Why did you move to France?
My partner is French and we were having a child together. I guess you can say that I entered France the "illegal" way but managed to receive my TDS since my daughter was born in France to a French father. Of cause, since then, the law has changed and I consider myself very lucky.
How did you do it?
I packed my suitcase, booked a flight (return flight since I'm not an EU citizen) and lived with his family until we got on our feet after having been on a 1 year holiday together O/S. I came with hardly any money but my partner managed to score a job with his Uncle. It was very stressful to begin with since we didn't know how things would turn out and had a future child to worry about. I still stress each time my visa renewal approaches, I'm quite scared I'll lose my daughter one day. I have been here 2.5 years and still haven't found any kind of job dealing with speaking English. My French is not good enough for French speaking roles. The competition is very tough since people come from other neighbouring countries to work in the areas high in demand for English speakers since the pay is a bit better in France than others.
Tips and Tricks
- English is not well spoken like most people assume. If they can speak English, most won't admit it, they speak to you in French, get so frustrated when they see you struggle speaking French, then suddenly they CAN speak English!
- It's very difficult for a foreigner, regardless of their nationality.
- The abundance of paper work is very daunting & takes a lot of getting used to. It's more important than your passport, you need them for life.
- French CS is appalling in most sectors.
- The French Gov doesn't care about foreigners and their struggle of survival.
- It's VERY hard to get a job, even for the French.
Has living in France lived up to your expectations?
I'm Australian, so I come from a country that has many opportunities for it's citizens and foreigners. No two countries are the same but I would love to return home one day. I don't think France is the right place for me. Also the cost of living is very very cheap!
What has surprised/disappointed you the most?
The cost of living. Activities like visiting museums, eating out, shopping, the cost of daycare, buying property or just renting is DIRT CHEAP! My family from Sydney are shocked that my daughters daycare costs only 40 cents an hr. I am quite disappointed with the lack of hygiene. Dogs are everywhere
Are most of your friends French or other expats?
All of my friends are French since I know them through my partner. I think it's very hard to make friends regardless if it's your own Country or not.
Do you have anything else to add?
Cultural differences certainly has been a big issue for me. I have been quite reluctant to leave my child in the care of somebody who is French. They don't seem to concerned on child safety/hygiene and the parenting techniques are very different, I don't agree with their way of raising kids.
