Relocating abroad - Integration tips
People decide to move to France for all kinds of reasons. For some, it may have been a lifelong ambition, while others have a desire to try something completely different. Many people cite ‘lifestyle’ when questioned about their motives for moving abroad and it is certainly true that France can offer great food, education, healthcare and even weather!
But for some couples, the decision to move to France is made for them, when they decide to follow their partner abroad. Changing work patterns and a Europe-wide job market, combined with the growth in inter-country relationships, means that increasing numbers of couples, find themselves in this situation.
We look at some of the challenges people face when embarking on a new life in France as the ‘partner’.
A joint venture
Chris George met his French wife Suzanne in 2004. After living in Portsmouth for a year, they decided to return to Suzanne’s native town of Bayonne in the Pyrénées-Atlantique department of southern France.
Suzanne felt her employment prospects would be better in her home country and that, in the longer term, she and Chris would be able to spend more time together. For Chris, the hardest part has been leaving friends and family behind while trying to make new ones. “Suzanne has her old friends that she was returning to and it can feel quite isolating when they start chatting away. Even though my French is now pretty good, it’s hard to make new friends unless you’re fluent,” he explains.
“It’s also much harder, and more expensive, to see my family as we have to plan trips; you can’t just jump in the car. On the other hand, I felt at home here as the people and the countryside are quite similar.”
Initially Chris found work through a contact of his wife’s. However, the hours were not ideal and they have since set up their own company offering relocation services, including a home search facility to those moving to the area (www.homesideales.com). Suzanne’s background in estate agency and rental means she is fully au fait with the French sales and rental market, and having lived in the UK herself, she is well placed to explain the differences to overseas buyers. As someone who has relocated abroad himself, Chris can offer advice and is aware of all the challenges a move to France can involve.
“I remember how hard I found day to day life when I first arrived,” recalls Chris. “The main thing I would have done differently is to have saved more money before coming. Even though the cost of living is still lower here, setting up a business can take a while and if you’re not fluent in French, it can take longer than you expect to find work.”
In Chris’s case, his wife already had a job to return to and an apartment for them to live in.With her parents close by and a ready-made network of contacts, Chris found the move easier than most. However, when you move to an area where neither of you have any established network, things can be tough. But with a little pre-planning, the transition into a French lifestyle can be a whole lot easier.
If you don’t ask...
If you are relocating at the request of an employer, ask what benefits are on offer. Many employers will offer some kind of relocation package and these can often be quite generous. These could include paying for flights, arranging initial accommodation, or providing a shipping allowance. Ask if your spouse and/or their effects can be included. Some employers will also offer a travel allowance for trips to return home to visit family; again check if your spouse can be included.
If there is no possibility of a travel allowance, keep an eye out for cheap flights and special offers on train and ferry routes. The prospect of a visit from family or friends, or even the odd weekend back in the UK, can often help ease any feelings of isolation.
There may well be other benefits that could apply to your spouse – perhaps a language course or car allowance? For those with children, advice on local or international schools along with an educational allowance may be available.
Join the club
It is worth joining some of the many expat forums and reading blogs. These can be a great source of advice, help and friendship. Take time to do lots of research into the local area – find out about transport links, popular pubs and restaurants and so on. Watching French films can be a good way to improve your language skills, but many cinemas also show films in English. If you have a hobby or practice a sport, find details of local clubs and sports facilities. Joining a club or activity will help you integrate and is a great way to meet people. Having lots of information on the area will make the move less daunting. It will also help you settle and feel less isolated.
Unless your French is perfect, a language course is a great idea. Many large towns have language schools where you will meet lots of people, many of whom may be in a similar situation. Some regions will also have a ‘welcome’ programme for foreigners in place. Check the website of your local préfecture or ask at the mairie in the first instance. There are also numerous regional business and networking groups throughout France. Any aspect of French life invariably involves large amounts of paperwork and joining libraries, sports clubs and the like is no different. Make sure you have plenty of copies of passports, birth certificates, proof of address and so forth to speed things up.
If your French is already pretty good, why not put up an advert in a local shop offering a conversational exchange? Many French people are keen to practise and improve their English. This is a great way to improve your French for free and meet people at the same time.
Going to work will vastly improve language skills too and can be a great confidence booster. The French national employment service (Agence Nationale Pour l’Emploi) is a good place to start. It offers a range of free services including assistance with CV and job applications. The ANPE also lists seasonal work available. While such jobs, which usually involve working in the tourist industry or fruit and grape picking, are not well paid, they can be an ideal starting point for a new arrival in France.
So with some careful planning and research, relocating to France need not be daunting. Chris offered one last piece of advice for anyone finding themselves in the position of following a partner abroad: “Try to think about all the things you might find difficult, work out how to overcome then and then go for it!”
Top tips
• Learn the language as soon as possible – even a simple bonjour helps! By speaking French you will improve your chances of settling in and making friends. The French are very receptive to people trying to speak French so be brave and don’t worry about making a fool of yourself!
• If you plan to work, research employment opportunities before you arrive. If there is nothing in your usual area of employment, think laterally. Working in a pub was a great chance for Chris to get his French up to speed and meet people.Teaching English is another way to improve your French while earning money.Temping agencies are another good option.
• When you are job-hunting, dress smartly and make sure that your CV and lettre de motivation appears in a French format. Most employment agencies will help with this.
• Check out the differences between French and English employment law, social security requirements etc, before you arrive. Make sure you know whether or not you will be covered and what you need to do when you arrive.Take professional advice if you need to, as this is very important.
• If you are planning to start a business, be aware that this can take time to get up and running. Be prepared to dip into your savings as you will probably need to and it will make life easier.
• Arrange a subscription to some of the many English-language magazines and newspapers geared towards Englishspeakers living in France.They are full of useful contacts, information and details of events run by and for the English speaking community.
Get online Check out the following sites for expat news and views
• www.internationalparents.net
• www.expatica.com
• www.eurocircle.com
• www.franceworld.com
• www.aparc.com
• www.french-property-news.com
Search for jobs at
• www.anpe.fr
• www.manpower.fr
• www.apec.fr
• www.adia.fr