Our French Life

Repas

Literally translated this means ‘meal’ and is a social event in your commune/village. During the summer months, you will see many a sign for Repas, practically in every village you drive through.  They’ll have bunting out, a big banner telling you the date it’s on and what they will be dishing up. Maybe moules and frites, jambon and frites, porc and frites (seeing a theme here) and so on.

Now, I didn’t know what to expect at a Repas, if truth be told turning up for one can be a little daunting for a newcomer and one that doesn’t speak much French at that. But I would recommend it to anyone looking to settle and integrate into the community. Continue reading “Repas”

Our French Life, Our Review Life

Zoo de Champrépus

12525094_1020158641393212_6449557062372917152_o

Now, when I say in French we are going to the ‘zoo’, I get really puzzled looks . Much the same way I do when, just when I think I’m rocking this French malarkey, I churn out a sentence and the person I’m speaking to crumples their face up like a piece of paper whilst taking a few steps backwards. There is no disguising that they just don’t get what I’m saying.  Not at all. Continue reading “Zoo de Champrépus”

Our French Life

Mobile Woes

Now most people’s mobile phones are surgically attached to their hands.  You don’t leave home without it.  It’s your little computer, social contact, entertainment centre and if all else fails it can make phone calls. When moving to France, I did not consider for one moment, that obtaining a mobile reception would be a problem. In my ‘moving to France’ to do list, this did not even feature.  Continue reading “Mobile Woes”

Our Renovation Life

You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me!

19956149_10156431554369816_519989323800460996_o

That’s me that is.  That 30-year-old woman has just purchased a house in Normandy, France and doesn’t she look thrilled about it #not.  Is it a house? Or is it a box with a ‘lean to’ attached to it?  You decide. I decided it was a shit heap and I much preferred the barn that we would convert, in a hamlet, that we had seen an hour earlier.  Continue reading “You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me!”

Our French Life, Our School Life

Which Is Better?

 

21271369_822657557901614_4765415528488206370_nI think it might have been about 12 am when I gave my husband a nudge – and not in a good way as he would say – “I just don’t want to ruin their lives!” were actual words that uttered from my mouth before we moved.

My main concern (and I am sure it is for most parents) was how would the children adjust? How would they manage switching from the UK school system to a French one? I’m not going to lie, on occasions, it did keep me up at night.

Continue reading “Which Is Better?”

our relocation life

So What Are You Going To Do?

newhaven

If I had a euro every time someone asked me that question when we first arrived – well, well, well I’d be a very rich woman. More of that later, but I wanted to kick-start my very first blog post. I’m very excited that 1) I’m writing again and 2) I have frigging wifi.  Now, I have lots to sort out – blog layout, banner, font etc but that will come in good time – I have been itching to write since we arrived in France on May 9th 2017 – nearly 5 months ago. Continue reading “So What Are You Going To Do?”