I’m going to step out on a limb here and give you some words of warning. For the past ten years my husband and I have been traveling around the USA trying to find “home.” We’ve spent months in vacation rentals and furnished hotels and it’s truly exhausting not to mention very expensive. During these years we have taken longer leases in homes in different cities and overall I really regret what we did. It has been a giant soul sucking, cash sucking experience that has left both of us with burn out. This past summer we finally bought a house but realized a month or two later that it wasn’t the right house or city for us and we are already talking about selling and moving back to the west. My fear is that you are burning yourself out, and burnout is really hard to recover from. We’re pretty close in age to you and your wife and while we have resilience in some ways, we don’t have the boundless energy or patience of being young and seeing everything as an adventure. If anything I would advise you to just lease a place for a year or so and take your time with finding a home to buy. You honestly seem very stressed and frustrated in your videos, and I get it. Find a house to rent, move your things in, and stop living out of a suitcase. Also, I feel for Cecilia, I’ve had three kidney stones over the years and it’s the worst. Hope she has seen a doctor and had a CT scan.
@@bodilyc Haha true. Not even the French like France that much, unless you say something negative about it. Then they get mad, bien sûr. If you look at the "youtubers in chateaux" scene you will notice that a) it is a business for them and b) they seem to hang out and work with other ex-pats a lot. I am sure it works out fine for some people, but don't be hard on yourself if it is/was not for you and good luck settling back in to the US!
Well said. We are planning on moving from the US (either to France or Canada) and our plan is to rent one place for several months in both countries, make a decision, and stick with it. Thanks for sharing your experience and the advice that comes from it - it is much appreciated. And best of luck to you and your husband too in your quest for home.
Please post more frequently. Your content is interesting and I really like seeing it. My husband and I were going to try a year in France but you are making us see reality!
@@BeneaththeSurfaceYT Hiya, first time I've been critical :p Real estate in France, you need to call the agency and ask for a viewing on a property you like. Then, if you like the agent, make a relationship with them and they will look out for properties which suit you. It's very easy and you don't need to be locked in to one person. Go down high streets and walk in. They often have lots of things that aren't in the window. They can also help you find something to rent while you're waiting. Renting is hard in the countryside, people want to sell not rent. A b n B is horrendously expensive. You never know, you might find something you love and buy it afterwards. (I just finished the vid, and you got that one :) , why don't you buy the house?) 2nd, you must sort out the health care. Medicine is mainly socialized in France, and they will treat you, but it's totally not fair to sponge off other people paying for your health care. Especially as you can get insured for not very much. Big social no no in France. You will be looked askance at if you don't. French is a must. People DO NOT have to speak American in their own country. (Though lots will try, especially young people). But, it's what I call the low point of the year, and where everything is at its most depressing, so hang on in there, spring will spring very soon :)
One of those few RUclips 'events'...a posting from Beneath Surface...I prepare something to eat/drink..and settle in....and nearly spew it out my nose in laughter when Chucky visits the Air BnB!!!!
I can't begin to tell you how much your videos have been appreciated by my husband and me! We are Americans in our fifties who, like you, have become dispassionate with the quality of life here, and have set our sights on relocating to France or Portugal. Thank you for sharing your experiences so transparently. Looking forward to what comes next for you two!
From someone who has lived overseas for a long time, there is usually a tradeoff when you move from the US. For example, you may find more affordable healthcare elsewhere. However, you may drown in a sea of red tape and inefficiency when trying to accomplish anything in many countries compared to the US. I guess it's what you prioritize the most and what you can tolerate. Rarely, can you have it all.
The way i see it, until you change your mindset no place will be perfect for you. Until you accept that things cant be the same as the us, the process of relocating to another country wont be easy. The beauty of moving to another country it is to adjust, absorb, and welcome change!. como decimos en espanol. " Donde vayas, haz lo que vieres" . Food for thought.
I don’t think they were expecting perfection? It’s normal to be upset with airbnbs being not what was advertised at all - or with bureaucracy, things that could’ve been made convenient for everybody yet they are not. It’s not like someone came to a country to criticize its culture, people or whatnot. I don’t quite understand the purpose of this comment maybe, from my perspective it picks at people just sharing the highs and lows of moving - as is, but why?
@@ananasteaI totally agree with you. I don’t think they were expecting perfection. I’ve certainly experienced accommodations, or just AirBNB, that were beyond disappointing. There’s no excuse for filth. Most of my experiences have been great. Some have certainly been ok but didn’t match their photos, at all. We’ve only left one place early and we weren’t able to get any of the money refunded but we were ok with it and decided it was worth the money loss to move elsewhere. It’s all part of the adventure. Which is what this family is sharing too. They’re up for the adventure even though they have some requirements. Don’t we all really, especially as we get older?
As someone who has moved to another country, I think you're missing what this couple is saying. They aren't complaining that there are no McDonald's in their town. They are expressing frustration with trying to meet their simple goal of finding a place to live and dealing with Airbnb hosts lying about accommodations. Those are not cultural or mindset issues.
Having recently journeyed from Portland, OR to purchase a house in French countryside, I empathize with all you are going through - the crazy house-hunting process, the less than ideal Airbnbs and especially learning the language. I’m doing it all solo and in my 60s! And I wouldn't change a thing. I had no problem opening a bank account, but I am very interested in the process of obtaining a French driver’s license. I’ve heard it can be an expensive and arduous process. Please let us know how it goes, and bonne chance!
@@maddscientist3170 It's good to have an International Driver's License, but once you become a French resident, you have up to one year to obtain a French Driver's License and it's not a fast process.
I give you both so much credit. This is why people don't move. It's hard. It's challenging. Add on top of that moving to a country where you don't speak the language. You both are incredible. Thank you for showing us how much work goes into moving your life from one continent to another. We all have fantasized about it, but goodness, it's very challenging.
It is uncanny how your present reality mirrors ours. My husband and I sold a ton of our stuff and set off to move to Panama but as soon as we arrived, we realized it was not the place for us and moved to Chile. We love it here and found that warm feeling in a southern region called Aysen. We rented a house for the summer (it’s summer here now) and in May, we will bed in the daunting task that you are on of finding our spot. Thanks for outlining the process so poetically and realistically.
You two are inspiring me. Thank you for being open with your journey and showing us the nitty gritty of moving abroad. I love your relationship AND feel more aware of what to expect when trying to live in outside of the US.
@@theparisiancorner9622 French food is the best! And although they are not afraid of butter, bacon and wine it seems to be quite healthy for them. Probably because it is real food grown there, and not whatever we get here in the US where even the organic healthy stuff lacks flavor and texture. I just walked by someone eating a chicken breast (plain), with broccoli from a plastic bag. Because it is healthy! But is it? Really? Maybe, but it certainly brings the eater no joy. Nor the rest of us smelling that bag o broccoli! =)
I wanted to offer a very sincere thank you for the transparency and open communication of all the challenges you've encountered on your journey. I'm turning 50 this year and my wife and I have begun to consider France as a retirement / semi-retirement destination in the next year or two. Moving from Canada, with one francophone and one willing-to-learn anglophone, presents a daunting opportunity. Your videos are helping put the effort into context. Thank you .. merci, merci, merci!
Honestly you two, being a young adult navigating life and prioritizing what is important, this channel gives so much practical insight and offers life experience our generation can only wish for. Thank you for sticking around and offering your perspective, even if this channel stays a side project for you both documenting and supporting your endeavors. Your son really grew up with the right framework of inspiration and values to enable his youtube story!
As a francophile from Australia who is fortunate enough to speak French almost fluently, I love your mindful vulnerability. So many channels and people try to glam-it-up.... but your approach is refreshingly real. I am excited for your adventures ahead... Spiritually guided life in France? That's my jam. Bonne chance.
Just a suggestion, when you critisize something about the way that things are done, its important to not be biased. There are many times other positive things that come to light if you look just below the surface. For example, not having the central real estate database like in the USA, this means that each individual agency is more in tune with their set up properties rather than having a realtor show any place in the US in the database, and they may know very little about the place. That being said, I enjoyed the video, and good luck on the house hunting.
Your videos are so motivating, realistic, and down to earth! You tell it like it is, not hiding the challenges that definitely can be frustrating, but also manageable at the same time. I feel like I'm on this journey with you guys, that's why I just subscribed! Hope Cecilia feels better soon and gets relief!
Oh I’m so hearing you. 7 years ago we packed up our 3 kids and 2 dogs and a cat and moved from Australia to India. It has had so many Ups and millions of downs…..and just when you think you have a handle on everything…..a curveball. We’ve moved between two states. 5 houses, went through a 2.5 year school lockdown due to Covid, but wow it’s been an incredible journey. One our boys will never forget.
I always set time aside when your videos pop up in my feed. Being an "older guy" my self, I really appreciate your videos. There is something - refreshing - seeing more mature people taking the leap into the unknown. I wish you the best of luck on finding your forever home in France.
Retired in January 2022 from the USA, as we spent 2022 in and out of the Schengen waiting for citizenship appointments. Cyprus, Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia definitely have a range of Airbnb experiences. We had some really awful experiences. Finally we are in our purchased property in Italy. But now it’s healthcare, taxes, and eventually a drivers license. All of which are specifically complicated in Italy! We feel your pain
OMG, I totally get it! I’m a Brazilian who moved to France in my twenties, then to the US in my thirties (married and 1kid), then came back to France 5 years later with more kids, then we bought a house … I feel bad for the language barrier you are facing… I’m fluent in French and Portuguese and speak decent English. If you need a little help communicating you can ask me a hand (or ear, or mouth😂) . Good luck and I hope you’ll find a home that you’ll love!
Thanks for the update. I cannot imagine finding the time to put this out on RUclips, but grateful. Your experience is providing valuable insight for the rest of us. truly. I wish this entire process had been easier for you both, but sincerely believe the light is at the end of the tunnel. Cheers.
Thanks for part 2, glad to hear that France is really it for you. It is for us, too. Good luck with the house hunting, we tried that route but in the end, after much consideration, opted for long-term rental. We're using the 'house' money for other investments that generate income, avoiding any costs or worry involved in house maintenance, having the option to move and experience another region much more easily (already done, moving north from Tarn to Haute-Loire). It took some extended thinking, having been house owners for so long, but it began to seem more like a trap with more negatives than positives. Get a friendly landlord with a long-term rental option and you can even invest in changing the property to a certain extent (the bit of the ownership element that my wife misses most), but each to their own. Best of luck, big respect for your perseverance and we look forward to seeing where next your journey will take you...
I just saw your comments and gave exact same advice and I am French 😊, outside Paris and large cities where real estate market is very efficient and well prices buying in small rural places in France is a gamble I would avoid at all cost (having been burnt myself)
I’m thinking of doing the same as well because each time I think am buying my ‘forever’ home, then I find circumstances change and I have to go through the selling process which I hate. And I’m so tired of house upkeep. But I’ve been a homeowner all my life so that would be a big change for me. I like nesting. 😊 And rental homes always have someone else’s furniture in them (and never as good quality or as comfortable as mine or to my taste). But the feeling of liquidating and pure freedom beckons! And I’m really liking just pulling out what I need from investments each month.
@@y.v.4306 Same with us, always home-owners but love the freedom of being able to move so much more easily if the area doesn't suit, or we simply fancy a change. And we rent furniture-free, taking ours with us to each new house, and it certainly helps the new place feel like 'home' that much more quickly. The French law, as far as I can tell, is also very protective of renters, unlike the UK or South Africa (where we have our housing experience) where the law seems to heavily favour the landlord. We feel secure about long-term renting in France, and that's obviously an important element in fostering that 'homely' satisfaction.
You two rock! I’m the same age and get so much inspiration from watching your wonderful videos. Thank you for sharing your adventures, inspiring the rest of us and creating such high quality content.
Your positivity and determination, but also your realism, are inspiring for anyone contemplating moving to a different country, completely out of their comfort zone. I'm French but I sympathize with your difficulties when it comes to French admin. After living in the UK for 25 years, I often found myself tearing my hair out trying to understand how things ran in my own country, even without the language barrier you have to face. Two things that you might find helpful: DeepL to translate your written communications into French. I use it professionally, it's excellent. And for money transfers from anywhere to anywhere and opening local accounts in lots of different countries: Wise. I've used them for several years. Bon courage with everything and bonne chance with the house hunting!
@@djlondon7956 Perhaps "reality" would be a better term than "positivity." Transparency is always appreciated by anyone who may be considering spending their hard earned savings on an international move.
Thanks for sharing your experience. After a few years in France we can confirm that France (especially in the country) makes you work for EVERYTHING and a lot of patience is required. But things usually (🤞) work their way around to a resolution. It’s a mistake to assume that because France is a another western country, the French will always think and respond the same as in the USA or Australia, in our case. We’ve found that they approach and resolve issues very differently and it takes some time to get into that “groove”. But we are the immigrants so that’s on us.
Accurate feedback, being an expat in France is the most difficult and (almost) soul destroying thing I ever did. Patience in abundance is needed and you will work 100times harder for even the simplest task to be accomplished.
Its possible for things to NOT work out into a nice resolution. Its easy to go broke, then you're stuck. Please, do thorough research before hand and do not just go on a whim bc a place seems dreamy or being there for a few days felt good. People date usually for a year before marriage, not a few days and this is the same sort of thing. There are many factors to consider when deciding on a new home.
@@matthawksworth Absolutely could not agree more. We finally left France last year and the financial ramifications of having bought property there and EVERYTHING that went wrong has almost destroyed us financially.The French do things so very differently and if you are a foreigner they WILL take advantage of you and be dishonest in dealing with you. Biggest mistake of my adult life.
So - brief update from your #1 Fan from Portugal. I'm a little ahead of you and chose to stay and "embrace the discomfort," (Minute 3:40 on your vid. of "Shocking reality of moving to Europe") instead of shit-canning the idea altogether and spring-boarding to France instead. I've reviewed your "Shocking reality/Europe" video three times, because it hit home so hard. Anyway, #1. I've found the Dream Home. #2. I'm in love with the surroundings = 270 degree views of Atlantic Ocean AND Canyon. However, locals in neighborhood were not trustworthy and had to install security/surveillance system to keep everyone honest. So there it is on next steps in the chapter of "Embracing Discomfort." Pray you have better luck when you get to this point in your journey. I am anticipating five full renovation projects over the next two years. That's my horizon. Will be very interested to see if/when your dream home will also require an upgrade and how well you're able to obtain labore support and materials/supplies to make the home meet your signature needs. I'm really looking forward to that part of your journey. From one hard to please customer to another - we're Birds of a feather. Best of luck and wishes always in all ways. Sincerely, Nyles. Josh - the Quality of your videos is nothing short of awesome. Prayers for Cecillia (sp.?), I hear passing a kindey stone is one of the most painful experiences in life (male or female). Yikes!
I feel like I have been moving with you both! I think of you two often and send only love your way. Happy for your adventure & hope ours isn’t to far away…
Thank you for the update. Your hunt for a home may be frustrating but once you find the right place it will be so rewarding ! Great video ! I left Europe long ago but will always miss it. Soon it will be spring and you will find your home in beautiful France. Much love from an old Dutch lady in California. 💕🌷
Salut Josh et Cecilia! J'ai suivi votre parcours depuis le "début" - tout est fascinant à regarder. Mais, il y a quelques épisodes, je voulais vous demander - pourquoi pas l'Espagne ? Je sais que je suis partial ici :))) de New York moi-même, vivant à Malaga pendant trois mois... j'adore ça, jusqu'ici tout va bien. Et, quel bonheur, il n'y a pas de barrière de la langue pour vous ! En tout cas je te souhaite bonne chance :)
I’m French in the United States now and lived 15 years in Paris before moving to Poissy where you are now. The old streets are charming and some new areas like the passage de Noailles with very nice flats. Saint Germain en Laye , a city near by, is much more pretty and well rated, but more expensive. As an online French tutor for Americans for almost 10 years, I can tell you that regardless your age {a lot of my students are in their late 60’s} you can master very well the pronunciation; Learning together is even a plus. In a matter of 3 -4 months, you can master the pronunciation including the liaisons which are so difficult for non native. It would give you confidence and whatever you want to say you would be able to say it with an excellent pronunciation. Just my piece of advice.
You guys make such a great video + editing (that Chuckie doll...) and tell such a fun and earnest story of this life arc. Look forward to hearing and learning more updates in the future! Heal up!
@@BeneaththeSurfaceYTBeen following since the beginning. Fellow Oregonian who has once lived abroad and chases that dream again. You both are very interesting to follow and your story is so earnest and pure. Wishing you both the best!
It looks like it is slowly coming together for you both. Very nice. We are visiting France and the UK to take a look at whether moving is right for us. It is fun and informative to follow your journey. Best of luck.
This gives me real flash backs....not being able to speak French fluently and trying to navigate normal life while doing this is so tough, unless you've experienced this you will never understand how tough!! I feel for you both ..... my wife and I did a similar thing some years back and it was one of the hardest things we ever did, we were also around your age too..... I wish you the best of luck, thanks for the great video footage and commentary guys.
Hey guys, good to hear that you picked Yvelines. It is a very large « département » and I am sure you will find your dream house there. I was born in Paris and spend a major chunk of my life near Versailles. When buying your house just watch carefully the “passeport énergétique” as it lowers or enhances the value (and resale value) of your property. It also lowers your bills if you have a well insulated house. French winters are not harsh but still…
Los admiro muchisímo! Cambiar la rutina después de tantos años es difísil pero es exitante para la gente que quiere seguir viviendo y no existiendo. La vida es HERMOSA y tenemos que honrar a Dios por darnosla y una de esas maneras es lanzarnos sin miedo y con confianza de que todo tarde o temprano saldrá bien. El aprendizaje viene en todas formas y siempre pienso en ustedes tienen todo mi respeto porque son una inspiración para mi. Este año cumplo 50 y estoy de acuerdo con ustedes, esta no es edad para quedarse en casa y ser presos de una rutina, al contrario, vamos a vivir! a aprender! a tener nuevas experiencias porque eso es lo que nos mantiene engage in life! God bless you, beautiful people. Hugs from Texas.
It is so nice to see a real picture of what it is like to move to another country, it is so easy to romanticize the experience but there are definitely challenges to doing it.
I absolutely LOVE the raw authenticity of your videos sharing the good and the bad of your experience. This is often lacking on other folks videos. As someone who is contemplating an expat lifestyle down the road, what you are sharing is invaluable. Thank you!
What a great way to end a Sunday watching a video of your adventures! I must say the whole real estate process reminds me a lot to the Argentinian system back in the day when I lived in Buenos Aires. After all, there is plenty of European influence in Argentina! This series is so wholesome and real, and I feel like I'm in France with both of you. I wish Cecilia do not get more Kidney stone pains so she can keep up being her wonderful energetic self. I truly admire how persistent you both are on following your dreams and learning new things and I also look up to the way you both deal with obstacles together with so much love and patience. I can't wait for the moment you can settle down in your new home, but in the meantime I enjoy seeing your adventures so much!
I dig your can-do tone is this vid. My journey is very similar in my case left SF Bay Area 1.5 years ago, settling gradually into semi-rural life on a Croatian island. Stayed in airbnb for one week (painful) posted on an apartment rental site for 2 month stay during home search until purchased an old stone house in a village with land. All with a yorkie mix side-kick just to spice things up. Purchased the property, then bought a car. Enjoying road trips from my home, within 5 hours drive can explore cultures, shop, visit friends in Ita, Slo, Ger, Aus, Hungry, Bosnia…so far. Everything you said about why you left PNW and what you hope this next chapter offers: challenging, exciting, learning, delicious…so resonant. This deep dive into the psyche and exploring the world has similar flavor to my 20s, but now 50s. Cheers, and best of luck. I have no doubt your persistence and vibes will pay off.
I love you videos and am intrigued by the French countryside. I devour each and every clip shown of the rural areas. We are going to the Loire valley in September and renting scooters to tour around. We are even getting our motorcycle licenses here In Kentucky, USA) to make sure we can ride! I look back on some moves I have made, we have moved about 10 times in our 39 year marriage, and I see I have been fiercely negative in some silly issues. Once I was like a rabid dog about a toilet ring! Looking back, I think I was just acting out my anxiety. I know you are loving more than you are recording. I wish you intrepid adventurers the very best!
Thank you so much. :) Yes, loving a lot in the mix of all the challenges. It’s really important to me to always represent it all. Thanks for your support!! 🙏❤️
Respect to you both - not many people willingly go from a comfortable life to one of uncertainty and discomfort, but it feels like much of the battle has already been won. You have years ahead to explore your new region and enjoy all the cultural changes, and there's nothing like moving to a new country (especially with a change in language) to keep you in the present moment... Add to that the reassurance of having your children close to hand. Looking forward to seeing how things unfold... As someone who made the journey to France many years ago, I find it all so very relatable.
Cool that you seem to thrive on all these challenges. I prefer those slow, reliable, mind-numbing home projects over moving abroad. Interesting to follow your progress. I am learning Italian because I love the language, history and people. Any suggestions for fun and effective language learning apps you'd like to share?
I love your realistic view of everything. Not always glossing over the bad stuff and explaining why everything is difficult. Most bloggers just show the positive.
I could watch your videos daily. I’m glad you were able to temporarily settle (what a contradiction lol). Now I have to go back and see if there is video of the air bnb lol. That countryside looks straight out of a historical romance novel. Cecelia’s stones made me wonder how do you navigate medical issues, do you have health insurance now? The things you think of as you get older lol. Thank you so much for sharing.
For myself and my husband even being relatively settled here in Germany, the everyday doesn't become mundane because there's always something new or confusing that we're not used to, so I think even when you do settle, it'll stay interesting and to a certain extent challenging. Love your videos, thanks for sharing :)
Awesome video, and cheers as an American in Toulouse (soon to be Montpellier)! :) I'm on the same adventure/challenge pendulum as you two (property searching, getting my French license (via CO state exchange.. phew!)) - hang in there! :)
That's nice, I'm going through something similar. I also moved to the French countryside and purchased a house here. Trying to learn how to drive now. Good luck to you!
This was interesting to watch. Good luck with learning French. I’m an older learner myself, and a year and a half in, I feel like I’m barely finding my rhythm. It’s not as easy as some would think, and I say this as someone fluent in English and Spanish. Commit to a little every day, and don’t neglect grammar. Looking forward to the next one. Cheers!
Another great video! I enjoy your determination. Your chosen place will appear as you have manifested it. Enjoy the journey and the adventures along the way. Looking forward to your next.
I would advise you to rent first before buying. The rents are generally reasonable and it gives you much more time to really make a good choice about location and house. Frais de notaire are expensive so it is not very easy to sell fast without losing money if you don’t like your house or realise that there are hidden issues. I bought a country side house and overpaid it as I was from Paris. I am sure it is even worse for foreigners. Most of the houses are very old and require a lot of renovation. Plus there are new energy saving rules in France which make it risky to buy old houses. France is not easy - rent first, especially prices are bound to drop with higher interest rates
House hunting is crazy here! We did find our house on our own and worked with the sellers….and it still took 4 months to close with my husband doing most of the work. I am embarking on getting to know the healthcare system here with a very serious diagnosis. Like you, I try to keep my focus on the positive. For me, that would be all of my care is covered, nothing out of pocket. Bon courage!
Thankfully my older brother owns seven homes in Spain in Madrid Avila and the Mediterranean. So I'm able to bounce around with only food and transport costs. Unless you've been on a six figure income during most of your career, buying a nice place when you're older is out of reach nowadays due to the steep rise in housing costs across the world.
I’m so excited for your decision to stay in Yvelines and I look forward to learning more about it. It would be nice if you could post more frequently, although I do understand that life has been frenetic for you and that you are a professional and perfectionist. 😉 However, something you all might consider is a Q&A. You could request topics or questions before or conduct a live session. It would be nice to speak with you both unscripted. I’m wishing you the best moving forward 💕💕💕
You have been instructive in the opposite for me. Before Myasthenia took over my life wanted to do what you are but I was considering Bulgaria which doesn't allow purchase and was chafing under house I wanted to renovate that seemed to take forever. Still not done in 10 yrs but there was 5 yr hiatus of medical mess, suddenly seeing progress and truly eager to just cocoon knowing I have no pressures as you have shown and can enjoy garden, hummingbirds, doves. I wish you luck
I'm counting my blessings as I watch this particular episode. I'm planning a move to France next year, and fortunately I'm fluent in French. Growing up in a bilingual school system has its rewards. My husband will soon have citizenship in a EU country therefore we'll fortunately avoid all the French visa renewal headaches, banking and rental requirements. Your big plus++ that I envy tremendously is that you have two sons in Paris. Mine reside in the U.S. and I can only hope they will visit us whenever possible. We also plan to rent long term as you have, until the right house to buy comes along. It's the advice given by others who also discovered the French home they bought was ultimately not in the region they would have preferred. Fortunately, you and Cecilia have narrowed down your search to Yvelines, and that helps a lot. Thank you for your gripes about airbnb type rentals. It's the reason we are moving to France. A party house next to our American dream home literally pushed us to sell, despite all the municipal and law enforcement we could muster. (Avoid buying in a highly touristy area!! These places owned by investors look attractive, but when living next to an airbnb, you never ever have true neighbours!) Back to your house hunting video, yes, Seloger is a good site, and often when I google real estate in our area of interest, other great local realtors come up. There's never more than 3 or 4 local agencies so it doesn't take long to figure out what's currently listed. Waiting until spring should give you better selection but winter house hunting may help in learning about local home issues such as dampness, adequate heat sources, etc. I'm glad you have a translate app on your phone; very helpful; and your bank selection was a good one as well. I've also dug up helpful sites on flood planes, pollution and pesticide maps. These are worth checking out if you're planning on country property, in particular. (I'm rather obsessive on details when researching real estate; alas there are no maps on airbnb party houses). Keep up the good work, guys. You will reach your dreams. Lastly, I hope you, Cecilia, are feeling better soon.
Please really know what you're getting into, we drank the cool aid and it pretty much financially destroyed us as we did not want to stay in France when we realized the reality of the expat experience. We bought a house there and now cannot seem to sell it. It almost destroyed our marriage and our retirement savings. Just be careful, do not get caught up in the romanticized notion we all have of France, because the reality is quite something else. You might love it, and I hope you do if you go.
@@bodilyc Thank you for the advice. Would you be willing to share a bit more of the lessons learned? What was the expat experience? I realize it can be challenging to make French friends. We're planning on renting for a year to be sure the move to France is for us. A major reason for considering France is because we're so disillusioned with North America. We've lived in both the U.S. and Canada. These countries are changing before our very eyes, and not for the better. I'm sorry to hear you're finding it difficult to sell. If you do, where would you move to?
@@johnwright6102 Our manor home we bought is near Pau in South West France. We have it for sale while we have already left France and are back in USA . It was under offer and ready to close when we had the rug pulled out from under us. Too much to write here but essentially the realtors and the buyer had lied to us, and the notaires had passively gone along with this deception. We already had our tickets to return home and all our belongings and car contracted to ship back. We had to leave as our residency visa had not been renewed as we believed our house had sold. So, all of our life savings are tied up in the house we paid cash for while it sits empty there in France. Homes in France generally take YEARS to sell, it is NOTHING even similar to the American real estate. It's actually unbelievable the nonsense involved. We found the French generally to have a distain toward Americans (although there were exceptions and we did make some good friends). The French mentality was not one we were willing to adapt in order to really fit in. We were repeatedly taken advantage of by French work men and ppl who supposedly would help us. We were over charged for everything and bald face lied to. The costs of utilities and food were through the roof, and gasoline, although I suppose globally this is a current issue. I wish we had had a more honest picture of what awaited us on moving there. We would not have gone. It has literally been the most awful and challenging phase of our life this far.
@@bodilyc I'm sorry to hear of the challenges you are currently facing. I hope you find a buyer. soon. I spend a lot of time on many French real estate sites. For the anglophone buyers/sellers, I look at Leggett, Green Acres, Belles Demeures, Figaro, etc. Since you use the term "manor" your asking price may exceed the local French budget; but fit in with an American or British budget. I also visit expat sites and read comments (typically from Brits, but sometimes Americans) on their adjustment to life in France. Some of these folks seem to have made a success of it. Perhaps it has to do with age, or having a French spouse. We are retirement age and DO NOT like the Medicare system; one of the reasons we left the U.S. We currently live in Canada and it has a universal health care system that is crumbling before our eyes. Did you have any dealings with French health care? We plan to spend a few weeks in the Bordeaux area this summer (terrible time of year to go, given the crowds, but it's to celebrate our July anniversary). May I ask why you chose Pau? I've looked into that area, but I'm fixated on convenient flight/train connections from Paris. Bordeaux seems ideal. Fingers crossed on the sale of your French home. Please contact a Leggett agent if you haven't thus far. They may be able to help.
@@johnwright6102 Thanks for your response and your kind words. We actually did have a lot of time spent in the health care system. My husband became quite poorly about 2 months after arriving in France and consequently spent a lot of time at the hospital in Pau. The language was a huge barrier as Medical French is not something I have had experience in. I can manage vacation French but the medical stuff was impossible. We got help in getting a card Vitale for medical coverage, so we were covered by the French medical system . Medicine was considerably cheaper in France, some prescriptions that were not free were only a few euros, which was a huge plus. After you are in France for more than 3 months you qualify for the card Vitale. But it's a lot of paperwork. Good luck, I hope you love France and make a good life there. We went as a newly retired couple and for it just wasn't worth all the problems and difficulties. But perhaps for you it will be.
Your videos are so unique in sharing your experiences. So very interesting! Going into the unknown and relying on past experiences that don't really seem to match up, turn those times into an adjustment and integration of experiences. Being constant nomads makes that adjustment and integration more challenging. So looking forward to where you settle permanently. Glad, in the mean time, you've been able to land in a situation that is good for location and "landlords".
Love your perspective in this. It's been a similar journey when I purchased abroad a year ago and every few weeks brings a whole new thing to learn and resolve (and I'm fluent in the language!) -- banking, repairs, property management, tenants, local utilities and taxes -- it has often felt overwhelming. But your video drives home what I keep telling myself -- I made this decision for a reason, and it's worth seeing through. Thanks for the inspo
Great progress. Very inspirational. I closed on my house in Umbria earlier this month and share your enthusiasm. Also your fears and frustrations but, swimming means jumping in. Keep going!
Seeing you land in the place I grew up, from a foreigner's perspective, is so weird and fascinating 😅. I'm really looking forwards to seeing how the rest of your adventure turns out !! Yvelines seem like an actually really good fit for you, between countryside and proximity to Paris.
Luv your videos...what a journey... inspired me to take the plunge and spend time in France this spring. I retired 4 years ago, moved from New Jersey to Florida, to a 55 and up development, and all they do is play cards, go to the pool and go to a restaurant to have a meal. I was used to going to Manhattan on the weekends and I felt alive.... Living here is like I'm in a just waiting to die situation. Your perseverance and determination inspires me. Thank you. I'll say a prayer that you may find the right house, at the right price in the right location and so be it.
i'm always looking forward to your videos! i'm french-american and lived in france til i was about 6 years old and have lived in the south in the united states ever since. and now in my early 20s i, too, hope to move away from here and back to france for a new beginning! there are a lot of steps to get there (including but not limited to relearning french since i haven't fluently spoken it in a decade & saving enough money) so it'll probably take me a couple years at least, but seeing you and your wife go through the process of falling in love with france is reminding me what i miss about it and am really looking forward to being reacquainted with as an adult :) bon courage!
I know you haven't always enjoyed this process, as evidenced by portions of this video - but I had a helluva good time watching it. God love you & Cecelia for going through this process together in good spirits. No, this isn't easy but nothing worth having ever is. Thank you for letting us ride shotgun with you - it continues to be a blast!!
AirBNB Gamble, I feel that. I spent a year on the road, with no apartment back home. I bounced around from AirBNB to AirBNB, and dealt with the same struggles. I'm happy you guys found a stable home base. Happy house hunting! You didn't mention Nathaniel's language course. I'm sure he has tips for you. Enjoy the journey!
I left Canada after selling my house in October. We went to several parts of Italy, gave up and now we are looking in France but renting in England because my partner is British. Same issues in France as in Italy real estate agents act like they really don't want to sell the house, that's when they bother answering your emails. In a month my 6 months visa will be up and I have to make a quick decision. BTW I speak French, English and Italian. Did not help me a bit when dealing with the bureaucracy. I also don't have the your budget. I've seen the house you've sold! American money is at par with the Euro. Canadian money doesn't amount to much in Europe so we are limited as to what to buy in case we don't find jobs right away. If only we could combine our situation we would be laughing! I wish you all the best. I really enjoy watching your videos, it makes me feel like I'm not alone. I hope your wife feels better.
Your house-hunting reminded me of A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke; in that book, the English character looks for a new home near Paris, and in the winter. Come spring, I'm sure the landscape will be completely and pleasantly transformed.
How are you folks doing? Have you found anything yet?? It seems tough. But I am still jealous - you bit the bullet, took the chance. Good luck. I believe you folks will find what you want. Courage! Barbara
that's how many French people live. Simple, modest functional housing is common in France. It doesn't have the financial/credit system to pour money into housing as in the English speaking countries. So, there is no incentive to create zillow or redfin like sites and large accessible markets in housing. Housing is just for living in in France, It's not seen as an investment with the possible exception of central Paris and a bit along the eastern Riviera. French people would think the places you stayed were fine and would wonder what you were complaining about. Even middle-class French people live simply and have little choice about housing. They take what they can find and assume you'll see it the same way. It's all very different from the US.
Just curious, and respectfully asking, how can you decide if France is the right home for you if you do not speak the language yet? To me, language is such an integral part of culture and life. So interesting to see this perspective from an older generation. Thanks for sharing!!
I 100% agree. They are not LIVING there yet, they are exploring France still. Believe me living there, paying all the bills, taxes, language, communication as a home owner, health and medical, car maintenance and license, internet, workmen, repairs, its all DAUNTING in reality. Not to mention the ridiculousness of bureaucracy , the French mentality and attitude. Everything is done when its done and as a foreigner they will lie to you in order to take financial advantage of you. Believe me, I know from experience.
I love your candor. It gets old (and strains credulity) to keep hearing how amaaaaaaazing all these places are. We need to hear the real story! I'd like to know more about the legalities of becoming full time expatriate residents, as France is known for its bureaucracy. Italy makes it very difficult - even though my husband and I both have Italian-born grandfathers. Your vids are great!
Research it well and talk to others who have done it. It is very very difficult and the reality is often glazed over. It can be a VERY expensive mistake to recover from. Not to mention an emotional hurdle to bounce back from.
I love how honest your videos are... so helpful in case we ever want to travel like you guys. As for kidney stones, having dealt with them in the past (had a procedure in 2013), you will have to completely avoid certain foods. If you have oxalate kidney stones -- no strawberries, spinach, peanut butter, blueberries, chocolate (I cheat on this), and many other foods that are high in oxalate. It's hard doing without certain foods, but believe me, it has stopped my stones from growing. Bon chance!
Hey Josh, great explanation as to how things are going, now I know why you don't put out videos every week! Years ago I saw a standup comedian from Hawaii. He said he loved it when the French came to visit the islands, he loved the sound of their accent. He said, "You know, like Jacques Cousteau," and he gave us a sample, "Zee sharks ap-pear a-jee-tate-tid af-ter de-vow-ering two of our camera-men. We ar mov-ving in for a clos-ser luke." Yeah, the language - especially French - is an obstacle! Heck, Spanish is easy compared to French...
As I am the same age as you two, I enjoy watching your trials and tribulations. But I am also reminded “wherever you go, there you are”. Much love and wishes for the best to you two.
1. french language .. Alliance Francaise.. newspapers.. short novels .., TV . . 2. housing - definitely a big factor anywhere.. France is large.. consider places like Lyon, Bordeaux .. these are close to rail connections to Paris and have small villages close .. 3. patience..
Absolutely LOVE your videos!! It’s a dream of mine to do the same. Happy you’ve found THE PLACE to live and wish you the best in finding the perfect new place!
omg you guys are soldiers to be able to endure all of this! we sold all of our stuff and moved to portugal 4 months ago and we never did a scoutting trip and we went through similar situations, uncomfortable airbnbs and the pain of constantly moving with all of our lugguage! we are 31 and 34 and we feel so tired of this, the fact that you guys are going through much worse at your age must be extremely exhausting but also extremely impressive. I learned pretty quickly to never book a place with narrow stairs and slanted cielings we hated those 2 things! one of the reasons we chose portugal is because you can easily exchange your driving license, people are nice, healthier food although my dream is to live in italy. italy has intense beaurocracy so we decided on portugal where you can easily set up bank and other stuff versus france and italy, you can always rent any place for 200 euros per month in the middle of nowhere ( think of it as storage) and put all your belongings there and use the apartment contract to satisfy sef and then just move around europe and enjoy yourself, but the downside for someone who doesnt want to live in portugal that they are forced to spend a certain amount of time of the year in portugal. for me it is not a downside because I love portugal as well as france and italy so i will just split my time between them
I’m in the same boat as you as my storage after I sell my home is going to cost a fortune while I trip around…the idea of renting a place cheap in the middle of nowhere sounds appealing. Can I ask where you ended up doing that? And if you have any other tips? I need the cheapest launching pad possible to leave my things while I drive my car around Europe and elsewhere to go exploring and to find a new home base (which might very well be Portugal but I don’t know yet).
@@y.v.4306 to find a place as a storage you will have to be patient and check regurlarly on daily basis on idealista and remax and you will have to contact them right away in portuguese since not all speak english, use google translate..and be ready to see it and make the deal! we will not do this since we will live in portugal so we need a cozy home at first and not a place just for storing our stuff but down the line we will do that since we plan to spend half the year out of portugal and moving around more often. also you can just rent a storage space, but for us for the d7 we need a house contract thats why I thought of just getting a really cheap place and use it as storage like 2 in 1
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@@maryking2597 Probably as much as it can make you less hateful💁🏾♀️ Grow up.
I’m going to step out on a limb here and give you some words of warning. For the past ten years my husband and I have been traveling around the USA trying to find “home.” We’ve spent months in vacation rentals and furnished hotels and it’s truly exhausting not to mention very expensive. During these years we have taken longer leases in homes in different cities and overall I really regret what we did. It has been a giant soul sucking, cash sucking experience that has left both of us with burn out. This past summer we finally bought a house but realized a month or two later that it wasn’t the right house or city for us and we are already talking about selling and moving back to the west. My fear is that you are burning yourself out, and burnout is really hard to recover from. We’re pretty close in age to you and your wife and while we have resilience in some ways, we don’t have the boundless energy or patience of being young and seeing everything as an adventure. If anything I would advise you to just lease a place for a year or so and take your time with finding a home to buy. You honestly seem very stressed and frustrated in your videos, and I get it. Find a house to rent, move your things in, and stop living out of a suitcase. Also, I feel for Cecilia, I’ve had three kidney stones over the years and it’s the worst. Hope she has seen a doctor and had a CT scan.
I like your advice and I hope you find home and peace wherever you go. Also, I think renting can be good start.
Very good advice, we have thought we found THE place several times and have lived in all parts of france
@@bodilyc Haha true. Not even the French like France that much, unless you say something negative about it. Then they get mad, bien sûr. If you look at the "youtubers in chateaux" scene you will notice that a) it is a business for them and b) they seem to hang out and work with other ex-pats a lot. I am sure it works out fine for some people, but don't be hard on yourself if it is/was not for you and good luck settling back in to the US!
@@mynamename5172 Thank you. I guess if we hadn't done it we would always wonder "what if" But what an expensive lesson we learned.
Well said. We are planning on moving from the US (either to France or Canada) and our plan is to rent one place for several months in both countries, make a decision, and stick with it. Thanks for sharing your experience and the advice that comes from it - it is much appreciated. And best of luck to you and your husband too in your quest for home.
Please post more frequently. Your content is interesting and I really like seeing it. My husband and I were going to try a year in France but you are making us see reality!
Trying for monthly now. Best I can do. These take a lot of time! In any case, thank you so much for your support. 😁
@@BeneaththeSurfaceYT Hiya, first time I've been critical :p Real estate in France, you need to call the agency and ask for a viewing on a property you like. Then, if you like the agent, make a relationship with them and they will look out for properties which suit you. It's very easy and you don't need to be locked in to one person. Go down high streets and walk in. They often have lots of things that aren't in the window.
They can also help you find something to rent while you're waiting. Renting is hard in the countryside, people want to sell not rent. A b n B is horrendously expensive. You never know, you might find something you love and buy it afterwards. (I just finished the vid, and you got that one :) , why don't you buy the house?)
2nd, you must sort out the health care. Medicine is mainly socialized in France, and they will treat you, but it's totally not fair to sponge off other people paying for your health care. Especially as you can get insured for not very much. Big social no no in France. You will be looked askance at if you don't.
French is a must. People DO NOT have to speak American in their own country. (Though lots will try, especially young people).
But, it's what I call the low point of the year, and where everything is at its most depressing, so hang on in there, spring will spring very soon :)
Please post more often loooove your content and energy
One of those few RUclips 'events'...a posting from Beneath Surface...I prepare something to eat/drink..and settle in....and nearly spew it out my nose in laughter when Chucky visits the Air BnB!!!!
Still try it! 80% awesome, 20% struggles.
I can't begin to tell you how much your videos have been appreciated by my husband and me! We are Americans in our fifties who, like you, have become dispassionate with the quality of life here, and have set our sights on relocating to France or Portugal. Thank you for sharing your experiences so transparently. Looking forward to what comes next for you two!
Thank you so much, Jenn! :)
Great vlog! Love your honest delivery and great info! Really well done!
@@blakehahn-atlantaga8510 Thanks, Blake!
Watch out for immigration issues and the insecurity that stems from it. Not everyone immigrates from the US and wants to integrate!
From someone who has lived overseas for a long time, there is usually a tradeoff when you move from the US. For example, you may find more affordable healthcare elsewhere. However, you may drown in a sea of red tape and inefficiency when trying to accomplish anything in many countries compared to the US. I guess it's what you prioritize the most and what you can tolerate. Rarely, can you have it all.
The way i see it, until you change your mindset no place will be perfect for you. Until you accept that things cant be the same as the us, the process of relocating to another country wont be easy. The beauty of moving to another country it is to adjust, absorb, and welcome change!. como decimos en espanol. " Donde vayas, haz lo que vieres" . Food for thought.
I said the same, it didn't go down well. Watching with interest...
100% agree
I don’t think they were expecting perfection? It’s normal to be upset with airbnbs being not what was advertised at all - or with bureaucracy, things that could’ve been made convenient for everybody yet they are not. It’s not like someone came to a country to criticize its culture, people or whatnot. I don’t quite understand the purpose of this comment maybe, from my perspective it picks at people just sharing the highs and lows of moving - as is, but why?
@@ananasteaI totally agree with you. I don’t think they were expecting perfection. I’ve certainly experienced accommodations, or just AirBNB, that were beyond disappointing. There’s no excuse for filth. Most of my experiences have been great. Some have certainly been ok but didn’t match their photos, at all. We’ve only left one place early and we weren’t able to get any of the money refunded but we were ok with it and decided it was worth the money loss to move elsewhere. It’s all part of the adventure. Which is what this family is sharing too. They’re up for the adventure even though they have some requirements. Don’t we all really, especially as we get older?
As someone who has moved to another country, I think you're missing what this couple is saying. They aren't complaining that there are no McDonald's in their town. They are expressing frustration with trying to meet their simple goal of finding a place to live and dealing with Airbnb hosts lying about accommodations. Those are not cultural or mindset issues.
Having recently journeyed from Portland, OR to purchase a house in French countryside, I empathize with all you are going through - the crazy house-hunting process, the less than ideal Airbnbs and especially learning the language. I’m doing it all solo and in my 60s! And I wouldn't change a thing. I had no problem opening a bank account, but I am very interested in the process of obtaining a French driver’s license. I’ve heard it can be an expensive and arduous process. Please let us know how it goes, and bonne chance!
Thanks, Lori, and you too! :)
Watch the video by Jay Swanson on this subject.
why not just get an International Drivers license in the mean time using your US based license until you actually move to France
@@maddscientist3170 It's good to have an International Driver's License, but once you become a French resident, you have up to one year to obtain a French Driver's License and it's not a fast process.
@@janebaker966 Thanks! That's a great video. It's all possible.
I give you both so much credit.
This is why people don't move.
It's hard. It's challenging.
Add on top of that moving to a country where you don't speak the language.
You both are incredible.
Thank you for showing us how much work goes into moving your life from one continent to another.
We all have fantasized about it, but goodness, it's very challenging.
Moving is great though 👍✅💚
It is uncanny how your present reality mirrors ours. My husband and I sold a ton of our stuff and set off to move to Panama but as soon as we arrived, we realized it was not the place for us and moved to Chile. We love it here and found that warm feeling in a southern region called Aysen. We rented a house for the summer (it’s summer here now) and in May, we will bed in the daunting task that you are on of finding our spot. Thanks for outlining the process so poetically and realistically.
Bienvenidos a Chile
You two are inspiring me. Thank you for being open with your journey and showing us the nitty gritty of moving abroad. I love your relationship AND feel more aware of what to expect when trying to live in outside of the US.
Thanks!
Haha just for the food i would not leave France !
@@theparisiancorner9622 French food is the best! And although they are not afraid of butter, bacon and wine it seems to be quite healthy for them. Probably because it is real food grown there, and not whatever we get here in the US where even the organic healthy stuff lacks flavor and texture. I just walked by someone eating a chicken breast (plain), with broccoli from a plastic bag. Because it is healthy! But is it? Really? Maybe, but it certainly brings the eater no joy. Nor the rest of us smelling that bag o broccoli! =)
@@mynamename5172 Being a French chef myself, i could not agree more with what you say. Thanks for your comment
Thank you for the update on your journey!!! I really appreciate the transparency of your family adventures. I hope you find your home soon 😊
Thank you so much, Venus. :)
I wanted to offer a very sincere thank you for the transparency and open communication of all the challenges you've encountered on your journey. I'm turning 50 this year and my wife and I have begun to consider France as a retirement / semi-retirement destination in the next year or two. Moving from Canada, with one francophone and one willing-to-learn anglophone, presents a daunting opportunity. Your videos are helping put the effort into context. Thank you .. merci, merci, merci!
So wonderful to hear! All the best of luck to you guys. 🙏😁
Honestly you two, being a young adult navigating life and prioritizing what is important, this channel gives so much practical insight and offers life experience our generation can only wish for. Thank you for sticking around and offering your perspective, even if this channel stays a side project for you both documenting and supporting your endeavors. Your son really grew up with the right framework of inspiration and values to enable his youtube story!
Thank you Julius, for your lovely words! 🙏❤️😁
As a francophile from Australia who is fortunate enough to speak French almost fluently, I love your mindful vulnerability. So many channels and people try to glam-it-up.... but your approach is refreshingly real. I am excited for your adventures ahead... Spiritually guided life in France? That's my jam. Bonne chance.
Thank you so much! 🙏😁
Just a suggestion, when you critisize something about the way that things are done, its important to not be biased. There are many times other positive things that come to light if you look just below the surface. For example, not having the central real estate database like in the USA, this means that each individual agency is more in tune with their set up properties rather than having a realtor show any place in the US in the database, and they may know very little about the place. That being said, I enjoyed the video, and good luck on the house hunting.
Your videos are so motivating, realistic, and down to earth! You tell it like it is, not hiding the challenges that definitely can be frustrating, but also manageable at the same time. I feel like I'm on this journey with you guys, that's why I just subscribed! Hope Cecilia feels better soon and gets relief!
Thanks, Kaireena! Love it when people get it. :) She's doing great now, thank you!!
Oh I’m so hearing you. 7 years ago we packed up our 3 kids and 2 dogs and a cat and moved from Australia to India. It has had so many Ups and millions of downs…..and just when you think you have a handle on everything…..a curveball. We’ve moved between two states. 5 houses, went through a 2.5 year school lockdown due to Covid, but wow it’s been an incredible journey. One our boys will never forget.
I’m so happy I found your channel. I’ve been watching some other channels but this one is by far the most informative.
Great to hear it! Thank you. 🙏😁
I always set time aside when your videos pop up in my feed.
Being an "older guy" my self, I really appreciate your videos.
There is something - refreshing - seeing more mature people taking the leap into the unknown.
I wish you the best of luck on finding your forever home in France.
Thank you so much, my friend. :)
Retired in January 2022 from the USA, as we spent 2022 in and out of the Schengen waiting for citizenship appointments. Cyprus, Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia definitely have a range of Airbnb experiences. We had some really awful experiences. Finally we are in our purchased property in Italy. But now it’s healthcare, taxes, and eventually a drivers license. All of which are specifically complicated in Italy! We feel your pain
OMG, I totally get it! I’m a Brazilian who moved to France in my twenties, then to the US in my thirties (married and 1kid), then came back to France 5 years later with more kids, then we bought a house … I feel bad for the language barrier you are facing… I’m fluent in French and Portuguese and speak decent English. If you need a little help communicating you can ask me a hand (or ear, or mouth😂) . Good luck and I hope you’ll find a home that you’ll love!
Decent English? Based on this comment. Your English seems excellent!!
Thanks for the update. I cannot imagine finding the time to put this out on RUclips, but grateful. Your experience is providing valuable insight for the rest of us. truly. I wish this entire process had been easier for you both, but sincerely believe the light is at the end of the tunnel. Cheers.
Thank you, Carrie, for your sweet words. :)
Thanks for part 2, glad to hear that France is really it for you. It is for us, too. Good luck with the house hunting, we tried that route but in the end, after much consideration, opted for long-term rental.
We're using the 'house' money for other investments that generate income, avoiding any costs or worry involved in house maintenance, having the option to move and experience another region much more easily (already done, moving north from Tarn to Haute-Loire). It took some extended thinking, having been house owners for so long, but it began to seem more like a trap with more negatives than positives.
Get a friendly landlord with a long-term rental option and you can even invest in changing the property to a certain extent (the bit of the ownership element that my wife misses most), but each to their own.
Best of luck, big respect for your perseverance and we look forward to seeing where next your journey will take you...
I just saw your comments and gave exact same advice and I am French 😊, outside Paris and large cities where real estate market is very efficient and well prices buying in small rural places in France is a gamble I would avoid at all cost (having been burnt myself)
I’m thinking of doing the same as well because each time I think am buying my ‘forever’ home, then I find circumstances change and I have to go through the selling process which I hate. And I’m so tired of house upkeep. But I’ve been a homeowner all my life so that would be a big change for me. I like nesting. 😊 And rental homes always have someone else’s furniture in them (and never as good quality or as comfortable as mine or to my taste). But the feeling of liquidating and pure freedom beckons! And I’m really liking just pulling out what I need from investments each month.
@@y.v.4306 Same with us, always home-owners but love the freedom of being able to move so much more easily if the area doesn't suit, or we simply fancy a change.
And we rent furniture-free, taking ours with us to each new house, and it certainly helps the new place feel like 'home' that much more quickly. The French law, as far as I can tell, is also very protective of renters, unlike the UK or South Africa (where we have our housing experience) where the law seems to heavily favour the landlord.
We feel secure about long-term renting in France, and that's obviously an important element in fostering that 'homely' satisfaction.
You two rock! I’m the same age and get so much inspiration from watching your wonderful videos. Thank you for sharing your adventures, inspiring the rest of us and creating such high quality content.
I love the story-telling approach you use in filming content for this channel 😊
Thank you! :)
Your positivity and determination, but also your realism, are inspiring for anyone contemplating moving to a different country, completely out of their comfort zone. I'm French but I sympathize with your difficulties when it comes to French admin. After living in the UK for 25 years, I often found myself tearing my hair out trying to understand how things ran in my own country, even without the language barrier you have to face. Two things that you might find helpful: DeepL to translate your written communications into French. I use it professionally, it's excellent. And for money transfers from anywhere to anywhere and opening local accounts in lots of different countries: Wise. I've used them for several years. Bon courage with everything and bonne chance with the house hunting!
Thank you, Christine! :)
thanks I will try from Russian to English
@@annawest1854 If you are referring to DeepL, quality varies from one language to another - I hope RU to EN will be as good as EN to FR.
Positivity? Where?
@@djlondon7956 Perhaps "reality" would be a better term than "positivity." Transparency is always appreciated by anyone who may be considering spending their hard earned savings on an international move.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
After a few years in France we can confirm that France (especially in the country) makes you work for EVERYTHING and a lot of patience is required. But things usually (🤞) work their way around to a resolution.
It’s a mistake to assume that because France is a another western country, the French will always think and respond the same as in the USA or Australia, in our case. We’ve found that they approach and resolve issues very differently and it takes some time to get into that “groove”. But we are the immigrants so that’s on us.
Accurate feedback, being an expat in France is the most difficult and (almost) soul destroying thing I ever did. Patience in abundance is needed and you will work 100times harder for even the simplest task to be accomplished.
Its possible for things to NOT work out into a nice resolution. Its easy to go broke, then you're stuck. Please, do thorough research before hand and do not just go on a whim bc a place seems dreamy or being there for a few days felt good. People date usually for a year before marriage, not a few days and this is the same sort of thing. There are many factors to consider when deciding on a new home.
@@matthawksworth Absolutely could not agree more. We finally left France last year and the financial ramifications of having bought property there and EVERYTHING that went wrong has almost destroyed us financially.The French do things so very differently and if you are a foreigner they WILL take advantage of you and be dishonest in dealing with you. Biggest mistake of my adult life.
@@bodilyc I am a French expat - going over 40 years of expatriation now - and I understand you 100%!
So - brief update from your #1 Fan from Portugal. I'm a little ahead of you and chose to stay and "embrace the discomfort," (Minute 3:40 on your vid. of "Shocking reality of moving to Europe") instead of shit-canning the idea altogether and spring-boarding to France instead. I've reviewed your "Shocking reality/Europe" video three times, because it hit home so hard. Anyway, #1. I've found the Dream Home. #2. I'm in love with the surroundings = 270 degree views of Atlantic Ocean AND Canyon. However, locals in neighborhood were not trustworthy and had to install security/surveillance system to keep everyone honest. So there it is on next steps in the chapter of "Embracing Discomfort." Pray you have better luck when you get to this point in your journey. I am anticipating five full renovation projects over the next two years. That's my horizon. Will be very interested to see if/when your dream home will also require an upgrade and how well you're able to obtain labore support and materials/supplies to make the home meet your signature needs. I'm really looking forward to that part of your journey. From one hard to please customer to another - we're Birds of a feather. Best of luck and wishes always in all ways. Sincerely, Nyles. Josh - the Quality of your videos is nothing short of awesome. Prayers for Cecillia (sp.?), I hear passing a kindey stone is one of the most painful experiences in life (male or female). Yikes!
Awesome comment, Nyles, thank you so much. Wishing you all the very best. And yes, a lot more to come on our future home… once we find it!
I feel like I have been moving with you both! I think of you two often and send only love your way. Happy for your adventure & hope ours isn’t to far away…
Thank you, Leslie. :)
Thank you for the update. Your hunt for a home may be frustrating but once you find the right place it will be so rewarding ! Great video !
I left Europe long ago but will always miss it. Soon it will be spring and you will find your home in beautiful France. Much love from an old Dutch lady in California. 💕🌷
Thanks, Yvonne! :)
Salut Josh et Cecilia! J'ai suivi votre parcours depuis le "début" - tout est fascinant à regarder. Mais, il y a quelques épisodes, je voulais vous demander - pourquoi pas l'Espagne ? Je sais que je suis partial ici :))) de New York moi-même, vivant à Malaga pendant trois mois... j'adore ça, jusqu'ici tout va bien. Et, quel bonheur, il n'y a pas de barrière de la langue pour vous ! En tout cas je te souhaite bonne chance :)
Ils adorent le calme, ces deux. L’Espagne est beaucoup trop bruyant 😅
Thank you for such an articulate and incisive perspective. I think it's true visiting and living in a place can be worlds apart.
I'd love to see the Airbnb that you settled on and the town/area around it. 💕
Hello 👋how’re you doing?
I’m French in the United States now and lived 15 years in Paris before moving to Poissy where you are now. The old streets are charming and some new areas like the passage de Noailles with very nice flats. Saint Germain en Laye , a city near by, is much more pretty and well rated, but more expensive. As an online French tutor for Americans for almost 10 years, I can tell you that regardless your age {a lot of my students are in their late 60’s} you can master very well the pronunciation; Learning together is even a plus. In a matter of 3 -4 months, you can master the pronunciation including the liaisons which are so difficult for non native. It would give you confidence and whatever you want to say you would be able to say it with an excellent pronunciation. Just my piece of advice.
You guys make such a great video + editing (that Chuckie doll...) and tell such a fun and earnest story of this life arc. Look forward to hearing and learning more updates in the future! Heal up!
Thank you, Kyle. 🙏😁
@@BeneaththeSurfaceYTBeen following since the beginning. Fellow Oregonian who has once lived abroad and chases that dream again. You both are very interesting to follow and your story is so earnest and pure. Wishing you both the best!
Delightful and informative, with a handful of sobering, and a dash of hilarity. Merci!
obsessed with your channel!!! my parents want to move here to france to join me eventually when they retire and I'm going to send them your videos !
Thanks! Hope they join you. :)
It looks like it is slowly coming together for you both. Very nice. We are visiting France and the UK to take a look at whether moving is right for us. It is fun and informative to follow your journey. Best of luck.
Thank you so much. And best of luck to you as well. :)
This gives me real flash backs....not being able to speak French fluently and trying to navigate normal life while doing this is so tough, unless you've experienced this you will never understand how tough!! I feel for you both ..... my wife and I did a similar thing some years back and it was one of the hardest things we ever did, we were also around your age too..... I wish you the best of luck, thanks for the great video footage and commentary guys.
Hey guys, good to hear that you picked Yvelines. It is a very large
« département » and I am sure you will find your dream house there. I was born in
Paris and spend a major chunk of my life near Versailles. When buying your house just watch carefully the “passeport énergétique” as it lowers or enhances the value (and resale value) of your property. It also lowers your bills if you have a well insulated house. French winters are not harsh but still…
Thanks for the insightful video. And BTW Grammarly is amazing! Great sponsor!!
Thanks on all fronts! :)
Los admiro muchisímo! Cambiar la rutina después de tantos años es difísil pero es exitante para la gente que quiere seguir viviendo y no existiendo. La vida es HERMOSA y tenemos que honrar a Dios por darnosla y una de esas maneras es lanzarnos sin miedo y con confianza de que todo tarde o temprano saldrá bien. El aprendizaje viene en todas formas y siempre pienso en ustedes tienen todo mi respeto porque son una inspiración para mi. Este año cumplo 50 y estoy de acuerdo con ustedes, esta no es edad para quedarse en casa y ser presos de una rutina, al contrario, vamos a vivir! a aprender! a tener nuevas experiencias porque eso es lo que nos mantiene engage in life! God bless you, beautiful people. Hugs from Texas.
Vous etes un couple mignon! J'etudie la langue de Molier aussi, et je viens de decouvrir votre chaine - Bonne chance dans votre nouvelle avanture!
It is so nice to see a real picture of what it is like to move to another country, it is so easy to romanticize the experience but there are definitely challenges to doing it.
Indeed. Thanks for your support. :)
I absolutely LOVE the raw authenticity of your videos sharing the good and the bad of your experience. This is often lacking on other folks videos. As someone who is contemplating an expat lifestyle down the road, what you are sharing is invaluable. Thank you!
So happy to hear. Thank you, Rebecca! :)
What a great way to end a Sunday watching a video of your adventures! I must say the whole real estate process reminds me a lot to the Argentinian system back in the day when I lived in Buenos Aires. After all, there is plenty of European influence in Argentina! This series is so wholesome and real, and I feel like I'm in France with both of you. I wish Cecilia do not get more Kidney stone pains so she can keep up being her wonderful energetic self. I truly admire how persistent you both are on following your dreams and learning new things and I also look up to the way you both deal with obstacles together with so much love and patience. I can't wait for the moment you can settle down in your new home, but in the meantime I enjoy seeing your adventures so much!
I dig your can-do tone is this vid. My journey is very similar in my case left SF Bay Area 1.5 years ago, settling gradually into semi-rural life on a Croatian island. Stayed in airbnb for one week (painful) posted on an apartment rental site for 2 month stay during home search until purchased an old stone house in a village with land. All with a yorkie mix side-kick just to spice things up. Purchased the property, then bought a car. Enjoying road trips from my home, within 5 hours drive can explore cultures, shop, visit friends in Ita, Slo, Ger, Aus, Hungry, Bosnia…so far. Everything you said about why you left PNW and what you hope this next chapter offers: challenging, exciting, learning, delicious…so resonant. This deep dive into the psyche and exploring the world has similar flavor to my 20s, but now 50s. Cheers, and best of luck. I have no doubt your persistence and vibes will pay off.
I love you videos and am intrigued by the French countryside. I devour each and every clip shown of the rural areas. We are going to the Loire valley in September and renting scooters to tour around. We are even getting our motorcycle licenses here In Kentucky, USA) to make sure we can ride! I look back on some moves I have made, we have moved about 10 times in our 39 year marriage, and I see I have been fiercely negative in some silly issues. Once I was like a rabid dog about a toilet ring! Looking back, I think I was just acting out my anxiety. I know you are loving more than you are recording. I wish you intrepid adventurers the very best!
Thank you so much. :) Yes, loving a lot in the mix of all the challenges. It’s really important to me to always represent it all. Thanks for your support!! 🙏❤️
Keep kicking ass, you two! Thank you for your channel and sharing your story!
Respect to you both - not many people willingly go from a comfortable life to one of uncertainty and discomfort, but it feels like much of the battle has already been won. You have years ahead to explore your new region and enjoy all the cultural changes, and there's nothing like moving to a new country (especially with a change in language) to keep you in the present moment... Add to that the reassurance of having your children close to hand. Looking forward to seeing how things unfold... As someone who made the journey to France many years ago, I find it all so very relatable.
Cool that you seem to thrive on all these challenges. I prefer those slow, reliable, mind-numbing home projects over moving abroad. Interesting to follow your progress. I am learning Italian because I love the language, history and people. Any suggestions for fun and effective language learning apps you'd like to share?
I love your realistic view of everything. Not always glossing over the bad stuff and explaining why everything is difficult. Most bloggers just show the positive.
Hello 👋how’re you doing?
@@franklinstephen3268 looking at my big move soon to Mexico. Keep ‘em coming
@@roundpaws That’s good, it’s nice meeting with you here. Where are you texting from?
@@franklinstephen3268 San Diego but planning a move to Mexico
@@roundpaws Oh that’s is pretty cool. Well I’m from Florida” how is the weather condition over there?
I could watch your videos daily. I’m glad you were able to temporarily settle (what a contradiction lol). Now I have to go back and see if there is video of the air bnb lol. That countryside looks straight out of a historical romance novel. Cecelia’s stones made me wonder how do you navigate medical issues, do you have health insurance now? The things you think of as you get older lol. Thank you so much for sharing.
Love that you take your dog everywhere! Had you ever considered moving to Spain?
For myself and my husband even being relatively settled here in Germany, the everyday doesn't become mundane because there's always something new or confusing that we're not used to, so I think even when you do settle, it'll stay interesting and to a certain extent challenging. Love your videos, thanks for sharing :)
Awesome video, and cheers as an American in Toulouse (soon to be Montpellier)! :) I'm on the same adventure/challenge pendulum as you two (property searching, getting my French license (via CO state exchange.. phew!)) - hang in there! :)
Thanks, you too! All the best.
That's nice, I'm going through something similar. I also moved to the French countryside and purchased a house here. Trying to learn how to drive now. Good luck to you!
This was interesting to watch. Good luck with learning French. I’m an older learner myself, and a year and a half in, I feel like I’m barely finding my rhythm. It’s not as easy as some would think, and I say this as someone fluent in English and Spanish. Commit to a little every day, and don’t neglect grammar.
Looking forward to the next one.
Cheers!
Another great video! I enjoy your determination. Your chosen place will appear as you have manifested it. Enjoy the journey and the adventures along the way. Looking forward to your next.
Thanks, Gail! :)
I would advise you to rent first before buying. The rents are generally reasonable and it gives you much more time to really make a good choice about location and house. Frais de notaire are expensive so it is not very easy to sell fast without losing money if you don’t like your house or realise that there are hidden issues. I bought a country side house and overpaid it as I was from Paris. I am sure it is even worse for foreigners. Most of the houses are very old and require a lot of renovation. Plus there are new energy saving rules in France which make it risky to buy old houses. France is not easy - rent first, especially prices are bound to drop with higher interest rates
Wonderful Life Adventure !!
House hunting is crazy here! We did find our house on our own and worked with the sellers….and it still took 4 months to close with my husband doing most of the work. I am embarking on getting to know the healthcare system here with a very serious diagnosis. Like you, I try to keep my focus on the positive. For me, that would be all of my care is covered, nothing out of pocket.
Bon courage!
Best of luck, Amy! 😊
Keep these videos coming! So nice to hear from people my age and the experience and opinions you have as a middle aged person.
Thanks, and will do! 😁
Thankfully my older brother owns seven homes in Spain in Madrid Avila and the Mediterranean. So I'm able to bounce around with only food and transport costs. Unless you've been on a six figure income during most of your career, buying a nice place when you're older is out of reach nowadays due to the steep rise in housing costs across the world.
Awesome video ! Keep it up ! In the hopes to meet you one day in France !
I’m so excited for your decision to stay in Yvelines and I look forward to learning more about it. It would be nice if you could post more frequently, although I do understand that life has been frenetic for you and that you are a professional and perfectionist. 😉 However, something you all might consider is a Q&A. You could request topics or questions before or conduct a live session. It would be nice to speak with you both unscripted. I’m wishing you the best moving forward 💕💕💕
A Q&A sounds like a great idea. Will put some thought into it. :)
@@BeneaththeSurfaceYT Awesome! But not too much thought. 🙏🏻
@@Ana-Maria-Sierra Hello 👋 how are you doing?
Have been waiting for more content! Your presentation is so engaging and informative! Que bella aventura. Gracias por incluirme.
Hi Guys. Happy you posted.
Thanks Eva! 😁
You have been instructive in the opposite for me. Before Myasthenia took over my life wanted to do what you are but I was considering Bulgaria which doesn't allow purchase and was chafing under house I wanted to renovate that seemed to take forever. Still not done in 10 yrs but there was 5 yr hiatus of medical mess, suddenly seeing progress and truly eager to just cocoon knowing I have no pressures as you have shown and can enjoy garden, hummingbirds, doves. I wish you luck
I'm counting my blessings as I watch this particular episode. I'm planning a move to France next year, and fortunately I'm fluent in French. Growing up in a bilingual school system has its rewards. My husband will soon have citizenship in a EU country therefore we'll fortunately avoid all the French visa renewal headaches, banking and rental requirements. Your big plus++ that I envy tremendously is that you have two sons in Paris. Mine reside in the U.S. and I can only hope they will visit us whenever possible. We also plan to rent long term as you have, until the right house to buy comes along. It's the advice given by others who also discovered the French home they bought was ultimately not in the region they would have preferred. Fortunately, you and Cecilia have narrowed down your search to Yvelines, and that helps a lot. Thank you for your gripes about airbnb type rentals. It's the reason we are moving to France. A party house next to our American dream home literally pushed us to sell, despite all the municipal and law enforcement we could muster. (Avoid buying in a highly touristy area!! These places owned by investors look attractive, but when living next to an airbnb, you never ever have true neighbours!) Back to your house hunting video, yes, Seloger is a good site, and often when I google real estate in our area of interest, other great local realtors come up. There's never more than 3 or 4 local agencies so it doesn't take long to figure out what's currently listed. Waiting until spring should give you better selection but winter house hunting may help in learning about local home issues such as dampness, adequate heat sources, etc. I'm glad you have a translate app on your phone; very helpful; and your bank selection was a good one as well. I've also dug up helpful sites on flood planes, pollution and pesticide maps. These are worth checking out if you're planning on country property, in particular. (I'm rather obsessive on details when researching real estate; alas there are no maps on airbnb party houses). Keep up the good work, guys. You will reach your dreams. Lastly, I hope you, Cecilia, are feeling better soon.
Please really know what you're getting into, we drank the cool aid and it pretty much financially destroyed us as we did not want to stay in France when we realized the reality of the expat experience. We bought a house there and now cannot seem to sell it. It almost destroyed our marriage and our retirement savings. Just be careful, do not get caught up in the romanticized notion we all have of France, because the reality is quite something else. You might love it, and I hope you do if you go.
@@bodilyc Thank you for the advice. Would you be willing to share a bit more of the lessons learned? What was the expat experience? I realize it can be challenging to make French friends. We're planning on renting for a year to be sure the move to France is for us. A major reason for considering France is because we're so disillusioned with North America. We've lived in both the U.S. and Canada. These countries are changing before our very eyes, and not for the better. I'm sorry to hear you're finding it difficult to sell. If you do, where would you move to?
@@johnwright6102 Our manor home we bought is near Pau in South West France. We have it for sale while we have already left France and are back in USA . It was under offer and ready to close when we had the rug pulled out from under us. Too much to write here but essentially the realtors and the buyer had lied to us, and the notaires had passively gone along with this deception. We already had our tickets to return home and all our belongings and car contracted to ship back. We had to leave as our residency visa had not been renewed as we believed our house had sold. So, all of our life savings are tied up in the house we paid cash for while it sits empty there in France. Homes in France generally take YEARS to sell, it is NOTHING even similar to the American real estate. It's actually unbelievable the nonsense involved. We found the French generally to have a distain toward Americans (although there were exceptions and we did make some good friends). The French mentality was not one we were willing to adapt in order to really fit in. We were repeatedly taken advantage of by French work men and ppl who supposedly would help us. We were over charged for everything and bald face lied to. The costs of utilities and food were through the roof, and gasoline, although I suppose globally this is a current issue. I wish we had had a more honest picture of what awaited us on moving there. We would not have gone. It has literally been the most awful and challenging phase of our life this far.
@@bodilyc I'm sorry to hear of the challenges you are currently facing. I hope you find a buyer. soon. I spend a lot of time on many French real estate sites. For the anglophone buyers/sellers, I look at Leggett, Green Acres, Belles Demeures, Figaro, etc. Since you use the term "manor" your asking price may exceed the local French budget; but fit in with an American or British budget. I also visit expat sites and read comments (typically from Brits, but sometimes Americans) on their adjustment to life in France. Some of these folks seem to have made a success of it. Perhaps it has to do with age, or having a French spouse. We are retirement age and DO NOT like the Medicare system; one of the reasons we left the U.S. We currently live in Canada and it has a universal health care system that is crumbling before our eyes. Did you have any dealings with French health care? We plan to spend a few weeks in the Bordeaux area this summer (terrible time of year to go, given the crowds, but it's to celebrate our July anniversary). May I ask why you chose Pau? I've looked into that area, but I'm fixated on convenient flight/train connections from Paris. Bordeaux seems ideal. Fingers crossed on the sale of your French home. Please contact a Leggett agent if you haven't thus far. They may be able to help.
@@johnwright6102 Thanks for your response and your kind words. We actually did have a lot of time spent in the health care system. My husband became quite poorly about 2 months after arriving in France and consequently spent a lot of time at the hospital in Pau. The language was a huge barrier as Medical French is not something I have had experience in. I can manage vacation French but the medical stuff was impossible. We got help in getting a card Vitale for medical coverage, so we were covered by the French medical system . Medicine was considerably cheaper in France, some prescriptions that were not free were only a few euros, which was a huge plus. After you are in France for more than 3 months you qualify for the card Vitale. But it's a lot of paperwork. Good luck, I hope you love France and make a good life there. We went as a newly retired couple and for it just wasn't worth all the problems and difficulties. But perhaps for you it will be.
Your videos are so unique in sharing your experiences. So very interesting! Going into the unknown and relying on past experiences that don't really seem to match up, turn those times into an adjustment and integration of experiences. Being constant nomads makes that adjustment and integration more challenging. So looking forward to where you settle permanently. Glad, in the mean time, you've been able to land in a situation that is good for location and "landlords".
Thank you, Dena! More on France real soon, you can count on it...
Good luck on your crazy house hunt! Looking forward to seeing your new home in France! ❤️
Thanks, Beth! :)
Congratulations!!! I'm so happy for you two!
Thank you! 🙏😁
Love your perspective in this. It's been a similar journey when I purchased abroad a year ago and every few weeks brings a whole new thing to learn and resolve (and I'm fluent in the language!) -- banking, repairs, property management, tenants, local utilities and taxes -- it has often felt overwhelming. But your video drives home what I keep telling myself -- I made this decision for a reason, and it's worth seeing through. Thanks for the inspo
Thanks, Elizabeth. :)
Great progress. Very inspirational. I closed on my house in Umbria earlier this month and share your enthusiasm. Also your fears and frustrations but, swimming means jumping in.
Keep going!
Thanks, Brian, and congrats! :)
I love your videos so much. Thanks.
And thank you right back, Leticia! :)
Thank you for sharing. Your Portland's house was a dream come true so I hope you find the next one soon!
You are coming back to US...that is all I see with you guys...good thing you both are in it....and have eachother
Thank you for sharing your experience! It motivates me a lot ❤
Seeing you land in the place I grew up, from a foreigner's perspective, is so weird and fascinating 😅. I'm really looking forwards to seeing how the rest of your adventure turns out !! Yvelines seem like an actually really good fit for you, between countryside and proximity to Paris.
Thanks!
Luv your videos...what a journey... inspired me to take the plunge and spend time in France this spring. I retired 4 years ago, moved from New Jersey to Florida, to a 55 and up development, and all they do is play cards, go to the pool and go to a restaurant to have a meal. I was used to going to Manhattan on the weekends and I felt alive.... Living here is like I'm in a just waiting to die situation. Your perseverance and determination inspires me. Thank you. I'll say a prayer that you may find the right house, at the right price in the right location and so be it.
i'm always looking forward to your videos! i'm french-american and lived in france til i was about 6 years old and have lived in the south in the united states ever since. and now in my early 20s i, too, hope to move away from here and back to france for a new beginning! there are a lot of steps to get there (including but not limited to relearning french since i haven't fluently spoken it in a decade & saving enough money) so it'll probably take me a couple years at least, but seeing you and your wife go through the process of falling in love with france is reminding me what i miss about it and am really looking forward to being reacquainted with as an adult :) bon courage!
Thank you, my friend. Wishing you all the best! 😁
Check out this couple- they moved to France via getting an English teaching job ruclips.net/video/cbCKdJCDhsk/видео.html
I know you haven't always enjoyed this process, as evidenced by portions of this video - but I had a helluva good time watching it. God love you & Cecelia for going through this process together in good spirits. No, this isn't easy but nothing worth having ever is. Thank you for letting us ride shotgun with you - it continues to be a blast!!
AirBNB Gamble, I feel that. I spent a year on the road, with no apartment back home. I bounced around from AirBNB to AirBNB, and dealt with the same struggles. I'm happy you guys found a stable home base. Happy house hunting! You didn't mention Nathaniel's language course. I'm sure he has tips for you. Enjoy the journey!
Thank you! :)
So proud of your efforts!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks! 🙏
I left Canada after selling my house in October. We went to several parts of Italy, gave up and now we are looking in France but renting in England because my partner is British. Same issues in France as in Italy real estate agents act like they really don't want to sell the house, that's when they bother answering your emails. In a month my 6 months visa will be up and I have to make a quick decision. BTW I speak French, English and Italian. Did not help me a bit when dealing with the bureaucracy. I also don't have the your budget. I've seen the house you've sold! American money is at par with the Euro. Canadian money doesn't amount to much in Europe so we are limited as to what to buy in case we don't find jobs right away. If only we could combine our situation we would be laughing! I wish you all the best. I really enjoy watching your videos, it makes me feel like I'm not alone. I hope your wife feels better.
I could not agree more! Good luck with everything!
Your house-hunting reminded me of A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke; in that book, the English character looks for a new home near Paris, and in the winter. Come spring, I'm sure the landscape will be completely and pleasantly transformed.
Look forward to that!
How are you folks doing? Have you found anything yet?? It seems tough. But I am still jealous - you bit the bullet, took the chance. Good luck. I believe you folks will find what you want. Courage! Barbara
Thank you Barbara! Currently on the big hunt for a home. Spring is helping with options...
that's how many French people live. Simple, modest functional housing is common in France. It doesn't have the financial/credit system to pour money into housing as in the English speaking countries. So, there is no incentive to create zillow or redfin like sites and large accessible markets in housing. Housing is just for living in in France, It's not seen as an investment with the possible exception of central Paris and a bit along the eastern Riviera. French people would think the places you stayed were fine and would wonder what you were complaining about. Even middle-class French people live simply and have little choice about housing. They take what they can find and assume you'll see it the same way. It's all very different from the US.
I lived in Paris as a student and go back occasionally. I can recommend some smaller towns you will love. I can’t wait to get back.
Just curious, and respectfully asking, how can you decide if France is the right home for you if you do not speak the language yet? To me, language is such an integral part of culture and life. So interesting to see this perspective from an older generation. Thanks for sharing!!
Yeah, language makes all the difference and we are hard at work on it. We weren’t going to let that stop us from moving here. 😁
I 100% agree. They are not LIVING there yet, they are exploring France still. Believe me living there, paying all the bills, taxes, language, communication as a home owner, health and medical, car maintenance and license, internet, workmen, repairs, its all DAUNTING in reality. Not to mention the ridiculousness of bureaucracy , the French mentality and attitude. Everything is done when its done and as a foreigner they will lie to you in order to take financial advantage of you. Believe me, I know from experience.
@@BeneaththeSurfaceYT Oui ça vaut la peine, bon courage! 😄
@@bodilyc ils profite tout autant des français
Am glad I found your channel am learning a lot
Nice! Thank you for following us along. 🙏😁
I love your candor. It gets old (and strains credulity) to keep hearing how amaaaaaaazing all these places are. We need to hear the real story! I'd like to know more about the legalities of becoming full time expatriate residents, as France is known for its bureaucracy. Italy makes it very difficult - even though my husband and I both have Italian-born grandfathers. Your vids are great!
Research it well and talk to others who have done it. It is very very difficult and the reality is often glazed over. It can be a VERY expensive mistake to recover from. Not to mention an emotional hurdle to bounce back from.
@@bodilyc What would the mistake be, can you elaborate?
@@hyacinthABC Trusting the French at face value to be honest with us was a huge mistake for us and from that vital error all hell ensued.
@@bodilyc Oh my, that sounds bad. Did you remain in France?
I know they can have one official price listed for services and then you find out there's an unlisted "special" price that Americans have to pay.
Thank you for your honest explanation of your experience to date, warts and all.
Tout est compliqué en France, mais une partie en vaut encore la peine.
Bienvenue!
I love how honest your videos are... so helpful in case we ever want to travel like you guys. As for kidney stones, having dealt with them in the past (had a procedure in 2013), you will have to completely avoid certain foods. If you have oxalate kidney stones -- no strawberries, spinach, peanut butter, blueberries, chocolate (I cheat on this), and many other foods that are high in oxalate. It's hard doing without certain foods, but believe me, it has stopped my stones from growing. Bon chance!
Hello 👋 how are you doing?
Why not go to the hospital and have them removed?
Hey Josh, great explanation as to how things are going, now I know why you don't put out videos every week! Years ago I saw a standup comedian from Hawaii. He said he loved it when the French came to visit the islands, he loved the sound of their accent. He said, "You know, like Jacques Cousteau," and he gave us a sample, "Zee sharks ap-pear a-jee-tate-tid af-ter de-vow-ering two of our camera-men. We ar mov-ving in for a clos-ser luke." Yeah, the language - especially French - is an obstacle! Heck, Spanish is easy compared to French...
As I am the same age as you two, I enjoy watching your trials and tribulations. But I am also reminded “wherever you go, there you are”. Much love and wishes for the best to you two.
1. french language .. Alliance Francaise.. newspapers.. short novels .., TV . . 2. housing - definitely a big factor anywhere.. France is large.. consider places like Lyon, Bordeaux .. these are close to rail connections to Paris and have small villages close .. 3. patience..
Haha, thanks. Love #3. :)
Absolutely LOVE your videos!! It’s a dream of mine to do the same. Happy you’ve found THE PLACE to live and wish you the best in finding the perfect new place!
Thank you kindly! :)
omg you guys are soldiers to be able to endure all of this! we sold all of our stuff and moved to portugal 4 months ago and we never did a scoutting trip and we went through similar situations, uncomfortable airbnbs and the pain of constantly moving with all of our lugguage! we are 31 and 34 and we feel so tired of this, the fact that you guys are going through much worse at your age must be extremely exhausting but also extremely impressive. I learned pretty quickly to never book a place with narrow stairs and slanted cielings we hated those 2 things! one of the reasons we chose portugal is because you can easily exchange your driving license, people are nice, healthier food although my dream is to live in italy. italy has intense beaurocracy so we decided on portugal where you can easily set up bank and other stuff versus france and italy, you can always rent any place for 200 euros per month in the middle of nowhere ( think of it as storage) and put all your belongings there and use the apartment contract to satisfy sef and then just move around europe and enjoy yourself, but the downside for someone who doesnt want to live in portugal that they are forced to spend a certain amount of time of the year in portugal. for me it is not a downside because I love portugal as well as france and italy so i will just split my time between them
Interesting, thank you for sharing your Portugal experience so far!
I’m in the same boat as you as my storage after I sell my home is going to cost a fortune while I trip around…the idea of renting a place cheap in the middle of nowhere sounds appealing. Can I ask where you ended up doing that? And if you have any other tips? I need the cheapest launching pad possible to leave my things while I drive my car around Europe and elsewhere to go exploring and to find a new home base (which might very well be Portugal but I don’t know yet).
@@y.v.4306 to find a place as a storage you will have to be patient and check regurlarly on daily basis on idealista and remax and you will have to contact them right away in portuguese since not all speak english, use google translate..and be ready to see it and make the deal! we will not do this since we will live in portugal so we need a cozy home at first and not a place just for storing our stuff but down the line we will do that since we plan to spend half the year out of portugal and moving around more often. also you can just rent a storage space, but for us for the d7 we need a house contract thats why I thought of just getting a really cheap place and use it as storage like 2 in 1