From looking at other discussions on the site, it seems that people tend to live in clusters, pockets of Anglophones, mainly from the UK. Although I do live near a pocket of Anglophone people, I don't live amongst them. Instead, I live in the small village of Callian, in the Var department, about 20 minutes from Cannes and the popular Cote D'Azur. Where do YOU live? Are you near a lot of English speaking people? Americans? Other nationalities?
I miss those things too, Mexican food! But also smiley faces.
I am French my husband is American from Illinois, we live in a small village in Charente-Maritime close to Royan, there are in our village 2 Welsh families and several English couples, we have been here 6 years and have made friends with the local french people and the English as well, some have vacation houses and some live here all year long.
You'll have excellent genes then!!
Jim,
Wow! You've been all over the place, haven't you?
Yes, the Corning museum is nice. I hate to admit that the first time I went was when my husband (French) went to the states with me over the summer. It seems you never really appreciate some places fully until you leave.
Agreed! France is wonderful and we do love it here, but it seems to have a bigger issue with 'protectionism' than any country I have ever lived in. Every time we have friends going over to the UK for family visits, they ask us if we have a 'wish list' of items and spices that we can't find here. But even more than that, I miss the ethnic diversity of walking down the streets of places like London or Seattle or Berlin and being able to find a full variety of other types of cuisine. In my mind, choice is a VERY good thing!
Jo Anne, my Campbell clan mother was from Glasgow and my father was from Newport, Ireland. Somehow they ended up and married in Cleveland in the early 1930's at the beginning of the Great Depression. My mother had a very strong Scottish brough which I still remember.
Claire, the Grand Surface stores are now carrying El Paso Mexican foods like soft tortillas, chilly sauces, etc. to make enchilladas and tacos. However, they don't carry those Japena peppers but you can use McIlhenny hot sauce as a substitute. Remember, una comida sin salsa, es sin sabor. Having lived in Old Mexico, I know what "hot" really means in food. Jim
Jo Anne, I grew up in Cleveland which is a melting pot city of so many ethnic groups. I thought this was very normal to have friends from European, African, Asian and South American countries. I think that is what got me interested in the world as my home rather than just Cleveland. I always wanted to see the countries my friends came from and I've done a good bit of traveling but still have the travel bug and so many places to visit.
Holly, when I worked in Geneva, I went to a store names The American Market. Although it had American foods and we found cranberry sauce for Thankgiving, there was no one in the store who was American or who spoke English and this was a place with lots of Americans.
This is a very interesting thread. I am an American born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio but have lived in a lot of places in the US and abroad. I lived in Biloxi, MS and Merced, CA during 4 years in Air Force years. Then it was back to Ohio for college, first job, South Jersey in a transfer, Rochester, NY for the next job, Mexico city for a transfer, then Rio de Janeiro where I met my wife 31 years ago, then back to South Florida, then Maryland and finally Geneva, Switzerland to end my career at the United Nations. We lived on the French side of the border outside of Geneva during those years and moved to the Orléans areas after retirement (a lot less expensive and close to Paris for traveling to the US and Brazil). You can say we are corportate gypsies.
Holly, I think it was you who is from Corning, NY. We've been there twice to visit the Corning Glass Museum. What an incredible place and tour. I am interested in stained glass but while I don't work with hot glass, I appreciate the artistry and work involved and the Stuben Glass is some of the most beautiful in the world.
We live in Combleux, an historic and bucolic village which is a suburb of Orléans. There is a English speaking wives club here but it is mainly for young mothers of various nationalities as long as they speak English. The American woman among them are wives of French guys.
There are some French neighbors we have who speak a little English and a Danish couple who speak fluent English but mainly we socialize in French. Jim Kearney
I feel that way about the expat groups in Antibes in Nice. I do have friends in both places and I try to see them regularly but usually it is through school related functions since we're all teachers. I really want to get to know people and bond with them because of the things that we have in common. Yes, the language is one thing, but I don't want to hang out with a bunch of people that I can't stand just because they speak English! I by no means mean that I wouldn't get along with the people at these functions, but in person, I'm rather shy so it's hard for me to get the guts to actually say something initially anyway!
Paula,
That's wonderful!
Yes, I see this too. Today, I went to a store that specializes in British foods. I was HOPING that when I got there, I would see some American brands as well but did not. The owner told me that it was hard to import foods from the UK let alone from the states. I understand. I was thinking about shipping some Snyder's Pretzel Bits over here since they are one of my "raisons d'être", haha, but it would have been WAY to expensive!
Yup, me too!
Oh Yes! Good Mexican and Cuban food - I really miss them.
I know this is a bit off topic:
A friend asked what did I miss and it took me some time to realize that it is Internationalism - the lack of products from other countries.
My husband wanted to make chicken Marsala and had to have a neighbor bring the wine, produced in Sicily, from England as it was no where to be found here. Other than the British section in the supermarche there isn't a great deal of other countries' foods. I laugh thinking that now WE shop in the "ethnic" section just like the Hispanics in Florida. Maybe most European countries are the same as each has it's own culture whereas America is a huge melting pot.
Deborah and Linda,
I know exactly what you're talking about!
Thanks Natalie, will do, Cheers, Phil
We live north of Ales in the Cevennes.
Having spent summers in Normandie for many years have earned their reputation. But, break through with one friend ans you will soon be meeting others.