brexit if nothing else has brought the subject of Nationality to the fore - often in a highly emotional way.
Ignoring the ‘practical’ side of becoming French, if you had to choose another Nationality other than that you were born into - which would you choose and why? By all means have multiple chices (there aren’t many of these left anywhere else!)
I will start with three.
Having chosen to become French before Brexit became an issue, I still think this would remain my First Choice. Why? Multlplicity of reasons all related to culture and history. I do not place High Fashion in these categories, and sadly few restaurants of today relate to those I visited many years ago. so food is also out.
Second choice I think would be German as I admire their work ethic, honesty about their past and the cleanliness of the whole country.
Third probably Australia where I lived for twenty years, although from what I hear from friends there it is no longer the country I remember.
Like you, Norman, I chose French long before Brexit but didn’t get round to getting the dossier together until Brexit pushed me into action (the forms were left in a file gathering dust for over 5 years as with a business to run and young kids I had many other things higher up the to-do list!)
If it weren’t French then it would be Italian as that’s my third language, probably where my heart is too; France was more of a head driven, sensible choice where as Italy would have been more of an emotional one.
Other than that, perhaps Spain or Portugal but I’d have to speak the language and be more au fait with the culture and country before considering that, but this is a what if thread so why not
I became a past master in international sign language as I have and had almost zero language skills, usually just the basic courtesies. However there can be no doubt at all that having English was the greatest asset of them all as I never fell anywhere where somebody didn’t speak at least some.
French for me too,as I’ve lived here for 25yrs.and like a lot of people went to the local préfecture, then decided to put off applying until had more time(I had also lost all the forms they had given me).15 years later Brexit certainly gave me the shove I needed even though I probably had at least twice as much paperwork to do than the first time and had to travel 90kms further for the interview.
After just having spent spent 7 weeks in the UK caring for my mum (recovering from a small stroke)I 've finally realised that France,now more than my country of birth is really my home so am very pleased that I was successful in obtaining French citizenship at the end of last year(even though Brexit is still a major worry due to UK income and EU pension eligibility)I feel more at home here
I love north Italy ,as my sister lives there but as she’s desperately trying to get back to UK after 35 years ,not sure would want Nationality(they have some strange residency rules even if you are a citizen)
Definately not the States or Australia where I have visited but New Zealand appeals to me too even though I’ve never been there and apparently it rains a lot.
Further to my above reply,I’m not a fan of scorching temperature so New Zealand at least has cooler areas and skiing and looking at the publicity seems to have great scenery.
Interesting that NZ features so highly. One of my wife’ s sisters married a New Zealander, and moved there with him many many moons ago. If I think about it almost 50 years? Yipes! As everywhere there is the good and the bad, and the general feeling about NZ is indeed positive BUT a Hell of a long way from anywhere else (including Australia! In my time it was still a four hour flight from Sydney to Auckland).
However they also say they have increasing racial tensions there, as is also the case in Australia, and both want to come back permanently to Europe where the different cultures are so close to hand. (Again like Australia) but the other similarity is the entrapment of getting their pensions which would cease if the left NZ for more than 6 months of the year. Not sure if the reverse is the case from the UK?
Visually yes parts are stunning so I am told and see, but there are earthquakes every so often (they have been in two in the past decade). Anyone who has watched the Lord of the Rings films will have a fair idea as they were filmed there.
The main essential problem with NZ there’s really only one direction to travel - North. I f you go South you fall off the edge of the world!!!
I suppose for me the number one thing is/are the people, although this does seem variable in France. Having just had our annual free Lunch Pour les Sage here in our village, and the overflowing goodwill I don’t think I would want to be anywhere else in my declinng years.
I don’t know how old you are Timothy, but I recall America as being the country most people of my generation lusted after the War. I think it possibly still remains a first-choice with younger people a (guess, as I don’t really know any younger people now) I remember being a tiny being fascinated by the massively thick comic books, no sorry to say the word ‘thick’ now springs to mind in quite a different way (Trump anybody?).
American ‘culture’ to me is crass and vulgar - with some honorable exceptions in the literary world, and whilst I am advised by many that Americans at home are the most charming and hospitable (away from the South and Trailer Parks I would imagine? and as long as one wasn’t black?) I have never been tempted, and the vast majority of Americans I met in business environments around the world were far too bombastic for my taste. I was never tempted to go there, and have never regretted it - but I am sure others will tell me of what I have missed, but as I filled my life with the other half of the world (North/South) I don’t feel bereft.
Worse even is that he apparently announced his plan on Facebook!!!
In one sense I am not that surprised - other than it happened in New Zealand as the anti-Muslim feeling is running very high in Australia from what I gather from friends there. None of whom would I have considered extremist in any sense of the word.
However it does seem that for several reasons, the Muslims going into Australia (the land of immigrants!) do seem to be annoying the locals severely with their attitudes.
That’s not offered as an excuse, but possibly a reason?
Russian, because if I had the opportunity to live abroad, without any hesitation it would be in Crimea, between Yalta and Alushta. One of the most beautiful place on earth I have ever visited.
That’s very interesting. I have never visited that part of Russia but a friend of mine was born there and now lives in Moscow - Russian of course - and i know he would agree with you. I have a couple of early posters of the area (Intourist) and that has whetted my appetite, but I fear that is as far as it goes these days.
