Bien que Français, je suis très intéressé par vos vidéos. Et, comme tous les français, j'ai souvent tendance à critiquer et dénigrer mon pays natal. Vos vidéos me permet de mettre en valeur les qualités de la France (et aussi ses défauts) et surtout de me rendre compte que nous avons beaucoup de chance !!! Espérons que cette volonté de "vivre ensemble" qui vous plaît tant, continuera à nous animer. Merci encore.
Family meals. It is indeed cultural and it affects all regions of France, I remember meals starting with an aperitif around noon and ending late at night without ever stopping eating and drinking, all accompanied by passionate discussions, songs and laughter. When you are a large tribe it is quite fun and it makes memories for life.
Your reasons for moving to France are the same as the ones my hubby and I have. We have lived in CA, FL, and now CO (for almost 20 years). I grew up in NJ, so I feel like I have lived in pretty much every American culture, at this point. We feel like we want the global culture experience and to see things from a more global perspective, rather than only the American perspective. And we adored France so much when we spent two weeks there that we were actually homesick for France when we came home. There is just something about the people, the culture, the environment, the whole French way of life that is pulling us really hard. We hope to retire there in 3 years. The plan is in motion!
Thanks for this video. Many of the things you mention are because of the American style of living and culture. The US social culture is very paternalistic and, a kind of, living in their own world. knowledge about other cultures, countries, folklore, food, and way of life is poorly developed. Maybe because people think and are taught that the US is the center of the world. I'm a European who lived in the US for many years and I was shocked how little people knew about, so many aspects of the "outside" world. And so many misconceptions about other countries and cultures, just from hearsay. You had the courage and broke the chain. And from your videos, I learned you found what you were looking for in France. We live in the Netherlands now and making plans to move to France in the future. Please enjoy life.
I remind of a former Dutch coworker who was saying: here, we live to work. You (French ladies/guys) mostly work to live. It may not be true (not black or white) but he was speaking about his experience, also in Spain, Portugal and Italy...
@@philippe2257 Almost all people in Europe 'work to live'. They want to earn enough money to pay their bills and be a certain level of comfort, but work is a means to an end. They’d rather spend their hours doing things they love with people they love; they’re not looking to climb a ladder or get promoted as much as they want to be present in their lives.
Vous semblez tellement plus jeunes que lorsque vous avez commencé ces vidéos. Continuez j'apprécie votre vision de la France, elle m'ouvre aussi les yeux.
Everything you said feels right. I had the opposite experience. I am from France and I moved to the US for some time. It was just like walking in that clothes store where everything fits so well. I hated the extremely long family dinner on Sunday. Having buffet dinners party style in the US felt liberating to me. I lived in a city in France that’s too big to have everything at walking distance and too small to have good public transportation. Getting around was a chore. In the US having the car as the default mode of transportation and having parking everywhere was so much easier. My American friends were up to do anything, everyone had a car and willing to drive any distance to get together. I had so much fun. That being said, all in all Europe is a healthier and more humane place to live in. But sometimes you crave for something radically different from what you have, and falling in love with a place abroad and making it your home is a beautiful thing.
Yes!! To all this!! I was actually thinking about exactly what you described when we made this for #2. All of us are such different people, what fills your soul, makes you feel at home or energized might be completely different than me and the things that didn't fit for me in the US feels just right to you. It's an incredible privilege to be able to search for that as an individual and I hope those who want it get the chance too. Thanks for your comment.
Yeah, Eating out (or together) in Europe is a social event, not something you do because you are hungry. That is what fast food is for.Just going for a pizza with a friends will be something that will occupy the whole evening from say 17:00 (5PM) till after midnight. First meet each other somewhere, have a drink, then go to the restaurant at say 19:00 till 22:30 and then have some more talking afterwards somewhere else. And this can happen every day of the week. Sometimes we meet later, depending if we are homeworking or not. But regardless if it is pizza or Michelin star restaurants, the main focus is being social. The only moment we get out our phone is making reservations for the next time.
Beware of too high expectations, it's not Disneyland, not everything is milk and honey. Like any country there are good things and other more questionable things. But it must not be too bad when we see over the course of history the very low rate of French people who have expatriated, unless like Camembert the French travel badly?🤔😁
French here. Lived in the US for 10 years. Went for reasion #4. Nothing beats that. 6 months of exhaustion (Everything New) & 2 years for fluent language level & feeling at home.
#2 resonates with me. The US is not a collegial place. You have to earn your way into social groups. In France, fraternity is a fundamental cultural value.
Accueillir de telles personnes avec du courage, une telle ouverture d'esprit et beaucoup d'humanité est un honneur pour nous ! Je pense que beaucoup de choses sont différentes entre la france et les us sont différentes à cause de notre histoire différente, merci de regarder au delà des apparences. Je pense que nous avons à apprendre les uns des autres. Welcoming such people with courage, open-mindedness and a lot of humanity is an honor for us! I think that many things are different between France and the US are different because of our different history, thank you for looking beyond appearances. I think we have to learn from each other.
I like that France is connected to many other countries, such as Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. Ireland and the United Kingdom are nearby. I went to see Adele in Munich this summer, and it was an easy drive.
So many of my fellow Americans are completely incurious. Like caged birds afraid of the open door, they are content with their predictible, if unsatisfying, reality. They can't imagine MAKING a change, let alone HOW to make a change. We move to Spain in 3 weeks. We can hardly wait!
Life is a journey ! The way you travel reveals not only who you are, but who you really want to be. No matter WHERE you decide to drop off your suitcases, the most important is WHY. The quest of happiness (or at least the sensation of happiness) require sometime to make great decisions, like moving to live abroad. That's precisely what you did ! As a french guy working for an american company (nobody's perfect), I just can say : Enjoy your life in France !
Je visionne vos vidéos depuis quelques temps et je dois dire que je suis assez admiratif de votre courage; car n'en faut il pas pour abandonner la terre de sa naissance, de sa famille, de ses amis, abandonner une culture, un mode de vie, un style de rapport aux autres, aux choses, finalement tout ce auquel nous sommes habitués et façonnés depuis l'enfance. C'est courageux, voire téméraire et bravo à vous d'avoir entrepris l'aventure et de l'avoir apparemment superbement mené à bien. Surtout avec un fille dans votre sillage. Quant à moi, je n'ai jamais eu le désir de m'installer ailleurs et j'ignore ce sentiment que l'on aspire à vivre autrement dans un autre endroit. Peut être est là un moteur suffisant ? Bravo à tous les 3
Preaching to the choir. It draws me because of history, genealogy, affordability, architecture, due to being priced out of everything in Texas. It just seems to be more my speed. Great minds think alike!
You've absolutely nailed it guys. Those are all the reasons why my wife and I have lived and worked in 13 different countries so far. One of those countries was la belle France and we intend to return there in about five years for la retraite. I so enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work!
I am moving to France because our values align, unlike here in the US. Not only in the way France values art and creativity in general, but also in their global view, ecologically. Thanks for this video. I’d give it 42 thumbs up if I could.
I’m enjoying your content. Thank you! My wife and I are well travelled. She lived in Europe for many hears in her twenties - Italy and Greece. I have always wanted to experience another culture for an extended period of time. We are going to practice living and working in Costa Rica for 3 months next year. Eventually we plan on moving to Europe. Or Asia. For me there is nothing like the adventure of immersing yourself into another culture. When you expand your borders you continue to grow. Your view of your own country and the world change. After traveling I also always return home with an appreciation for the things that my country (USA) does well. Getting out allows you to gain new perspectives. I wish more Americans felt this way.
My parents instilled in their children..and I am one of them, ha, interest in world affairs, different ways of thinking, we have had , over the years, many lively discussions around our supper table!😊 My sister lives in Germany..has for most of her adult life. She first went there as a young teacher, met her future husband and raised a family. She loves America, it is her birth home and visits when she can, yet Germany is also her home too. I once asked her, if it was difficult for her to live in two different cultures? She replied that she's happy here and happy there.😊 Adaptability. Myself, I have been to Europe a handful of times. I appreciate the different cultures..they're so rich, as in history, customs, and more.. than I can express here. (Perhaps my DNA is speaking to me!) I appreciate this channel..just discovered it. Thank you!
I am not American and have been to France, but boy I LOVE your content. You seem like such a happy couple :-) thank you for the great content and all the best for you :-)
There are a host of other reasons, I have experienced living abroad in the past, and we are very interested in exploring many parts of Europe, and living somewhere in the EU would be really helpful to that endeavor. France in particular for a variety of reasons. The culture much better fits my wife and I, the food, particularly the ready availability of good, fresh produce. The French healthcare system is another big factor, as well as the affordability compared to most anywhere in the US we would actually want to live. We can actually afford to buy a nice house somewhere with a climate that suits us without having a huge mortgage in our retirement.
I love it!The way tasks are allocated in this duet is so funny and endearing ; Jason does the talking and the lovely lady (that should be granted French nationality immediately, sorry I forgot your name) does the faces and mimics.. I"m French but I watch your vids twice, one for the faces and second for your exquisite takes on France.
We don't live in a country, we live in a language. This is why foreigners will only be visitors if they don't learn the language. It's the key to entering the culture. The croissant and the baguette are not enough.
I served in the Air Force for 20 years and just retired serving 22 years with a US gov’t agency. My wife and I missed the military travel where we spent over 12 years overseas. We get it! I could move to Europe tomorrow if the wife would want to go…LOL! America is a great country and has afforded me awesome career opportunities. However, we have zoomed past living and settled for existing.
I could relate to this vlog. I really wanted to live abroad, so many years ago I moved from the UK to Australia. Now I’m looking to move to France; another challenge ( especially the language) closer tho not too close to family & the knowledge that if I don’t I’ll regret not trying. Thanks
I think you have covered many of the possible reasons as to why people want to move. But there are others. I lived almost 25 years abroad (I am Swedish but moved to Switzerland in the mid 90s) and I have had to learn German (100% fluent) as well as French (a bit shaky) in the process. When I came to Switzerland, one of the things I really enjoyed was that nobody could figure out where I was on anyone's social scale. Was I a peasant or nobility? What was my background? Nobody knew. Every culture has its own social strata indicators and I am sure that in the US, you can sniff the scent of money or status a long way when you meet someone there. In France however, people won't see that in you, but they will with their peers. So, I was presented with a unique opportunity to start fresh, with a clean slate (no, I didn't have a criminal record) and just being me and let people judge me for my personality, my actions and my performance. So refreshing! Thanks for an interesting video.
Je ne pense pas qu'ils aient encore realise ce qui se passe vraiment en France, avec l'EU, l'immigration, l'insecurite, le niveau decriminalite, les impots, la dette, avec tout qui s'ecroule. J'aimerais beaucoup revenir en France apres 40 ans d'expatriation, mais j'hesite serieusement.
Hello Baguette Bound! I've been following you two from the start and absolutely love your content and natural delivery style, thank you for all your the hard work! I'm starting to explore the idea of living in France for 1/2 the year. I am personally drawn to the Occitanie region primarily for the weather and affordability, but I'm open. So here is my question; In trying to decided on which area of France to choose, you know how every area in the USA has a different culture? Example, the South is WAY different than the North and the East Coast is WAY different than the West Coast, style culture etc. I'm assuming this is also the case in France? Wonder of you can touch on the difference between culture/style in each region of France? My daughter and son-in-law are also thinking of moving over completely (mid 30's) so naturally they would want a great place to raise a family and affordability as well as regional cultural differences:). Maybe a good video topic? Wish you both the best!
All of the things you said it is really true. I am from and grow up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I lived in Stockholm and Munich before I turned 30. Moved to California 41 years ago. Life is good and being traveling back and forth to Europe long vacations with good husband for 23 years. We are now retired for more than 10 years. Always wanted to relocate to France no problems, because that my husband lived in France for two before we married. But six years ago we got Mochi ( a little dog we adopted) we love so much really cannot leave him. France is easy with little dog to fly in. We were just worry the long flights for the poor thing…. you guys are so happy and positive being there with your beautiful daughter …. Good for you to do that for yourself to experience the world and your daughter to feel the world not just America the great. I am absolutely horrified what happened to our election last week. What happened to this great country? Will voted For a criminal and liar? Calling John McCain a loser got hurt in the war??
I completely agree with your food reason. Next i will travel to spain and people asked me why, And i replied, to drink coffe, eat fresh bakes bread every day, eat on terrace, slowly. Culture is important.
I live in California and what I love the most here is the diversity of people making it unlike other places in the US. I will be priced out in my retirement and could never live in many parts of the US where people are so ethnocentric.
Bonjour! Thank you for the excellent and informative videos. Our condo is finally getting interested buyers. So, our plan to move to France is becoming real. Perpignan looks perfect for us: calm, and peaceful, charming but not chaotic, English-speaking, and not far from the train. Plus affordable for us as retired educators. Do you have thoughts or experiences about Perpignan? Merci! Dean & Cindy
Those 4 reasons make good sense and we can relate to them all. I drove change throughout my corporate career and the prospect of retiring to play golf wasn't ever going to work for me. My partner was the 2nd youngest of 10 children. Families have a way of trying to define you. So for me moving from Australia to Italy and France was all about a life of constant learning and change. For my partner it was about making her own way in the world free of the constraints of family expectations....
Reaction (live) to #2: I once had a German guy as manager a while ago. During a team-building event, he said (speaking to us French guys): I cannot understand spending 2 hours lunching or dining... 😮 This is soooo normal or standard here. We enjoyed a dinner in Paris 3 weeks ago with a friend living at the exact other side of the planet (which we do not see very often). The first idea which came to our mind was having dinner in a restaurant with the "standard" format: apéritif (you get this word now hu?), starter, main course and dessert. We spent almost 3 hours and it was great. Most French people are obsessed with food (and complaining at the same time!😂😂). We often talk about food while eating... Not bad, not good but it is like that.
Hello Raina and Jason, before moving to France, was the french medical system also a motivation ? And since you are set up in France, does Jason's state of health get improving with diabet problems ? Diabet of Jason is not in relation with american food ? And living in France, did you change your food habits ?
Great video. Yes I seek a place where there is community spirit. Sorta friendly like family in the community. I did live in Mt for 6 years and was great community but very little in the town. I missed some stuff. I’m from Uk but looking to go abroad. I thought Switzerland 15 minutes outside Zurich so I have city for galleries, swimming and I love opera so train to Italy easy. But you’re just the sort of neighbours I would love. I’m in the thinking zone so maybe after Christmas I will be moving. I have subscribed :))
Wonderful video! My family (from North Carolina) is currently planning to move to Aix en Provence next summer. Thanks for all your videos! Who know, maybe we’ll cross paths at some point over there.
@@BaguetteBound Absolutely :) As aside, I cannot find the video where you talk about the Visa types you obtained? Does one exist? Did you use an immigration attorney or other relocation adviser?
I remember learning spanish and spanish people told me, When i learn to spanish, i will begin to think differently. Sentence structure is different and speaking spanish inprove my English grammar. Other countries use root words.
I have moved to rural USA and it did not help my adventurous soul 😅 so had to move back to CA. Thank you for making “unknown” known 😁 for those who on the search road.
Understand that very well! but returning to Cali? I am in probably in one of the best area in the entire "rural USA", but it is very hard, after almost 30 years of coastal California... Alas, it is ruined.
Hi. Not an American but moving to Auvergne soon from Belgium I would like to say I love your channel and videos. Maybe want to meet up some day and talk over cheese and wine and bread about life in France. Salut Sam
I really enjoy your content as I am also considering a move to France. I'm curious to know if you had traveled in France much before you took the leap and moved there?
No...only once, crazily enough. We had visited Paris and Loire valley for a few days in our 20's before we took the leap. But we had a feeling about Franch when we were here. When we left that trip, I kept telling Jason "my soul did not get enough France" so we always felt a pull back. But of course remember when we came, we thought it would be for a year. I didn't feel like I was making a huge commitment. But then once we were here, that feeling turned out to be right. 😊
I am so very much looking forward to creating a "Europe base" in France. I've traveled to non-European countries, but only Greece on "the continent". So many things I look forward to, not the least moving there in September next year in time to make a trip to see the cows waking back down to their villages from their summer pastures. THAT you can't get anywhere here in the States!
Maybe it is the social politics and system who engrain the feeling of fraternity, to be more precise Solidarity ! Our system work because of solidarity, our neighbors, other citizens all are contributing at least financially through our social system to their and above all our confort, health and quality of living and we know that ! Solidarity is a core foundation of a enjoyable democracy in my eyes. I really love the US but do not like its individualistic and unfair capitalistic approach of society .
A system of solidarity that many French people don’t want to participate in. People are often happy to enjoy the benefits without paying for them, which is why our economy is on its knees! Americans, on the other hand, are used to fending for themselves, and the way their society is structured reinforces a level of individualism that’s naturally present in humans, they sure have to do better (healthcare etc…). That said, I’m really surprised to see how many people in the US volunteer their time. They give a lot of their time and often money to many causes, which is becoming increasingly rare in France. In short, France is a country that’s collectively organized around solidarity, but on an individual level, not so much…
@@mohakadecincy2413 Americans are so much more generous than French! When you live in a new country, the first 3 years you are on a cloud. Then, reality sinks in. Look at the response to the hurricane in the US South East right now. It is phenomenal: solidarity, generous donations, incredible organization skills and no one waited for the government to do something. That would have never happened in France. French people have become very "assistes" et groomed to expect the government to do everything for them.
Je suis content pour vous, Raina, que vous ayez trouvé chez nous ce que vous cherchiez. Peut être y a t-il dans votre généalogie, parmi vos lointains ancêtres oubliés, quelques Français?
Another good video, we get the question people pose to you at the beginning often, then when I use cheaper as an answer they cut in to say, "well Ohio is cheaper (than California where we're at" lol! People just don't understand!
I believe that being human is all about being curious, trying things with one's thumbs and brain. All those things other nimals can't do. Humans that are not curious, never try to learn, to criticize or to question are worth no more than goats. You, on the other hand, are an example for us all.
If you are adventurous, curious of the world.. maybe you are blood type O? Or Aries as astro sign? It's what I am and I like to travel, discover, challenge myself a lot. It's like they say O blood typed people have a personality, way of life that it is said originates from the prehistorical era so the diet from this era fits them more, like the hunter diet (red berries, fruits from the trees, salmon, meat..) and they maintained their "hunter" soul I guess... 😂 A country with its laws is just a molded entity with their own historical institutions and history of every country is different, that's why the culture of all these countries comes so various. As French I am curious as to how Americans feel similar or different -- and to which extent -- to the British? Personaly what I wanted to escape from France is the very standardised and unvarious music culture (in my region, there are music festivals of reggae and rock/hard rock only, when you like house music, you are inexistent here, so I could relive in the US with the widespread culture of house music (soulful, gospel, garage... ) that is almost like unknown in France, though there are a lot of African-French people (I think this difference is due to the overwhelming and overgrasping French culture that tries to keep the lid on ethnic cultures). They say they are not racist but they want everyone to be fairly the same. That's what I like from the US, the possibility for anyone to thrive in their community. Something they don't know in France, that's why many people here, like North African people, often feel left out and unintegrated. So I understand whey you say you're after things that correspond to you more elsewhere, cheers!
This is an interesting question. As an American, I think the britsh work culture/markets are similar to each other, but beyond that I don't identify much with British culture. I'm actually a little offended when French think I'm British instead of American. 😂 No offense to my British friends. 😉 But while they share a language, I think the cultures feel quite different.
Yes, I did a travel assignment there when I was younger in Newburyport Mass and LOVED it. We could definitely imagine living in VT...except weather six months out of the year can still be tough and cost of living is high. :/
Surely beautiful but only slightly different as life changing from many other beautiful US areas… These guys are not trying to say France’s better than US but life changingly different
As usual, a very nice and well-made video! For us, it was the opposite journey. My family and I were looking for exactly what you were, but we couldn’t find it in France, even after trying several regions. We found it quite easily in the US. Regarding the social aspect, especially those long meals in France, it’s true that it’s very different from the US. To be clear, food is kind of the weak spot in the US (though I do enjoy cooking, so when we feel like it, which is often, we make some great meals at home). I don’t really miss those long meals. I’ve spent years and years, countless hours at the table, rehashing the world’s problems, talking about everything and nothing, and enjoying good food. But unfortunately, in France, it often comes with a lot of excessive alcohol consumption. At some point, your health just says stop, and it’s hard not to drink without coming off as the killjoy (my wife doesn’t drink, which, for a Frenchwoman, isn’t very common). Our family and French friends come visit us here, and of course, we love hosting them, but honestly, the overconsumption of alcohol can sometimes be an issue (it’s the same when we go back to France-it’s a cycle of aperitifs, meals, aperitifs, meals, and so on). I totally agree with your third and fourth points. For us, it’s one of the great things about living abroad. After living in New Zealand and the US, who knows, maybe one day we’ll try another country!
Il faut du courage pour faire ce que vous avez fait .... Apprendre le français !! 😱😱 Qui est une langue plutot difficile ....😂😂😂 Mais ce qui est intéressant c'est votre démarche concernant votre manière de vivre la vie au quotidien, qui correspond, a la manière plutôt européenne de voir les choses ... Travailler pour vivre, et pas l'inverse, et surtout, essayer de passer le plus de temps possible avec ceux qu'on aime .... Parce que la vie est courte et qu'être le plus riche du cimetière n'a aucun intérêt ...
I watched your video shortly after it was released, and decided to come back later--the next day--to see if the comments indicated that some others reacted as I did. It seems not. Whats struck me was your focus on lifestyle concerns. I had expected to see more of issues that for some are existential (such as access to robust, accessible and affordable healthcare) or safety concerns (the ubiquitous presence of firearms, the horrific murder rate, school shootings, etc.); after all you have mentioned some of these things in your recent videos. I've also observed in media, as well as personally, people declaring that they wish to escape the social conservatism and divisions of politics in the US. I suppose moving abroad is also impossible or difficult for Americans burdened by debt--credit cards, student loans, etc. (even school lunch debt--my God), even if they share some of the "comfortable life" and "personal challenge" aspirations you've identified.
The concerns you mention are absolutely part of it, but as you mentioned we've talked about those in other videos, and this video was more about some of the reasons that felt a little less apparent, beyond those. We don't want to make the same video talking about the same things over and over, nor are we trying to cover every possible aspect of a topic in a single video - it's too much. Thank you for watching and commenting. We appreciate it.
You obviously do not know about the "horrific murder rate" in France, where people do not even have the right to defend themselves. One rape every 4 minutes in France today DAILY. Between 120 and 140 knife attacks PER DAY. It does not take firearms to terrorize a population. Constant street sexual harassment on women in all cities and some towns. A country invaded by millions of foreigners - many illegals - whose culture and religion consider women less valuable than camels and hate French people. As for debt-burden, the French are up there too.
I saw "hidden reasons" and I thought "Escaping the IRS, the DEA, FBI..." but I was wrong. Am I watching too many TV shows. Probably. Nonetheless, pretty nice video as usual.
Bien que Français, je suis très intéressé par vos vidéos. Et, comme tous les français, j'ai souvent tendance à critiquer et dénigrer mon pays natal. Vos vidéos me permet de mettre en valeur les qualités de la France (et aussi ses défauts) et surtout de me rendre compte que nous avons beaucoup de chance !!! Espérons que cette volonté de "vivre ensemble" qui vous plaît tant, continuera à nous animer. Merci encore.
Family meals. It is indeed cultural and it affects all regions of France, I remember meals starting with an aperitif around noon and ending late at night without ever stopping eating and drinking, all accompanied by passionate discussions, songs and laughter. When you are a large tribe it is quite fun and it makes memories for life.
Your reasons for moving to France are the same as the ones my hubby and I have. We have lived in CA, FL, and now CO (for almost 20 years). I grew up in NJ, so I feel like I have lived in pretty much every American culture, at this point. We feel like we want the global culture experience and to see things from a more global perspective, rather than only the American perspective. And we adored France so much when we spent two weeks there that we were actually homesick for France when we came home. There is just something about the people, the culture, the environment, the whole French way of life that is pulling us really hard. We hope to retire there in 3 years. The plan is in motion!
Good luck!!! ❤️
Take that step, YOLO
Make your move to France with great cautions ( as you would do with any place ).
Thanks for this video. Many of the things you mention are because of the American style of living and culture. The US social culture is very paternalistic and, a kind of, living in their own world. knowledge about other cultures, countries, folklore, food, and way of life is poorly developed. Maybe because people think and are taught that the US is the center of the world. I'm a European who lived in the US for many years and I was shocked how little people knew about, so many aspects of the "outside" world. And so many misconceptions about other countries and cultures, just from hearsay. You had the courage and broke the chain. And from your videos, I learned you found what you were looking for in France. We live in the Netherlands now and making plans to move to France in the future. Please enjoy life.
I remind of a former Dutch coworker who was saying: here, we live to work. You (French ladies/guys) mostly work to live. It may not be true (not black or white) but he was speaking about his experience, also in Spain, Portugal and Italy...
@@philippe2257 Almost all people in Europe 'work to live'. They want to earn enough money to pay their bills and be a certain level of comfort, but work is a means to an end. They’d rather spend their hours doing things they love with people they love; they’re not looking to climb a ladder or get promoted as much as they want to be present in their lives.
Vous semblez tellement plus jeunes que lorsque vous avez commencé ces vidéos. Continuez j'apprécie votre vision de la France, elle m'ouvre aussi les yeux.
Everything you said feels right. I had the opposite experience. I am from France and I moved to the US for some time. It was just like walking in that clothes store where everything fits so well. I hated the extremely long family dinner on Sunday. Having buffet dinners party style in the US felt liberating to me. I lived in a city in France that’s too big to have everything at walking distance and too small to have good public transportation. Getting around was a chore. In the US having the car as the default mode of transportation and having parking everywhere was so much easier. My American friends were up to do anything, everyone had a car and willing to drive any distance to get together. I had so much fun. That being said, all in all Europe is a healthier and more humane place to live in. But sometimes you crave for something radically different from what you have, and falling in love with a place abroad and making it your home is a beautiful thing.
What a great post!
Yes!! To all this!!
I was actually thinking about exactly what you described when we made this for #2. All of us are such different people, what fills your soul, makes you feel at home or energized might be completely different than me and the things that didn't fit for me in the US feels just right to you.
It's an incredible privilege to be able to search for that as an individual and I hope those who want it get the chance too.
Thanks for your comment.
I guess what really pushed you out is that you lived in a big city in France witch is really not a good place to live anymore
France doesn't have the problem of guns and Donald Trump.
Intéressant contrepoint !
Yeah, Eating out (or together) in Europe is a social event, not something you do because you are hungry. That is what fast food is for.Just going for a pizza with a friends will be something that will occupy the whole evening from say 17:00 (5PM) till after midnight. First meet each other somewhere, have a drink, then go to the restaurant at say 19:00 till 22:30 and then have some more talking afterwards somewhere else. And this can happen every day of the week. Sometimes we meet later, depending if we are homeworking or not. But regardless if it is pizza or Michelin star restaurants, the main focus is being social. The only moment we get out our phone is making reservations for the next time.
It appears France has everything - can't wait to visit!
Beware of too high expectations, it's not Disneyland, not everything is milk and honey. Like any country there are good things and other more questionable things. But it must not be too bad when we see over the course of history the very low rate of French people who have expatriated, unless like Camembert the French travel badly?🤔😁
French here. Lived in the US for 10 years. Went for reasion #4. Nothing beats that.
6 months of exhaustion (Everything New) & 2 years for fluent language level & feeling at home.
#2 resonates with me. The US is not a collegial place. You have to earn your way into social groups. In France, fraternity is a fundamental cultural value.
It's interesting to have a perspective from a foreign family who spent several years in France and shared their opinion about my country.
Life IS an adventure, it's exciting, and like you I embraced it. Hello from a French expat in Dayton.
Accueillir de telles personnes avec du courage, une telle ouverture d'esprit et beaucoup d'humanité est un honneur pour nous ! Je pense que beaucoup de choses sont différentes entre la france et les us sont différentes à cause de notre histoire différente, merci de regarder au delà des apparences. Je pense que nous avons à apprendre les uns des autres. Welcoming such people with courage, open-mindedness and a lot of humanity is an honor for us! I think that many things are different between France and the US are different because of our different history, thank you for looking beyond appearances. I think we have to learn from each other.
Indeed.
I like that France is connected to many other countries, such as Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. Ireland and the United Kingdom are nearby. I went to see Adele in Munich this summer, and it was an easy drive.
Yes! Love where it's situated and how many different types of geography it offers.
So many of my fellow Americans are completely incurious. Like caged birds afraid of the open door, they are content with their predictible, if unsatisfying, reality. They can't imagine MAKING a change, let alone HOW to make a change. We move to Spain in 3 weeks. We can hardly wait!
Life is a journey ! The way you travel reveals not only who you are, but who you really want to be. No matter WHERE you decide to drop off your suitcases, the most important is WHY.
The quest of happiness (or at least the sensation of happiness) require sometime to make great decisions, like moving to live abroad. That's precisely what you did !
As a french guy working for an american company (nobody's perfect), I just can say : Enjoy your life in France !
Je visionne vos vidéos depuis quelques temps et je dois dire que je suis assez admiratif de votre courage; car n'en faut il pas pour abandonner la terre de sa naissance, de sa famille, de ses amis, abandonner une culture, un mode de vie, un style de rapport aux autres, aux choses, finalement tout ce auquel nous sommes habitués et façonnés depuis l'enfance. C'est courageux, voire téméraire et bravo à vous d'avoir entrepris l'aventure et de l'avoir apparemment superbement mené à bien. Surtout avec un fille dans votre sillage.
Quant à moi, je n'ai jamais eu le désir de m'installer ailleurs et j'ignore ce sentiment que l'on aspire à vivre autrement dans un autre endroit. Peut être est là un moteur suffisant ?
Bravo à tous les 3
Preaching to the choir. It draws me because of history, genealogy, affordability, architecture, due to being priced out of everything in Texas. It just seems to be more my speed. Great minds think alike!
You've absolutely nailed it guys. Those are all the reasons why my wife and I have lived and worked in 13 different countries so far. One of those countries was la belle France and we intend to return there in about five years for la retraite. I so enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work!
I am moving to France because our values align, unlike here in the US. Not only in the way France values art and creativity in general, but also in their global view, ecologically. Thanks for this video. I’d give it 42 thumbs up if I could.
When you scratch the surface, France is NOT an ecological country at all
I’m enjoying your content. Thank you! My wife and I are well travelled. She lived in Europe for many hears in her twenties - Italy and Greece. I have always wanted to experience another culture for an extended period of time. We are going to practice living and working in Costa Rica for 3 months next year. Eventually we plan on moving to Europe. Or Asia. For me there is nothing like the adventure of immersing yourself into another culture. When you expand your borders you continue to grow. Your view of your own country and the world change. After traveling I also always return home with an appreciation for the things that my country (USA) does well. Getting out allows you to gain new perspectives. I wish more Americans felt this way.
My parents instilled in their children..and I am one of them, ha, interest in world affairs, different ways of thinking, we have had , over the years, many lively discussions around our supper table!😊 My sister lives in Germany..has for most of her adult life. She first went there as a young teacher, met her future husband and raised a family. She loves America, it is her birth home and visits when she can, yet Germany is also her home too. I once asked her, if it was difficult for her to live in two different cultures? She replied that she's happy here and happy there.😊 Adaptability.
Myself, I have been to Europe a handful of times. I appreciate the different cultures..they're so rich, as in history, customs, and more.. than I can express here. (Perhaps my DNA is speaking to me!)
I appreciate this channel..just discovered it.
Thank you!
I am not American and have been to France, but boy I LOVE your content. You seem like such a happy couple :-) thank you for the great content and all the best for you :-)
Bonjour à vous, vous êtes un couple, courageux, la vie est trop courte, votre fille, intelligente, vas vous faire grandir...
“La France, le plus beau royaume après celui du ciel.” H. Grotius
Honestly, for us, it is the extreme rightward trend here in the US along with things like seriously terrible healthcare and gun violence.
There are a host of other reasons, I have experienced living abroad in the past, and we are very interested in exploring many parts of Europe, and living somewhere in the EU would be really helpful to that endeavor. France in particular for a variety of reasons. The culture much better fits my wife and I, the food, particularly the ready availability of good, fresh produce. The French healthcare system is another big factor, as well as the affordability compared to most anywhere in the US we would actually want to live. We can actually afford to buy a nice house somewhere with a climate that suits us without having a huge mortgage in our retirement.
I can totally relate to this episode. You voiced my feelings exactly. It's hard to explain to others!
I love it!The way tasks are allocated in this duet is so funny and endearing ; Jason does the talking and the lovely lady (that should be granted French nationality immediately, sorry I forgot your name) does the faces and mimics.. I"m French but I watch your vids twice, one for the faces and second for your exquisite takes on France.
Merci 😘
Love the practical, useful topics. Thank you.
We don't live in a country, we live in a language. This is why foreigners will only be visitors if they don't learn the language. It's the key to entering the culture. The croissant and the baguette are not enough.
I served in the Air Force for 20 years and just retired serving 22 years with a US gov’t agency. My wife and I missed the military travel where we spent over 12 years overseas. We get it! I could move to Europe tomorrow if the wife would want to go…LOL! America is a great country and has afforded me awesome career opportunities. However, we have zoomed past living and settled for existing.
Very insightful.
I could relate to this vlog. I really wanted to live abroad, so many years ago I moved from the UK to Australia. Now I’m looking to move to France; another challenge ( especially the language) closer tho not too close to family & the knowledge that if I don’t I’ll regret not trying. Thanks
Absolutely beautiful and love the landscaping!
I think you have covered many of the possible reasons as to why people want to move. But there are others. I lived almost 25 years abroad (I am Swedish but moved to Switzerland in the mid 90s) and I have had to learn German (100% fluent) as well as French (a bit shaky) in the process. When I came to Switzerland, one of the things I really enjoyed was that nobody could figure out where I was on anyone's social scale. Was I a peasant or nobility? What was my background? Nobody knew. Every culture has its own social strata indicators and I am sure that in the US, you can sniff the scent of money or status a long way when you meet someone there. In France however, people won't see that in you, but they will with their peers. So, I was presented with a unique opportunity to start fresh, with a clean slate (no, I didn't have a criminal record) and just being me and let people judge me for my personality, my actions and my performance. So refreshing! Thanks for an interesting video.
You seem so enthusiastic about my country, for me it’s weird but i like the way you see it. I wish you the best
Je ne pense pas qu'ils aient encore realise ce qui se passe vraiment en France, avec l'EU, l'immigration, l'insecurite, le niveau decriminalite, les impots, la dette, avec tout qui s'ecroule. J'aimerais beaucoup revenir en France apres 40 ans d'expatriation, mais j'hesite serieusement.
Hello Baguette Bound! I've been following you two from the start and absolutely love your content and natural delivery style, thank you for all your the hard work! I'm starting to explore the idea of living in France for 1/2 the year. I am personally drawn to the Occitanie region primarily for the weather and affordability, but I'm open. So here is my question; In trying to decided on which area of France to choose, you know how every area in the USA has a different culture? Example, the South is WAY different than the North and the East Coast is WAY different than the West Coast, style culture etc. I'm assuming this is also the case in France? Wonder of you can touch on the difference between culture/style in each region of France? My daughter and son-in-law are also thinking of moving over completely (mid 30's) so naturally they would want a great place to raise a family and affordability as well as regional cultural differences:). Maybe a good video topic? Wish you both the best!
You seems to be with an excellent health. New food for you and a Life less stressfull ❤. Congratulations
For me: the weather, as I have MS and it sure helps a lot, plus all you guys said. Spot on!
All of the things you said it is really true. I am from and grow up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I lived in Stockholm and Munich before I turned 30. Moved to California 41 years ago. Life is good and being traveling back and forth to Europe long vacations with good husband for 23 years. We are now retired for more than 10 years. Always wanted to relocate to France no problems, because that my husband lived in France for two before we married. But six years ago we got Mochi ( a little dog we adopted) we love so much really cannot leave him. France is easy with little dog to fly in. We were just worry the long flights for the poor thing…. you guys are so happy and positive being there with your beautiful daughter …. Good for you to do that for yourself to experience the world and your daughter to feel the world not just America the great. I am absolutely horrified what happened to our election last week. What happened to this great country? Will voted
For a criminal and liar? Calling John McCain a loser got hurt in the war??
Ah, when Jason mentioned running a certain time and Raina gave a "woohoo!", it made me realize ghow your energies really complement each other :)
Merci!
I completely agree with your food reason.
Next i will travel to spain and people asked me why,
And i replied, to drink coffe, eat fresh bakes bread every day, eat on terrace, slowly.
Culture is important.
I live in California and what I love the most here is the diversity of people making it unlike other places in the US. I will be priced out in my retirement and could never live in many parts of the US where people are so ethnocentric.
Bonjour! Thank you for the excellent and informative videos. Our condo is finally getting interested buyers. So, our plan to move to France is becoming real. Perpignan looks perfect for us: calm, and peaceful, charming but not chaotic, English-speaking, and not far from the train. Plus affordable for us as retired educators. Do you have thoughts or experiences about Perpignan? Merci! Dean & Cindy
Those 4 reasons make good sense and we can relate to them all. I drove change throughout my corporate career and the prospect of retiring to play golf wasn't ever going to work for me. My partner was the 2nd youngest of 10 children. Families have a way of trying to define you. So for me moving from Australia to Italy and France was all about a life of constant learning and change. For my partner it was about making her own way in the world free of the constraints of family expectations....
We hadn't thought of this "making your own way reason" but so true! Thanks for the comment.
Reaction (live) to #2: I once had a German guy as manager a while ago. During a team-building event, he said (speaking to us French guys): I cannot understand spending 2 hours lunching or dining... 😮 This is soooo normal or standard here.
We enjoyed a dinner in Paris 3 weeks ago with a friend living at the exact other side of the planet (which we do not see very often). The first idea which came to our mind was having dinner in a restaurant with the "standard" format: apéritif (you get this word now hu?), starter, main course and dessert. We spent almost 3 hours and it was great.
Most French people are obsessed with food (and complaining at the same time!😂😂). We often talk about food while eating... Not bad, not good but it is like that.
Hello Raina and Jason, before moving to France, was the french medical system also a motivation ?
And since you are set up in France, does Jason's state of health get improving with diabet problems ?
Diabet of Jason is not in relation with american food ?
And living in France, did you change your food habits ?
Great video. Yes I seek a place where there is community spirit. Sorta friendly like family in the community. I did live in Mt for 6 years and was great community but very little in the town. I missed some stuff. I’m from Uk but looking to go abroad. I thought Switzerland 15 minutes outside Zurich so I have city for galleries, swimming and I love opera so train to Italy easy. But you’re just the sort of neighbours I would love. I’m in the thinking zone so maybe after Christmas I will be moving. I have subscribed :))
Merci pour la vidéo
Wonderful video! My family (from North Carolina) is currently planning to move to Aix en Provence next summer. Thanks for all your videos! Who know, maybe we’ll cross paths at some point over there.
Keep a look out for us at the markets in out area and say hi!! I'm amazed how many views we've run into and it's very fun.
@@BaguetteBound Absolutely :) As aside, I cannot find the video where you talk about the Visa types you obtained? Does one exist? Did you use an immigration attorney or other relocation adviser?
I remember learning spanish and spanish people told me,
When i learn to spanish, i will begin to think differently.
Sentence structure is different and speaking spanish inprove my English grammar.
Other countries use root words.
I have moved to rural USA and it did not help my adventurous soul 😅 so had to move back to CA. Thank you for making “unknown” known 😁 for those who on the search road.
Understand that very well! but returning to Cali? I am in probably in one of the best area in the entire "rural USA", but it is very hard, after almost 30 years of coastal California... Alas, it is ruined.
@@Jehauvv88 totally get it! Are you open to try something new?
@@inspirational_moments_4u Yes, I am thinking about leaving the US. Why?
Hi. Not an American but moving to Auvergne soon from Belgium I would like to say I love your channel and videos.
Maybe want to meet up some day and talk over cheese and wine and bread about life in France.
Salut
Sam
Good luck with your move and thanks for watching!! 🙂
I really enjoy your content as I am also considering a move to France. I'm curious to know if you had traveled in France much before you took the leap and moved there?
No...only once, crazily enough. We had visited Paris and Loire valley for a few days in our 20's before we took the leap.
But we had a feeling about Franch when we were here. When we left that trip, I kept telling Jason "my soul did not get enough France" so we always felt a pull back.
But of course remember when we came, we thought it would be for a year. I didn't feel like I was making a huge commitment. But then once we were here, that feeling turned out to be right. 😊
I am so very much looking forward to creating a "Europe base" in France. I've traveled to non-European countries, but only Greece on "the continent". So many things I look forward to, not the least moving there in September next year in time to make a trip to see the cows waking back down to their villages from their summer pastures. THAT you can't get anywhere here in the States!
Maybe it is the social politics and system who engrain the feeling of fraternity, to be more precise Solidarity !
Our system work because of solidarity, our neighbors, other citizens all are contributing at least financially through our social system to their and above all our confort, health and quality of living and we know that !
Solidarity is a core foundation of a enjoyable democracy in my eyes.
I really love the US but do not like its individualistic and unfair capitalistic approach of society .
Can’t agree more!
A system of solidarity that many French people don’t want to participate in. People are often happy to enjoy the benefits without paying for them, which is why our economy is on its knees! Americans, on the other hand, are used to fending for themselves, and the way their society is structured reinforces a level of individualism that’s naturally present in humans, they sure have to do better (healthcare etc…). That said, I’m really surprised to see how many people in the US volunteer their time. They give a lot of their time and often money to many causes, which is becoming increasingly rare in France. In short, France is a country that’s collectively organized around solidarity, but on an individual level, not so much…
@@mohakadecincy2413 Americans are so much more generous than French! When you live in a new country, the first 3 years you are on a cloud. Then, reality sinks in. Look at the response to the hurricane in the US South East right now. It is phenomenal: solidarity, generous donations, incredible organization skills and no one waited for the government to do something. That would have never happened in France. French people have become very "assistes" et groomed to expect the government to do everything for them.
Hi "BaBou" aka baguette bound, nice video. Question, does your daughter miss USA or she likes her new environment? Take care of yourself
Je suis content pour vous, Raina, que vous ayez trouvé chez nous ce que vous cherchiez. Peut être y a t-il dans votre généalogie, parmi vos lointains ancêtres oubliés, quelques Français?
4:28 Not everywhere ! In rural areas, yes ! But not as frequent in big cities like in Paris.
Well Paris is still very special city even for the French (I’m one of them) except for football (soccer) fans perhaps…
Another good video, we get the question people pose to you at the beginning often, then when I use cheaper as an answer they cut in to say, "well Ohio is cheaper (than California where we're at" lol! People just don't understand!
Curiosity , open mind , changes ...
100%!
I believe that being human is all about being curious, trying things with one's thumbs and brain. All those things other nimals can't do. Humans that are not curious, never try to learn, to criticize or to question are worth no more than goats. You, on the other hand, are an example for us all.
The number one reason not to move: Family. The number one reason to move: Family.
If you are adventurous, curious of the world.. maybe you are blood type O? Or Aries as astro sign? It's what I am and I like to travel, discover, challenge myself a lot. It's like they say O blood typed people have a personality, way of life that it is said originates from the prehistorical era so the diet from this era fits them more, like the hunter diet (red berries, fruits from the trees, salmon, meat..) and they maintained their "hunter" soul I guess... 😂 A country with its laws is just a molded entity with their own historical institutions and history of every country is different, that's why the culture of all these countries comes so various. As French I am curious as to how Americans feel similar or different -- and to which extent -- to the British? Personaly what I wanted to escape from France is the very standardised and unvarious music culture (in my region, there are music festivals of reggae and rock/hard rock only, when you like house music, you are inexistent here, so I could relive in the US with the widespread culture of house music (soulful, gospel, garage... ) that is almost like unknown in France, though there are a lot of African-French people (I think this difference is due to the overwhelming and overgrasping French culture that tries to keep the lid on ethnic cultures). They say they are not racist but they want everyone to be fairly the same. That's what I like from the US, the possibility for anyone to thrive in their community. Something they don't know in France, that's why many people here, like North African people, often feel left out and unintegrated. So I understand whey you say you're after things that correspond to you more elsewhere, cheers!
This is an interesting question. As an American, I think the britsh work culture/markets are similar to each other, but beyond that I don't identify much with British culture.
I'm actually a little offended when French think I'm British instead of American. 😂 No offense to my British friends. 😉 But while they share a language, I think the cultures feel quite different.
@@BaguetteBound Thank you for replying, I think it's very brave to settle abroad when we are in the ''mature"' adulthood
For number one, have you tried living in New England?
Yes, I did a travel assignment there when I was younger in Newburyport Mass and LOVED it. We could definitely imagine living in VT...except weather six months out of the year can still be tough and cost of living is high. :/
Surely beautiful but only slightly different as life changing from many other beautiful US areas… These guys are not trying to say France’s better than US but life changingly different
As usual, a very nice and well-made video! For us, it was the opposite journey. My family and I were looking for exactly what you were, but we couldn’t find it in France, even after trying several regions. We found it quite easily in the US. Regarding the social aspect, especially those long meals in France, it’s true that it’s very different from the US. To be clear, food is kind of the weak spot in the US (though I do enjoy cooking, so when we feel like it, which is often, we make some great meals at home). I don’t really miss those long meals. I’ve spent years and years, countless hours at the table, rehashing the world’s problems, talking about everything and nothing, and enjoying good food. But unfortunately, in France, it often comes with a lot of excessive alcohol consumption. At some point, your health just says stop, and it’s hard not to drink without coming off as the killjoy (my wife doesn’t drink, which, for a Frenchwoman, isn’t very common). Our family and French friends come visit us here, and of course, we love hosting them, but honestly, the overconsumption of alcohol can sometimes be an issue (it’s the same when we go back to France-it’s a cycle of aperitifs, meals, aperitifs, meals, and so on).
I totally agree with your third and fourth points. For us, it’s one of the great things about living abroad. After living in New Zealand and the US, who knows, maybe one day we’ll try another country!
Il faut du courage pour faire ce que vous avez fait .... Apprendre le français !! 😱😱 Qui est une langue plutot difficile ....😂😂😂 Mais ce qui est intéressant c'est votre démarche concernant votre manière de vivre la vie au quotidien, qui correspond, a la manière plutôt européenne de voir les choses ... Travailler pour vivre, et pas l'inverse, et surtout, essayer de passer le plus de temps possible avec ceux qu'on aime .... Parce que la vie est courte et qu'être le plus riche du cimetière n'a aucun intérêt ...
I watched your video shortly after it was released, and decided to come back later--the next day--to see if the comments indicated that some others reacted as I did. It seems not. Whats struck me was your focus on lifestyle concerns. I had expected to see more of issues that for some are existential (such as access to robust, accessible and affordable healthcare) or safety concerns (the ubiquitous presence of firearms, the horrific murder rate, school shootings, etc.); after all you have mentioned some of these things in your recent videos. I've also observed in media, as well as personally, people declaring that they wish to escape the social conservatism and divisions of politics in the US. I suppose moving abroad is also impossible or difficult for Americans burdened by debt--credit cards, student loans, etc. (even school lunch debt--my God), even if they share some of the "comfortable life" and "personal challenge" aspirations you've identified.
The concerns you mention are absolutely part of it, but as you mentioned we've talked about those in other videos, and this video was more about some of the reasons that felt a little less apparent, beyond those. We don't want to make the same video talking about the same things over and over, nor are we trying to cover every possible aspect of a topic in a single video - it's too much.
Thank you for watching and commenting. We appreciate it.
You obviously do not know about the "horrific murder rate" in France, where people do not even have the right to defend themselves. One rape every 4 minutes in France today DAILY. Between 120 and 140 knife attacks PER DAY. It does not take firearms to terrorize a population. Constant street sexual harassment on women in all cities and some towns. A country invaded by millions of foreigners - many illegals - whose culture and religion consider women less valuable than camels and hate French people. As for debt-burden, the French are up there too.
You forgot a major reason : to flee.
Fleeing a certain America that votes for Trump
@@jf2187 I'm not sure France is a good place to flee from people like that (or Europe).
@@thecakeisalie9228 So, where please?
@@francois-xv9bj 😅 Tough question. I almost said Mars, but you would be with Elon Musk.
So I'd say in another time...
@@thecakeisalie9228 It's a problem, cause you live in Mars...
I saw "hidden reasons" and I thought "Escaping the IRS, the DEA, FBI..." but I was wrong. Am I watching too many TV shows. Probably. Nonetheless, pretty nice video as usual.
Lol
❤️