Citoyen Français?
I am on the regional train heading back to Perpignan after my interview for French citizenship.
Not feeling great about it. Stupidly I had not filled in the section detailing my family members. My original appointment was set for 3.00 pm but when it was my turn the woman taking the interviews allowed a young guy to go in before me. I waited another hour before going in for my own interview.
As soon as I sat down she hit me with questions regarding my documentation and my financial situation. She seemed rushed and unresponsive when I was asking for clarification of what she exactly required from me. I think allowing the young guy to go in ahead of me had put her behind her schedule.
It was stupid of me to have missed filling in my family details but as she was gettting me to fill them out in duplicate she started firing cultural and political questions at me. No idea how my responses went. I think I answered most of them ok but then she asked me the name of the current Prime Minister and President of the Republic. I answered the PM question without hesitation and then I went completely blank on the President. Of course I knew who he was. My nerves just got the better of me. I think at that point I could have named everyone else in the government except the president. Thank god it eventually came to me. She seemed to understand that it was nerves. This block hit me on a couple of occasions. Things I knew really well I had difficulties answering.
Finally I suspect my biggest concern is that I am not terribly financially indépendant. I could only claim the rent on the apartments we own and one of them is empty and the other only pays us half market rental value(a long saga!). Hopefully we can quickly find a tenant for the empty apartment to improve this situation.
I guess it would not be the end of the world if I don't achieve French nationality but I do feel like my life now is very much in France. Hopefully it will all work out.
At least the weather was lovely for my visit to Montpellier.
Not feeling great about it. Stupidly I had not filled in the section detailing my family members. My original appointment was set for 3.00 pm but when it was my turn the woman taking the interviews allowed a young guy to go in before me. I waited another hour before going in for my own interview.
As soon as I sat down she hit me with questions regarding my documentation and my financial situation. She seemed rushed and unresponsive when I was asking for clarification of what she exactly required from me. I think allowing the young guy to go in ahead of me had put her behind her schedule.
It was stupid of me to have missed filling in my family details but as she was gettting me to fill them out in duplicate she started firing cultural and political questions at me. No idea how my responses went. I think I answered most of them ok but then she asked me the name of the current Prime Minister and President of the Republic. I answered the PM question without hesitation and then I went completely blank on the President. Of course I knew who he was. My nerves just got the better of me. I think at that point I could have named everyone else in the government except the president. Thank god it eventually came to me. She seemed to understand that it was nerves. This block hit me on a couple of occasions. Things I knew really well I had difficulties answering.
Finally I suspect my biggest concern is that I am not terribly financially indépendant. I could only claim the rent on the apartments we own and one of them is empty and the other only pays us half market rental value(a long saga!). Hopefully we can quickly find a tenant for the empty apartment to improve this situation.
I guess it would not be the end of the world if I don't achieve French nationality but I do feel like my life now is very much in France. Hopefully it will all work out.
At least the weather was lovely for my visit to Montpellier.