder if other people have found the situation the same.

Regards from sunny South America.

Michelle

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www.expatsinargentina.ning.com

A wonderful place to live

Hi Michelle,

Yes I find that quite irritating too. Funnily enough, the friends I have made since moving to France - both in the UK (via the net) and here in France, stay in touch mostly.
As for my family, most of them just don't want to know. Those that I see when in the UK (Grandma, Uncle and my Mum) I have to phone up. I think collectively they've only every phoned me 3 or 4 times in the 10 years I've been here and all of those times were when my Mum was in dire straits.

I only see two friends who I knew when I lived in the UK, when over there.

Ah well... live your own life as they say, but I'm always open to new friendships.

John.

As I said, "out of sight........" I think people get jealous when you change your life for the best. I remember some of the comments before we left - You're be back, third world country, taking the grandchildren away etc. I just ignored them all. We have made some wonderful friends here and that is the most important thing when moving abroad to create a social life.

Going to have lunch now and maybe go to the beach.

Chau for now.

Michelle

__________________
www.expatsinargentina.ning.com

A wonderful place to live