ChloeJane

Hello everyone!
So for a bit of background, I'm 23 and from London, and I moved straight from university over to Paris to become a language assistant. I loved Paris so much that I decided to stay for a second year without even questioning it. This year, however, I feel very stuck.

I know in my heart that I'm done with Paris, but I'm not entirely sure if I'm done with France. I recently took a weekend trip over to Bordeaux and imagined myself living there: beautiful climate, safe, sea and countryside less than an hour away, friendly people. I guess I would just work in a cafe or something to sustain living there.

On the other hand, there is this ebbing and flowing ache to return to England. Some weeks, it's non-existent, other times it's all consuming and I find myself listening to nostalgic British music / watching British films for days at a time. However, the climate in England is so off-putting. I've recently been diagnosed with arthritis (yes, even at 23 unfortunately) and am wondering if warmer climate would be better for me. Plus, the French healthcare system absolutely triumphs over England's.

Overall, the two choices are: live a simple life in southern France, but perhaps struggle to find work when I arrive back to England due to 3 years lost not doing 'proper' jobs, maybe not be able to find a good community of friends since I will never share the same culture as the French, and it will never be my mother tongue, no matter what level of fluency I reach.
Second choice is: move back to England and get onto the job market (maybe in publishing, not sure yet), have a bigger pool of people whom I can connect with, but then maybe be discontent with 9-5 life and also regret not having stayed for longer in order to attain citizenship and bypass Brexit.

My head has been mulling over the same questions for weeks on end, and the more I think, the less sure I become of a choice whenever I reach one (which seems to change daily).

I appreciate the 'go with your gut,' but honestly and truly, that feeling has been on holiday for a long time now, so isn't of much help.

Could really do with some words of wisdom right now - thank you!

criodain

Try a smaller city. Try it for a while. I would imagine it would be 100% a different experience than Paris. Worse case scenario, you can go back to England. Or try and find a city in France where you know English bands will be touring. Nantes, Bordeaux etc, as you pointed out might scratch that itch.

petitefrancaise

You're 23 years old and far too young to be stuck... no family there, no mortgage. Just be open to opportunities elsewhere and maybe outside France? It's so hard to get a job there, much less one that is well paid. You have language skills, I would look at tech companies.