Polly B

Hi all
I`m new to the forums so I`ll quickly explain our situation.
I live in Northern Ireland with J, my hubby and our 3 girls - 10, 2 and 6 mths. J has always been keen to move to another country for a better quality of life, more opportunities and better weather. I have finally come round to the idea, my only worry is about leaving behind much loved family and friends. Australia, Canada and New Zealand appeal very much to us but they`re so far away, so I would be quite keen to explore the possibility of France - It`s so much closer and only a quick, cheap flight away.
The only problem I foresee is the language. Obviously it`s best to learn before you go, but is it necessary? How well(or badly) would we get on with only our Gammar school basic French? How hard is it to pick it up once you get there?
Thanks in advance for your opinions and advice
Polly
PS sorry to anyone who`s already read this - realised I`d stupidly posted it in the Europe section instead of the France one.

Novocastrian

Welcome aboard, Polly.

The langauge thing depends on how you are planning to earn money. If you happen to be Lotto winners , or possibly have career(s) that can be continued at a distance, you can learn after you get here. If you need jobs in France, it'd be very difficult (but not impossible).

Polly B

Thanks.
I suppose I`m worried about how long it will take us to learn. What`s the best way to go about it?
We both intend to get jobs. J works in Michelin here in NI. I wondered if anyone knew how easy it is to get into Michelin in France and if it`s possible to get a transfer?

jay88

look into rosetta stone cds for your computer i hear they are excellent for quickly picking up a foreign language. if i go to france i will be picking it up before i go

edit : wow there pretty expensive £139 for level 1 and theres another 2 levels. or £339 for all 3 levels. get what you pay for though i suppose

val50

Hi Polly
welcome to the forum
We didn't speak any french when we moved to France, but we were lucky that my OH had a job to go to.
I think a lot of us have used the Michel Thomas language tapes and found them useful, and the BBC also have a good website for learning french
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/index.shtml#hptab
I wouldn't let the language be a barrier though if you really want to move - I spend some of the year in Canada. I thought it would be easier as they are supposed to speak English, but I still can't understand a word they say and I know they don't understand me

Polly B

Thanks Val.
I had hoped that we could just go and pick it up as we went along or just do some basic teach - yourself method from books etc..but my OH thinks we need to learn before we go.
If you don`t mind me asking, you say your OH had a job to go to - didn`t it matter that he couldn`t speak French? Was it an English firm?

val50

no it was a German company, based in France. Worked great for my OH as the French wouldn't speak German and the German's wouldn't speak French so all the meetings were in English
It is surprising how much you pick up when you live there though.
It's okay doing courses etc. but nothing beats first hand experience.
I think the biggest problem facing people moving to France (and other countries for that matter) is finance. If you have money to keep you going whilst you learn the language and can find a job, then you should be fine. If you don't then it is added pressure and that's one of the reasons people don't make a go of it and head back home
If you don't try something though, how will you know if it is for you?
At least France is close enough to your home so you could easily go back if it doesn't work out for you. It's also relatively cheap to move their for some one from UK, none of the paperwork, costs involved as there are if you are looking at moving to Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc.
One thing I would add though for you to think about, make sure it is something you both want to do. If one of you is having doubts and doesn't really want to go, then it's no good the other one trying to force them. You will need each other more than ever when you are starting out on a new life together.

Polly B

It has taken my OH a long time to convince me that a move is the best thing for our family. The one and only thing holding me back is leaving family and friends. We`ve always talked about Australia, NZ OR Canada - never really considered closer to home, but the more I look into it and consider it the more it fills me with excitement. Relatives can visit and we can get home easily when needed.
I would have many doubts about moving further away, but the idea of moving to France makes me comfortable if you know what I mean.
What`s the cost of living like in France?

themoose

Hi there,
just wondering if your o/h could get in touch with people at Michelin and establish if there is any chance of a transfer. That way at least he has go a job and some worry is lifted from an already changing life for you guys.

As for the language, its always better to be there and be involved to learn, but as others have said its good to have some understanding. If you have a basic level you will find that people (most) are helpful and understanding.

But as Val says, its more important that you both want this and that one is going along just for the other. It is surprising how much things can be done when you both share the dream.

the other thing is, being close (compared to NZ or Australia etc) means people can call and say hi, you might even find you see more of them in real time. If you grab a coffee twice a week with people it doesnt add up to a fortnight of chats. So you may well be time wise better too.

I hope you find what you are looking for, but make sure it is what you are looking for and not what is simply behind the revolving door.

But i wish you all the best in your decision.

Elainelarkincarroll

We did it 8 months ago - up sticks and move to south of France - we're only renting as we did'nt want to make a compete break until we found we a)liked it and b)managed ok with the lingo. So far so good. Amazingly once you've got your "ear in" you begin to remember so much and you go from knowing one word in a sentence to 5 +++... there are draw backs other than the language which you really should explore. Other than the drawbacks life out here is soooo much better than the YUK! Michel Thomas is by far the best learning facility.

themoose

congrats
Its always nice when things work out.

Polly B

I`d be keen to know what the drawbacks are......

Elainelarkincarroll

Maybe my rose tinted glasses have been bleached by the sun... but what initially appears to be a "pro" can be seen later as a "con" school for instance, only 4 days a week. If unlike me you need to work to support your family, like many other women (and sometimes I wished I did) wednesdays can be a difficulty trying to juggle work and child arrangements. The french lean heavily on their extended families for this and when your an expat you don't have that on hand. I can talk for ages so if you'd like to more let me know... this is just for starters.

dmu

Look on their website: www.michelin.fr and click on "recrutement". They have jobs on offer, particularly for those with Bac + 2 (meaning 2 years of further education after A-levels) and upwards. On the other hand, I imagine they would give priority to French speaking candidates, but get your OH to send his CV all the same if the job offers correspond to his profile. The only way to find out about a possible transfer is for him to ask Michelin NI!
You yourself must sort out your children's education and care before you even start thinking about looking for a job (and in Clermont Ferrand, I wonder what opportunities there are for an ex-pat who doesn't speak French....). Sorry to be such a Cassandra, but you must be realistic and consider all the cons (English meaning, not French!), esp. re the younger children's welfare. As mentioned in another post, Wednesdays and the long holidays are nightmares for working mothers, not to mention the difficulty in finding a crêche. Why don't you come over to the Auvergne for a holiday at half-term? A week in C.F. would give you a feel of the place and the weather would give you an idea of what to expect in the winter....

Polly B

You`re right dmu. There are so many things to seriously consider. A cv sent to Michelin would be a good start, as would some time spent there to suss out the area.
Elaine, I would love you to tell me more about the cons, but could you throw in a couple of pros as well - hopefully there are plenty!!