Hello, and welcome!
By now you will have seen SF members thoroughly enjoy a good thread drift. Feel free to join in!
Hello, and welcome!
By now you will have seen SF members thoroughly enjoy a good thread drift. Feel free to join in!
Yes, I hope we haven’t scared you off, @Borden
At least it wasn’t a Bog.
I can’t think what you lot would have done with that
In the past I too have questioned the choice of name for this forum. And have not changed my mind. In truth I take a look at it most days but rarely find a topic that interests me to the point of contributing. I’ve not done the maths but it does seem to me that there is a lot of effort put into discussing events in the UK. This forum has evolved in the classic manner. There are occasional contributors out on the periphery and a small hard core of heavy duty talkers who will debate almost anything and devote seemingly huge amounts of effort. So be it.
Gus
We’ve discussed this on and off, and no doubt the topic will be revisited in the future. Despite being guilty of joining in and even starting a lot of the UK stuff, I agree - it would be preferable to discuss political issues that affect France more.
But at the end of the day although France unites us, the UK unites most of us as well - and with the odd exception who have French citizenship those on SF who live in France are excluded, post Brexit, from even taking part in local politics - so I guess it’s natural to discuss UK events.
Especially (as I’ve said before) as it’s such a shit-show at the moment. Chinese curses, and all that.
I think you’re right, @GusMorris .
I also think it’s inevitable on an Anglophone forum, because you have to be very sharp (or French) to pick up on the nuances of French politics.
I think that’s partly because by and large members are expat Brits - but also many of us have a foot in both camps - either holiday home owners or (like me) planning a move to France but not there yet.
And given that even the long-established French-resident Brits will usually have connections to the UK (via family, or because they rely on income from the UK such as pensions), it’s inevitable that UK political matters will have an importance.
But yes more discussion of French issues does no harm - please go ahead and start a thread if you spot something we should all know about!
This is true of any forum, online or off - there are those who enjoy taking part on a daily basis and others for whom it’s just an occasional resource. Both ways of using it are fine - some people are naturally chatty, some are not, it’s no big deal.
But having been involved with online forums for 20 years (I used to be a moderator on a professional photographers’ forum) I do think that you get out what you put in - and often friendships and useful connections are made.
I am still in touch with many of the colleagues who I got to know through the photographers’ forum, even though it shut up shop some years ago.
Then its up to you to start a topic, others may well be interested in?
Tut tut @ChrisMann , most of us living in France consider ourselves as emigrants/immigrants
Fair enough but it’s a bit of a fine distinction - “expatriate” according to the OED simply means “a person who lives outside their native country.”
(Although I do understand it is often taken to mean someone who is only living abroad temporarily).
According to the French High Council… as a foreigner, born abroad…
I am a French -Immigrant… in that I have made a permanent move to France.
Funnily enough I discuss the name in my latest podcast episode