Awineor2

Hi everyone,
we recently bought our house just South of Bergerac and love it, though with it being summer and schools closed I am finding that my 4 year old misses having friends of his own age to play with. I have found one small park in Bergerac but no one else was there when we were. Anyone live in this area with help and advice that would be appreciated. Oh slight problem, neither me or my 4 year old yet speak French! both of us are missing the company of people that we can speak to fluently. Are there any English associations or clubs out there? Any advice would be appreciated. I am making a huge effort to learn French asap but it is not happening overnight.
We have visited a few places and heard lot's of English people talking, I would love to have had the courage to go over and sit with them just to have someone to talk to but thought that they may have thought I was a looney
Hope to hear from soneone soon. Thank

onetwo

Hi, we are not in your area at all but the exact same situation so had to respond.
I am English and have moved to Brittany with my French husband and 3 boys, 4 yrs, 2 1/2 yrs and 5 mths.
The boys do understand a lot of French but are far from bilingual yet. I am similar to them, understand a lot but lack the confidence to respond quick enough, very embarrassing!!!
We feel the same, it is hard at this time of year, no routine and stimulation of school is difficult for us all!
Just think of September and all the positive changes it will bring. That's what is keeping me going. I wish you all the best.

nat 1

Hi, which town are you in. We're at the moment in Australia as we moved here 3 yrs ago but are gonna be moving to a place called cuneges about 20mins from bergerac, its near sigoules, next july. I was reading your post and it got me thinking that i'm gonna be in the same situation as you as over in oz they talk english and we might have a language barrier problem in france. I have started to take french lesson just so i can get by and ask for things when i go into shops, it is hard to put yourself out there but you have to just go upto them. It is hard but you might make a friend at the end of the day. Good Luck.

Awineor2

Hi Nat,

Where abouts in Oz are you? The reason I ask is because we left the UK for Perth WA just over 4 years ago and spent three years there before moving to Oman. Believe it or not we are 3k from Sigoules, the other side from you in Pomport. I love it over here but should have learnt some French first In saying that most of our neighbours speak English or have English connections. So it makes it a little easier. Just difficult for the children with it being the school holidays at the moment, but find something to do most days. Do you have children? Why are you moving to Cuneges and is it a permanent move? Gosh I sound sooooo nosey, promise I am not i'm just curious.

nat 1

hiya, we are in Perth Wa as well in a place called Butler, we did start off in Mandurah south Perth but it was full of older people, and it was more developed so we decided to move up north. We're about 5/10 mins north of mindarie. We do like it here for the beaches and the weather and the houses but i've just had my 4th baby 6 months ago and am feeling the pull of the family over in uk. It made us realise just how far family is as none of them have been over to see him yet so we thought france seems the right place as we have oh parents living there in singleyrac and my family in uk. They could all come for holidays and so can friends and we could go back to uk quite a few times a year. We also have 3 girls (10,8,3) and my eldest will be going into secondary school in jan 2010 in oz so we thought we had better make the move before she goes to secondary school in sept 2009 in france. We are having a house built over here at the moment so are hands are tied till at least march and then we have to sell it, which could take a few months. I'm looking forward to the move or should i say next adventure and the kids are as well, it will be a change for us and if we can manage over here ok then i'm sure we can manage over there. We're looking at it as a permanant move as we've put the kids through so much already in their little lives but lets hope this WILL be the last time we move. Its nice to hear from someone who has also lived in perth and will only be 3k from where we're gonna live, how strange!!! we'll keep in touch and good luck.
nat.

nat 1

Hiya nat again, i forgot to add why cuneges? My o/h parents live there and they've been looking for property for us around eymet but nothing that we liked(on the internet) and we saw this house in cuneges and liked it so they put an offer in for us and we have got it. I wanted something thats close to sigoules and o/h parents but something that had potential and thats why cuneges. Another thing have you heard anything about the schools over there and are they all good. I'm not bothered if not a lot of english go there and mostly french, just curious. We're looking at sigoules primary school for 2 of them and eymet college for the older one. Any suggestions?
bye nat x

Awineor2

This is getting spooky. we lived in Ocean Reef and I ran one of the playgroups at the Prenderville church in Beaumaris for a few months before finding a great group of girls and we opened another one of our own near Bunnings in Joondalup. We arrived in Perth summer of 2004 and left in summer of 2007 as it was too far away from home and not really for us, my eldest had just started at Ocean Reef Secondary school and hated it, my middle one went to Beaumaris Primary and then the little one was at home with me. (3 boys) We chose this area because we like it, though initially we also looked closer to Eymet for the English connections, but I am glad that we are here in Pomport. Close to the airport and Bergerac, very convenient. This is our holiday home as we currently live full-time in Oman (long story) but we are hoping to move here permanently one day, so the children go to school in the Middle East, but what I have seen and heard about the schools they are lovely and typical village close knit schools, in a way I wish that mine were going here as it would certainly help with their French. I am desperately making an effort to learn, though everyone is very helpful and friendly and we get by. We will be spending many of our holidays here and I have just been here for 9 weeks this time and not looking forward to leaving, hopeflly we can get together next summer when you move across.