tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post80994914957622853..comments2024-03-28T18:57:20.920+01:00Comments on Living the life in Saint-Aignan: Weekend activitiesKen Broadhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-23472254993025274352009-03-11T15:14:00.000+01:002009-03-11T15:14:00.000+01:00Susan, that's what I thought. So you have a good b...Susan, that's what I thought. So you have a good basis to build on. You should make fast progress when you start using French daily. It's really exciting to feel that you are making progress in the language.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-885764442525028472009-03-11T14:18:00.000+01:002009-03-11T14:18:00.000+01:00Ken: I did French at school from the ages of 12-1...Ken: I did French at school from the ages of 12-17 so I sort of have the basics.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06472449597146519943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-57693152421849479632009-03-10T14:53:00.000+01:002009-03-10T14:53:00.000+01:00Susan, what you say is true: it does make sense th...Susan, what you say is true: it does make sense that English-speaking people who need to earn a living would return to the U.K. In the cases I know about, one was a man who didn't speak French at all. As for the other, I'm not sure what his language abilities were, but I know he decided that he could make a better living exercising his profession in the U.K. than in France.<BR/><BR/>As for French language skills, have you had formal instruction in grammar, phonetics, and so on? I haven't really heard you speak French so I don't have any idea what your level is. If you have a foundation to build on, you should be able to develop your skills quickly as you spend more and more time in France.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-25724258596771696922009-03-10T13:52:00.000+01:002009-03-10T13:52:00.000+01:00Plus, it feels a bit silly and pretentious for two...Plus, it feels a bit silly and pretentious for two English speakers to speak French together, and other expats have the same difficulty judging my abilities as I do theirs.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06472449597146519943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-19157496504876686682009-03-10T13:49:00.000+01:002009-03-10T13:49:00.000+01:00Ken: It makes more sense for wage earners to retu...Ken: It makes more sense for wage earners to return to a country where they speak the language. What doesn't make sense is the stories of people on fixed incomes like pensions to return.<BR/><BR/>I find it quite difficult to judge many people's French language skills are (including my own). Most expats won't speak a word of French in front of me because they know I speak English and I suspect they are diffident or embarrassed by their French skills. My own French is nowhere near fluent, but it improves all the time I think – although I am forever being caught out by discovering that I have been pronouncing a word incorrectly for years. It's the old bad habits that are the hardest to rectify, not learning the new stuff.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06472449597146519943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-32234389316330455502009-03-09T19:57:00.000+01:002009-03-09T19:57:00.000+01:00@Susan W., actually, Walt reminded me of some Brit...@Susan W., actually, Walt reminded me of some Brits we know who returned home. One went back because his lack of French made it too difficult to make a living here. <BR/><BR/>And then a couple we knew in our village went back because the man couldn't make a decent living as a butcher compared to what (he thought) he would make in the same profession in the U.K.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-26979776733392405542009-03-09T19:03:00.000+01:002009-03-09T19:03:00.000+01:00Hi Susan, David moved back to England and resumed ...Hi Susan, David moved back to England and resumed his career in Bournemouth. Janet stayed in France and is working in Onzain, a town just west of Blois and across the river from Chaumont (the château we visited). David comes and spends a week in France several times a year.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-91039919045022850292009-03-09T18:24:00.000+01:002009-03-09T18:24:00.000+01:00I think we met J&D when we visited with you (g...I think we met J&D when we visited with you (gosh, it's three years ago right about now) -- they came over for cocktails and Walt made some pizzas, if I recall correctly. Have they returned to the UK or moved to a different area in France? I remember that David spoke even less French than I do, which is pretty scary for someone living there. <BR/><BR/>...Susiesusanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14017788096350527796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-32945731594759546642009-03-09T16:48:00.000+01:002009-03-09T16:48:00.000+01:00Fishing for compliments? Don't be shy about your F...Fishing for compliments? Don't be shy about your French language skills, yours are better than many natives.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-84981048432614476882009-03-09T14:39:00.000+01:002009-03-09T14:39:00.000+01:00Hi Nadège, the problem for the Brits, maybe, is th...Hi Nadège, the problem for the Brits, maybe, is that Great Britain is too close to France. It's easy to go back. Add to that the fact that most of the British (in my experience) don't do much to integrate themselves into French life -- like learning the language. There's not much to keep them here once the cost of living increases.<BR/><BR/>America is too far away for us to move back easily. Not that we'd want to -- we are invested here. We speak French, at least passably. We came here because we love the French language, culture, history, food, drink, and landscapes. Not going back -- not ever. If possible.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-20586386732532114712009-03-09T14:28:00.000+01:002009-03-09T14:28:00.000+01:00There was an article in the L.A. Times 3 weeks ago...There was an article in the L.A. Times 3 weeks ago about Brits going back to the UK. Apparently there are lots of houses "for sale" in the Dordogne region. We are all going through hard time. <BR/>It might last longer than we think and it probably will never be the way it used to be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-42445605400135231082009-03-09T14:27:00.000+01:002009-03-09T14:27:00.000+01:00Melinda, I again feel much better today, but I'm g...Melinda, I again feel much better today, but I'm going to be careful. Tomorrow, who knows?<BR/><BR/>If you bring the value of the U.S. dollar down by coming over here, you may find us very upset with you. I hope this time will be the exception to the low-dollar rule. KenKen Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-59415472215831486112009-03-09T14:15:00.000+01:002009-03-09T14:15:00.000+01:00since i am coming to paris in may, look for the do...since i am coming to paris in may, look for the dollar to be weak against the euro....it seems every time i am in france, the dollar is worth less than ever!<BR/>Oh Ken, get lots of rest....I am well into week 3 with this cold thing & still not 100%......hangs on forever & u don't feel like doin anythingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-59696087938555075172009-03-09T13:55:00.000+01:002009-03-09T13:55:00.000+01:00On the other hand, these currency fluctuations are...On the other hand, these currency fluctuations are just that. One currency goes up and another goes down. And then the other one goes up and the first goes down. For the moment, the U.S. dollar is on the upswing. The euro is declining as the Central European Bank lowers its interest rates. The pound sterling will sure swing upwards -- and soon, we can hope.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-54528736207971372782009-03-09T13:51:00.000+01:002009-03-09T13:51:00.000+01:00Susan, I agree with you, but this is the story we ...Susan, I agree with you, but this is the story we hear over and over again. I know personally of no British expats who have decided to leave. But then I know very few British expats. Véronique is in a position to know many more.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-10408403689769279762009-03-09T13:33:00.000+01:002009-03-09T13:33:00.000+01:00Does Véronique actually know any Brits who have go...Does Véronique actually know any Brits who have gone back? I certainly don't and don't know anyone who does. My impression is that this story is a media beatup. What would the point of returning be? Their income won't stretch any further in the UK and they'll be stuck with a house in France that they will have difficulty selling and no way of affording a house in the UK.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06472449597146519943noreply@blogger.com