Anyone ever relocated to different country where they didnt speak the language?
 

Hello, My hubby and i are contemplating moving to France!
We have friends there and feel the enviroment would be better for our 2 children.
My hubby had a health scare and it has made him reavaluate our lives.
At the moment we are comfortable and have a nice house etc etc
But do we take a chance and give up what we've got for a different more rural kinda life?
We are off to France in April for a week to see our friends and look at property and schools.
I speak a bit of french enough to get by but the others dont, i am trying to teach them.
I know it would be the best all round to move but it seems such a big decision to make which is something im not good at!
Has anyone else relocated before? Was is heartbreaking to leave your life behind? Or exciting to be starting another?

I would say go for it. My late husband and I contemplated moving to rural France and went so far as looking at property. Our reasons were similar to your reasons. Sadly, he was diagnosed with cancer before we could make the move. Life is short...follow your dream...if it doesn't work out you can always move back to England. :thumbup:

Im sorry to hear about your husband :(
This is how my hubby is looking at it, we only get one life and if we dont try we'll never know.

Go for it! Sounds like a great op. and your whole family will soon be bilingual!!

When we first moved to Germany we didn't live on post, we lived in the lower level of a German family's home. The young son spoke just a bit of English so our communication was quite interesting! My son was 3 yrs old at the time and he caught on quick! I didn't catch on so easily, but we did go on outtings together and had meals together...and we had a ball!!

What part of France are you considering? My favorite city in the WHOLE WORLD is Avignon!!! 2nd favorite is Aix en Provence

Somewhere near a little village called Maure de Bretagne it is 35mins outside Rennes

I married right out of high school and moved to Germany where my husband was stationed. We lived in the middle of the red light district. Yikes, so there I was, 19, first time away from home with my 2 years of high school spanish. LOL Good thing he was military.

Sounds like a great adventure. If I were you I'd consider it. Sounds like fun. You can always move back if it doesn't work out. Best of luck.

I think it'd be a great experience for you!

My parents moved to the States from Taiwan when I was 10. When I came, I couldn't speak any English at all, not even the alphabets!

After almost 18 years of living here, I definitely see the benefits of living in another country and soak up its culture.

In fact, I'm thinking of taking Aggie to Korea with me! :D

Well, in our married life we have move about 9 times to different cities, one of those moves was to South Korea for 2 1/2 years. At the time, some of the moves were scary but I can honestly say- I have never regretted any of the moves. Something good always happened to us in our new homes. I made some of my best friends cause I moved. I also felt very comfortable in Korea even though I didn't speak the language. I think the best thing is like the old saying- "When in Rome -do as the Romans". I bet you will enjoy it and when you have had enough, if ever, you can move again. Good Luck.

Sounds exciting and like someone said...if it didn't work out you can move back. I think you have an advantage speaking English. Many people in other countries in Europe speak English too. If nothing else, just learn the "catch" phases...."where's the ladies room"? and "may i have another drink"...LOL.

I was in the Navy for four years and lived in Italy the entire time. I loved it. I was really home sick a first, but I adjusted. It is a really different life style and culture. I have also live in the middle east for about a year. Now that was an experience. On thing that I learned form living overseas everyone over there thinks that ALL AMERICANS ARE RICH! :eek: I wonder where they get that sterotype from.

It actually took me a while to readjust to the states after being overseas for six years.

Go for it! 5 years ago, my hubby and I moved from Upstate NY to Guadalajara Mexico. Neither of us could speack a word of Spanish when we moved, but we are doing better now. You will be amazed how quickly you can learn the language when you have to.

It was the best thing we ever did. :) I do have to say that leaving the kids and grandkids was very hard :( , but it makes it more fun to go back on vacation. Live each day as the last, because you never know when that will be.

Where are you in England? I grew up in East Anglia... I dont have any advice...you are already aware of the cost of living, the differences and likely the career and education opportunities The answer will come to you.
Bren

I am in Southampton, Hampshire which is right by the New Forest.

Beautiful area... I dont know if you have ever been to Oklahoma or see photos...but it is very brown here.. Especially right now... I miss all the green and wild flowers and even the stinging nettles!!! It's soooo hard to grow a pretty garden here. I do wish you the best with your decision...

Bren

My brother moved to Thailand with his wife and ended up spending 15 years there....their children are bilingual...speak Chinese and Japanese...told me he would never have traded the experience for the world.

Just curious as to why France was your choice in your re-evaluation of your life....why not rural England?

Francie

I have always loved France have been there loads over the years, 1st went when i was 10 years old. Plus we have friends who have relocated there.
As for rural England, well prices are far too high, in France you get much more land for your money and i wouldnt have a mortgage any more :D

Ah! Well...that explains it! Maybe I should move too...chuckling


Francie :)

When I was six, my parents sold everything we had and moved to the states from Romania. Obviously, the difference between the French/English economy and the Romanian/US economy is quite large, but I thank them every day that they had the courage to make the desicion they made. I grew up with so many opportunities here and a much better quality of life. As weird as it is to say, I vaugely remember the transition between languages. We have had a lot of difficulties with citizenship (we have yet to get our greencard after being here for 17 yrs this Nov), but I wouldn't trade it in for the world. The hardest part for me, as a child, was the family members that I still have back in Romania..

when you are submersed in a different language you tend to pick up on it pretty fast... especially children. i think it takes 7 years to be completely fluent ..... just an average though, and i got that statistic from my text book :p ). Children can learn just by being immersed, but for adults it is more difficult, i would suggest taking a class in french to get some of the basics down, this will help adults with the transition immensly. Good luck, it sounds like fun :D youre much braver than i am though, i like to stay put. The only place i have been out of teh country is mexico ;)

I did it two years ago. :eek:
I left everything behind and moved here to Tunisia. I had an apartment in Wales, all my friends, family. A good job. I was pretty well off too. I left it all and came here.
They speak French here as it used to be a French Colony up until 35 years ago. They also speak Arabic. English is a rarity, although that it is improving as more and more English speakers are coming here on holiday.
I opted to learn French as it helps with work too.
It's not easy at my age, LoL! But I am not bad, after two years of speaking, hearing, reading french. The TV helps a lot too.
I don't think that not speaking the language should put you off. The french are a good lot, regardless of the old English/French feud. I find that being thrown in at the deep end is the best way to learn, when you have to....you just do it. Kids are fast learners too. They'll be fluent before you know it. The schools will help them a lot with that.
France is sooooo much better than the UK. Better salaries, better living conditions, better benefits, better working hours (they consider a 39 hour working week as too long!)
If you want to talk about it, just private message me. I'll be glad to tell you more about my experience.
Ultimately, you are the only one who can decide to do it. I wish you good luck with your decision, whatever you decide. :D

relocation
 

Life is so funny...I was talking to Sylvia Smith last week..She lives in Wales. I have a number of her figurines and one got the ears broken off. I was able to locate her by accident..sent the figurine to her and she so graciously repaired it.
The package arrived last week..as I opened it I could smell Wales..it reminded me of my childhood in the north of England..I smelled that box a dozen times that day...here I sit in sunny Florida, but if I had the money I think I would pack up and move to Wales...are we ever happy with our lot? LOL
I always tell my children, the only thing written in stone is your name on the tombstone..GO to France GO to the moon..you can always go back to the UK...do not grow old and be full of regrets. Maybe, I will go to Wales..LOL

Thank you to everyone who's replyed to my thread,it really is helping with my decision and anyone else please keep your opinions coming.
I know the only one who can give me the answer is myself and my family but things like 'the only thing wrote in stone is your tombstone'
(thanks yorkierose) really helps me.
Some days i am very up and am def going and then other days i am down and think no i love my house, life etc.
But today i am up and going my hubby just phoned to say he just heard on the news a 23yr old woman was raped yesterday morn on the route my 11 yr daughter and her friends go to school :eek:
So now i cant let her walk to school on her own and we are supposed to be living in a good area of town??? :confused:
So today the thought of living in a small village where everyone knows you and looks out for you (even if they do speak a diff lingo) is very very appealing. The village is that rural you have to drive kids to school,cinema etc
I know there is crime everywhere but there seems to be less in rural france