Comments | expats: long-term expats

spacedriftsps62 in expats

long-term expats

Jul 24, 2005 16:57

This is an interesting idea. Having been an expat for 17 years and just back from the US a year ago, some of the entries were quite amusing to read. Being an expat in Paris is not so hard - well, I say this one year on. Finding an appartment was quite nightmare-ish. At the time, it seemed that I was applying to marry someone. The most amusing (or ( Read more... )

customer service & bureaucracy, france, cultural differences, property

Comments 18

franklymydear July 24 2005, 18:40:05 UTC

Sounds cool! What sort of work do you do in Paris? Was it easy to arrange a visa?

visas spacedriftsps62 July 25 2005, 20:13:54 UTC

well, I don't need a visa - I am from an EU country. Long live the EU (we will manage, even with the "no" to the constitution and the arguments about the budget).

amygooglegirl July 24 2005, 19:39:54 UTC

It can be quite tough getting an apartment in France, and Paris is supposed to be the hardest, and most expensive. Landlords have a lot of power and can ask for anything... Guarantors make sense when you rent to students, but when you're older it gets a little ridiculous ;)

Do you have any example of people saying "this is not possible"? I never noticed ;)

How do you like living in Paris? It seems a pleasant enough place to enjoy a day out, but most of my friends there suffer from the "métro-boulot-dodo" syndrome, getting home only at 10pm in the evening and not even having time to eat properly because they're so exhausted...

morganofthefay July 25 2005, 13:17:51 UTC

getting home only at 10pm in the evening and not even having time to eat properly because they're so exhausted...

to my understanding, that's why people in general take such big/long lunches here - they view it as their biggest meal of the day and make sure they enjoy it.

amygooglegirl July 25 2005, 17:31:10 UTC

Lunch is the main meal of the day, it's bigger than dinner, unlike most Anglo-Saxon countries where it's the opposite. But still, getting home at 10pm and having only the energy for a bowl of cereal would be a bit much for me. Most people I know in Paris have jobs that take over their lives, unfortunately...

spacedriftsps62 July 25 2005, 20:15:23 UTC

Examples of being told "ce n'est pas possible"? Just about any circumstance you can think of. What is really funny is that if one does ignore it and carries on as if nothing happened, when the people click to what you are asking they are delightfully helpful. Here is an example: "I had to miss my ... (sports - chose one) class. I spoke to my teacher and she/he said it was fine to come later in the week. Can you let me know when are her/his classes ? " answer ..."Ce n'est pas possible"...continue - well, actually, I spoke to the teacher and epxlained I missed etc.etc. Don't get angry, don't get impatient, don't get excited: just repeat all again in good mood. Eventuallyyou get the answer "Ah we need to check when is you teacher giving the course, or perhaps we can find another teacher to help you , when is it convenient, we wouldn't want to to miss a class, etc,etc." It just takes getting used to it.
I do love living here!

Thread 10

morganofthefay July 25 2005, 13:16:28 UTC

i'm near versailles.....and i have to say it really is a glorious place to live. i always feel lucky to be here :)

spacedriftsps62 July 25 2005, 20:11:57 UTC

I really think it is great living here. When things get a bit tough, I go out and look at the Eiffel tower and think it is really amazing that I am living here! So far I have managed to escape the "boulot-dodo" grinding: I live quite near work so I can walk there, I eat quite late anyway and I manage to escape work at about 7PM when there are cinemas, friends, theaters, concerts that I want to get to. I suppose it is all a question of habit. I grew up in a big town, so I don't get upset about buses taking too long - although Paris is sometimes a bit too crowded. But it is just such a fantastic town!

possibility? thefer July 31 2005, 21:59:19 UTC

I really like your comment on the French saying, "no it's impossible." it's the same in Germany. the germans are a risk-averse group. They will tell you it can't be done, so you have to keep asking and trying different people until someone says, "it can be done." it gets a little frustrating sometimes though!
did you have culture shock when you went back to the states?

Re: possibility? spacedriftsps62 August 3 2005, 22:01:00 UTC

That is really interesting - I have not noticed specifically in Germany (probably because my German is quite poor, to my shame) but I did notice that there was not a huge liking for asking for "different" things. I just put it down to Germans liking everything to be very much in the same way all the time. But what you say makes a lot of sense to me.
A culture shock between US and European culture, you mean? Perhaps a bit but I was also new in Paris, so it was hard to tell. Boston and Paris have some similarities - both cosmopolitan "real" towns with busy people that don't care for traffic lights. I was (still am) shocked with the level of smoke in cafes, restaurants everywhere. (they say Dublin pubs are now smoke - free. Now that is something quite extraordinary!). I still leave things on tables after eating with a slightly guilty feeling. But otherwise, I feel at home in Europe - perhaps the merit of Paris.
Did you experience such a shock?

Re: possibility? thefer August 4 2005, 10:30:59 UTC

The first time I moved to Germany, I did have culture shock. And when I went to Boston for a year to finish my M.A., i had reverse culture shock. So now my problem is that I don't totally fit into either culture. I do love Germany and see myself staying here permanently, but I have days when I get really frustrated with bad german attitudes and their negativity. Plus I get tired of defending myself as an american...I was here last year during the election and Germans think the Americans are nuts for voting for Bush- which means we're all crazy and war-mongers, etc...The Germans bash Germany all the time, so they don't get why I get tired of them bashing America for hours. and what spefically annoys me are the basher who've NEVER even to the states! so i just avoid that subject with some people ( ... )

Re: possibility? spacedriftsps62 August 8 2005, 20:35:50 UTC

I am actually not American, but I understand you feel frustrated with people who have never been in the States bashing the country. We just have a very different way of doing things in Europe.
No, Parisians are not stuck up! When there is so many people in one place I think people tend to pretend the others are not there. Parisians are extremely stroppy though! I tend to find it amusing and play kind of a game: when someone is really unpleasant I book myself a couple of points. Plain being rude or unhelpfulness just gets half a point or so.
Where are you in Germany? It sounds as if you are in a big-ish town.