Like many people, I only became a "permanent resident" in France quite recently, after my (very small) pension had kicked in. My French is probably actually worse even now than when I took passed my "o"-level very, very many years ago. Since being here I have never experienced any sort of xenophobia - apart from the functionaries in the local tax office. Thank the Lord I am now single and able to "scrimp and save" in order to make ends meet - and I have never been forced to find paid-for work. Last week I was involved on the periphery of a Kung-Fu seminar involving over 40 people from 13 different countries. What shocked me was that the local hotel (where four of the participants were staying) - which was largely funded by European money - had no-one with any knowledge at all of English. Now, *I* can accept that because I am the foreigner in their country; however, the guests were German, speaking no French, but speaking a passable level of English. They were horrified that this hotel had made no effort at all to enable international clients. They didn't expect German speakers in a small rural hotel - but the failure of the hotel to provide even basic English really shocked them. They felt it was typical of a blinkered outlook on the European experience that is stultifying French commerce. By the way, with only one exception, German was the most popular "native" language (including Swiss-German) amongst the participants, followed by Portuguese and Spanish. But all had English as a "common" language.
as in so many countries...!
Well in my case a few years ago it was spelt out to me in perfect English when my company wanted to transfer me from Birmingham to Toulouse, If i have a job here it will go to someone from Toulouse not Birmingham i thought to tell him i didnt originate from Birmingham but that would be just winding him up, they look after their own
Try living in Italy if you think France is insular and the only country where you have to speak their language to get by. I have Italian friends who can't "get fully into the system" so foreigners have no hope, even those who speak italian fluently!
With your expereince of being a people person...as hotel work is...and your
previous working life was helping create wedding days.
May I make a suggestion?
Which is why I was trying to send you a private message.
But my idea is no secret ....why not set yourself up as
a wedding agent...
Entice brides from Uk and Ireland to get married here and work in your region
and mine.
In my region there are 2 main venues....WORKING very well...but they are very special.
There is another 16 bedroom hotel/chateau recently offering weddings.
There is us CLOS DES SAVEURS for very small weddings.
I am more than happy to help as I really enjoy working and, of course would welcome
more income at Clos des Saveurs.
Maggie, I think that you have mis-understood my point, what language would a person have to specialise in if his job takes him round the world? His work has never been based on language skills - he has to communicate effectively with a design team (not clients) and all the 'team' have to speak and write very good english as well as their own language - that is how he works in other parts of europe without any problems! That is why I state that 'france is the only country in europe that insists on a high level of french' in order for him to do the job (even though the project will be in english).
Or the ones who work hard at it under extreme duress.
We are.
Yes we are in the biggest financial mess ever.
And here we are strangers on the shore trying to
find jobs or build a new buisness.
There is no easy way...
survival of the fittest...they luckiest...perhaps.
Yes that's how it's always worked in his industry - but the french seem to be the only country that insist on a hight level of the french language (surely it would improve to the standard they want if he was given the blasted job!) he was offered a job in Bahrain recently (no arabic required), though it would be nice to get something closer to home...
It also depends on your industry as there are plenty of jobs where the primary business language is english, I know as I have oneand while I speak french when in the office with french colleagues, much of the rest of the time business is conducted in english…good luck to your hubby with finding something
Maybe he should bombard the software companies with his CV - though he already did that with Airbus and other companies in Toulouse which is only an hour from where we live. So far it's been agents that have contacted him - until the language thing kicks in (which is usually over the telephone) it all goes pear shaped. As Andrew said, I think you have to speak french like a near native - and he's worked in Swizerland before so the lack of french/german wasn't a problem there!
Jean, I agree, english people need to get out of the habit that everyone should speak english - that is why we as a family live here to become bi-lingual - I did have an experience once when I was a waitress in a restaurant where the owner who is dutch, prefered to talk to me in english and a customer interrupted us and asked 'why' if we were in france, weren't we speaking french. Bjorn replied, (in french of course) that 'english' was the most widely used language around the world, not french and that if he had a choice after his own language, he would communicate in english! To be fair, the customer protested a little but with good humour but I must admit it did make me feel uncomfortable to speak english instead of french!
Have you tried targetting the big UK companies already established in France. You mention that your husband has considered jobs in Paris, so I assume this would not be a problem (sorry - haven't even looked where you are based). All of the big UK firms are here in Paris, lawyers, banks, consultants, accountants, and then there are the American giants such as Google and Microsoft. They have a more open attitude as to what makes a good or bad employee.
Bon courage in your efforts though. - And as Andrew (or was it Brian) has said previously. Times are tough even for the French.
Quite right that the English have the same superiority complex with exactly the same consequences.
English people want /expect/demand that everyone speaks English and everyone else is somehow a lesser being .
French people want/expect/demand that everyone speaks French and everyone else is somehow a lesser being.
what about geneva, or Zurich?? Living on the border, and commuting. They do a lot in English, and French,and don't seem to discriminate
Strasbourg is also an option
@Zoe he is or was what was called a 'network architect' and it's true that this line of work is diminishing in europe - but accelerating in China/India (though he won't go those parts of the world). BUT it's the fact that work does turn up here (usually in Paris) and the initial interviews with technical people go well - so well that he has been told that he has got the job on several occassions, only to be told after doing the 'french' part (to someone in HR no doubt) that he wasn't selected. The point I'm trying to make is that competence in the french language seem to be above being able to do the job - all the documents are written in english and the 'team' all have to be english speaking as well - it's how he's been able to work in five other countries. Ironically, french is the only language he has made any effort with, and obviously it is still not good enough to get him a job doing what he's done for over 20yrs. However, I accept that no-one here owes us a living, and he has gone elsewhere for the time being...
@Jean - ou-la-la a bit strong - most of us choose to live here because we like the french and the french way of life! I wouldn't confuse a strict adherence of the french language in business as xenophobic - well not in the people themselves, it's the old fashioned system that hasn't moved with the global shift in the job market. Some lucky people do get work here - it depends on what you do and what contacts you have etc.
and certain countries are far worse than France, even the UK in some instances...!
Not entirely true. Apart from perhaps Geneva and Zurich you will find exactly the same in Switzerland, apart from where tourism is important in Italy. much of Portugal and many parts of Spain. I find the French no more and no less xenophobic than the English who also have a superiority complex.
It is perfectly simple
The French , or at least many of them are xenophobic. They believe that France and French is the most important and the best culture and that everyone else is inferior.
Therefore while many other Europeans can accept that English is acceptable in business the French cannot and will not accept this
what line of work is he in?? After ten years, we cannot blame language barriers. Perhaps it is the area, or market there?,
Tough number Sharon, my OH is bilingual plus other languages nearly perfect, I am bilingual with several other languages. For us it has been how we grew up and then professional lives. The difference is we have no actual place our children or ourselves 'belong' at the end of the day, only preferences. So we don't care in a way, yet perhaps care so much that wherever we are we work on fitting in. In 12 years together we have been in four countries for any length of time and both of our places of origin quite often. So we are always 'outsiders' who make the best of things, draw in what we are used to from everywhere else and are perhaps lucky because we have really good friends here but always ready to move on if necessary. Right now my OH is looking at academic jobs because going self-employed was at the wrong time and she is a top class researcher and university teacher and reluctantly once again we would have to move. We would like to stay here but... However, our children are bilingual and one is potentially quatrilingual because she is learning German and Italian from us and very fast at that, so perhaps their generation will find it easier than we have.