tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874987754075821082012-02-16T08:59:20.156+01:00THINKING ABOUT BEING SOMEWHERE ELSEWill Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.comBlogger611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-7099067041875213632010-01-17T21:44:00.005+01:002010-01-17T21:58:42.613+01:00

Whether locals or expats, many are in desperate need of help in Haiti since last Tuesday's earthquake.If you haven't seen the page already, Google is making it easy for all you cybernauts to find ways to contribute...Support Disaster Relief in Haiti

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-54527001206761912522009-12-31T18:13:00.004+01:002009-12-31T18:26:29.590+01:00

It is time to thank readers around the world for their support and contributions to 245 and Counting and to wish you all, whether at you are at home or on far flung shores... Our season's greetings & best wishesfor a peaceful & prosperous 2010.Meilleurs vœux, bonnes fêtes,et bonne année 2010.

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-52721994188340987672009-12-15T11:02:00.003+01:002009-12-15T11:14:52.924+01:00

Here is a matter that could affect many expats where it hurts – in the pocket! However, I should preface the subject by declaring an interest in this, a close family member having had direct experience of the problem. The subject is payment protection insurance (PPI), as applied to credit cards, and potential problems that may be encountered in becoming an expat. Such insurance provides cover

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-69248485487556355442009-12-08T23:21:00.013+01:002009-12-09T00:40:05.926+01:00

Following an unexpectedly long absence, sincere thanks to all those who have encouraged, nay demanded, the return of 245 and Counting to the blogosphere! Returning to the fray energised and batteries recharged (unfortunately just the laptop), the intention is to continue the theme of discussing expat life in general but hopefully with some new perspectives... certainly in past months the whole

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-28233041456244345092008-12-01T21:49:00.004+01:002008-12-01T21:53:10.449+01:00

Bloggers around the world are uniting to support World Aids Day - use the link for more information and resources to see how you can help...

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-64739922738733677902008-11-30T16:04:00.005+01:002008-11-30T16:39:08.876+01:00

Having just been reading reports of Australians repatriating themselves in the face of worsening economic prospects in the UK, and recalling that only a few weeks ago we were discussing Eastern Europeans heading home for now brighter prospects, we are forced back to the definition of the very subject of this blog, the expat.Should we be differentiating more between the expat who has shifted

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-1218347389647524972008-11-23T21:55:00.006+01:002008-11-25T10:10:17.829+01:00

It seems to be survey season just now, at least in the world we expats inhabit.Following our recent reporting of an Alliance & Leicester poll of expats (see the post below), now we see a large survey carried out for HSBC International, based on a huge sample of 2,155 expats in 48 countries, snappily entitled "Offshore Offspring"!The survey focused on quality of life and cost of living issues

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-47053317998680777122008-11-16T18:15:00.005+01:002008-11-16T18:52:45.384+01:00

The results of a recent poll of expats makes fascinating reading. The offshore bank Alliance & Leicester International surveyed UK expats specifically, asking them such questions as the reason for moving abroad, why they rate their new country over the UK, what downsides they find, etc.In terms of why British expats preferred their new country, it is interesting to see the list of top ten factors

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-76377513474990348252008-11-14T16:10:00.006+01:002008-11-14T21:54:29.382+01:00

During the summer we heard the story of a Brit in Australia who sold his entire expat lifestyle, including home, car, an introduction to his friends, and a chance to take over his job!Well perhaps expats are becoming more creative. The problem facing many people is that it is not easy to sell a house in these more difficult times but we now hear of a British couple in Spain who have come up with

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-84332597190179499042008-11-10T10:41:00.006+01:002008-11-10T11:35:52.231+01:00

The main theme of this blog is expat life and we concern ourselves with insights into the lives of those who choose to relocate to foreign shores, usually to enhance the quality of their lives or careers.However, only last week we touched upon some who migrated through no choice of their own, in reporting the recent legislation in Spain designed to make good some of the wrongs of the Spanish

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-3532633277287940562008-11-09T22:32:00.008+01:002008-11-09T23:27:11.989+01:00

When the European Union was expanded in 2004, several of those new members were Eastern bloc countries, enthusiastic about membership for the benefit of their economies. However, it was probably not anticipated that this would lead to rapid creation of huge numbers of new expats, perhaps more accurately described as economic migrants. Yes, those countries experienced a mass exodus of skilled

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-4383158436438530102008-11-06T18:20:00.003+01:002008-11-06T18:54:09.994+01:00

Continuing from the previous post on Spain and expats, but on a more sober note, there is a fascinating aspect of Spain's recent new legislation seeking to make good many of the wrongs of the Spanish civil war. A large number of people were forced to flee Spain during the war and many remained in permanent exile, sadly becoming expats through no choice of their own. Now it seems that the new law

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-39694626845744986132008-11-02T17:20:00.005+01:002008-11-14T22:04:07.985+01:00

An amazing story in recent days has been of an expat Brit who is a councillor in his local town in southeastern Spain. Perhaps no mean achievement for an expat, especially as it seems that his Spanish is not completely fluent. However, more significantly it was reported that, following the arrest of some of some of his council colleagues in connection with charges of alleged bribery, he actually

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-7231697197330046282008-10-28T22:24:00.006+01:002008-10-28T23:45:04.030+01:00

Almost as serious as this blog losing its glorious page rank during our break, since those early summer days the world has changed dramatically while we weren't looking! Whilst we may already have been in the grip of a "credit crunch", few of us had then considered the possibility of a global banking meltdown!Well, despite an interest in events, and of course hoping that international measures

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-81620156443006436622008-10-27T14:39:00.002+01:002008-10-27T14:46:07.360+01:00

Well, many apologies to all loyal readers for the absence of 245 and Counting... as occasionally happens, real life intervened with an all consuming project for the entire summer.What has really shocked the writer is that this blog's prized Google page rank of 4 was lost entirely during this comparatively short period... so, lots of work to be done to make that good - and your support would be

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-4118982154352246402008-07-03T17:57:00.008+02:002008-07-03T18:14:44.672+02:00

To up-date those who were taken by Ian Usher's idea of selling his entire ex-pat lifestyle (see "A friend for life... style..."), apparently he sold the package of his home and its contents, car, the chance for his job, and introductions to his friends... for AUS$ 399,000 - bringing him the funds for his fresh start in life.To keep in touch with his continuing adventures, you will be able to

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-58293781953233439952008-06-28T16:56:00.007+02:002008-10-27T15:15:46.730+01:00

Controversial as always, it seems that President Sarkozy intends to press ahead with plans designed to remove advertising gradually from French public television. Similar to the UK, there is a television licence in France, the income from which goes part-way to funding the several public channels, but this is currently supplemented by advertising revenues. In order to make good the inevitable

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-25369727382853036732008-06-22T18:59:00.007+02:002008-10-27T15:16:41.351+01:00

An amazing story is approaching its conclusion today - earlier this year an expat Brit in Australia announced that, following parting with his wife, he would be selling up in order to make a fresh start and perhaps enjoy a life-changing adventure. OK, so what is so unusual about someone selling up in such circumstances?Well, this is unusual in that what is being sold is not just his house and

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-83850596353459070342008-06-08T20:54:00.007+02:002008-10-27T15:17:29.001+01:00

A slight aside from our usual expat observations now... to announce our new sister enterprise offering business support services in the Languedoc region of the South of France.D'OC Management specifically aims to help English speaking expats with a business in the region with a range of services including... web design, marketing and advertising services, copywriting, etc... interior design for

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-42394919371527705822008-05-25T16:32:00.003+02:002008-10-27T15:18:13.501+01:00

An aspect we have not touched on much, but which is perhaps a significant phenomenon, is the "part-time" expat!Is such a thing really possible? Well, there are those who want to enjoy the pleasures of one or more other countries without making the full commitment and that is quite possible simply by way of regular extended holidays, especially if you have the free time, such as in retirement.

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-30578972217214314792008-05-10T17:13:00.004+02:002008-05-10T17:46:49.013+02:00

Continuing the theme of public holidays, since the May Day celebrations and demonstrations (on the first of the month), we have had VE Day last Thursday (Victory in Europe 1945) and the coming Monday is another holiday, being Pentecost. Now none of these are UK holidays but during this month the Brits enjoy their Early May holiday (5th) and Spring bank holiday (26th). What is the point of listing

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-13521376205774210452008-05-05T13:44:00.004+02:002008-05-05T14:11:07.435+02:00

Following the last post about expats needing to get it right when they move to their host country, one can of course find a lot of information sources on the web for expats, particularly for specific countries. However, a great point of reference must be the expat section of the web site of The Telegraph newspaper - as well as providing a wealth of resources for specific information, the

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-85087286149453660512008-05-03T18:02:00.006+02:002008-10-27T15:19:25.999+01:00

May is a popular month in France with a few public holidays to enjoy. However, most holidays have a meaning and this week we had May Day, on the first day of the month, with a double significance - as mentioned before, it was both Labour Day and Ascension Day.There are many holidays with religious origins but here we saw some May Day demonstrations linked to the work and employment theme - how

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-5090806913297120782008-04-20T19:38:00.004+02:002008-04-20T19:47:56.983+02:00

We are delighted to announce our new sister blog which gives very practical pointers for those considering property in Europe - primarily a directory of estate agents, property portals and related services, it will also provide sources of information on living and working in Europe...Europe Property Directory...hopefully a useful resource for potential expats considering Europe!

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-33217172853769813492008-04-14T13:54:00.006+02:002008-10-27T15:22:16.141+01:00

After an unexpected absence, many apologies to regular readers. However, a blogging break perhaps gives the opportunity to reflect and take a fresh look - and hopefully the lack of recent quantity may be compensated for by future quality!In fact, it is thinking of quality that has been at the forefront just recently, particularly following the last post and reflecting on France being rated again

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-73458667928649833122008-03-24T18:04:00.006+01:002008-03-24T18:50:00.996+01:00

If you are a prospective expat, considering a particular country or even various options, then a bit of research will not go amiss if only to confirm your own thoughts and experiences. So, where do you begin? Of course this blog is a good stopping-off point for some general discussion of life as an expat - you can also trawl the web with specific country searches - or even try the "I'm Feeling

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-89756777813777947882008-03-16T22:22:00.004+01:002008-10-27T15:23:11.515+01:00

Nothing raises friendly nationalistic fervour quite like an international sporting event and it can be on such occasions that the expat's position can be a little uncomfortable. Usually for us, as Brits in France, we have no problem showing support for local teams in big matches, or for a French national team against most other countries - that seems the most appropriate thing to do in our host

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-62852425967795846722008-03-11T20:10:00.003+01:002008-03-11T21:36:12.429+01:00

Rummaging through one of those drawers of "useful stuff" recently, there was a reminder of some of those aspects of moving countries that are easily forgotten but were critical at the time. This particular item was an electrical adaptor and it prompted the thought that as well as "the big picture" we should be considering some of the minutiae of planning an international move, even if we cannot

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-91538419057353178592008-03-05T23:11:00.006+01:002008-03-06T00:46:49.145+01:00

Continuing our mini-theme of food, perhaps French cuisine is so exceptional that many might make the move here almost solely for the fine cooking - in fact, it seems quite certain that many have done so. For the French themselves, well they are known for preferring to take holidays within France and I have heard much speculation that this is largely because they prefer their own food! Well, our

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-63746176408713959042008-02-29T23:27:00.004+01:002008-02-29T23:46:49.774+01:00

Should we have been saying "Happy Leaping", or something similar, today? I'm not sure of the protocol really but hope that all proposers and proposees have had a wonderful time.Having experienced more Leap Days than I care to remember, I was surprised today by a notion that had never occurred to me before - but which is really only appropriate to this blog in the context of our having made

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-88811561790135007452008-02-27T20:00:00.008+01:002008-02-28T22:31:21.602+01:00

Thinking again of food in a prospective new country, this is a key factor for those with special dietary needs, whether prescribed for health reasons, a part of one's culture or religious life, or simply self-imposed.I have mentioned before that the gradual realisation a few years ago that this region of France was about the worst possible for a vegetarian to plump for was a huge disappointment!

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-13584975795133361402008-02-26T20:49:00.004+01:002008-02-26T21:30:59.996+01:00

In the spotlight just recently has been Liechenstein, currently the object of various investigations and suggestions that it is one of three "uncooperative" tax havens. Without wishing to make moral judgement on countries offering total financial privacy for tax purposes, this does raise the obvious point, although one that we have barely touched upon so far, that the prevailing economic

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-78483698030818224172008-02-17T17:00:00.004+01:002008-02-17T17:49:03.954+01:00

There was a reminder the other day of the shock of finding how tricky it was for vegetarians coming to live in the South of France... perhaps we had been too used to the easy route of ready-made protein alternatives - which are readily available in the UK but almost non-existent in rural France! Anyway, that thought brought me back to a big subject that we have barely touched on in the expat

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-1034125299304969342008-02-01T17:14:00.000+01:002008-02-01T17:30:39.123+01:00

Following the comments in the last post about the reinstated French public holiday (Pentecost Monday), I should comment on two other traditional French holidays - Labour Day and Ascension Day. Has anyone else noticed that they fall on the same day this year? Just when you think you are getting ahead!Guess we'll have to relax twice as hard on 1st May...

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-48589307522830991602008-01-29T18:49:00.000+01:002008-01-29T19:55:42.042+01:00

When is a holiday not a holiday? Well, for a while the answer was... when it is Pentecost Monday in France! Traditionally a holiday, in 2004 the French government declared this a 'day of solidarity', abolishing the day off in the interests of channelling extra funding for the elderly, following the difficulties of the heatwave the previous year. However, in the face of the inevitable protests,

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-79517553736939990372008-01-18T21:22:00.000+01:002008-01-18T21:55:23.935+01:00

We reported back in November that the BBC News web site can detect overseas users - and the version of the site they see carries ads (the site is ad-free for UK users by virtue of it being funded by UK licence payers... see It's news to me...).That is a great service for British expats and other overseas English speakers and the ads are definitely a small price to pay.Now it seems that the BBC is

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-48190983439405526172008-01-12T18:53:00.000+01:002008-01-12T19:37:33.540+01:00

There has recently been in France the curious sight of crowds gathered outside the local bars and restaurants. Are the bar workers on strike and picketing their places of work? Has the Campaign for Real Ale reached France? Well, actually it is just the introduction of phase two of the anti-smoking regulations which from the new year have applied to cafés, restaurants, etc.! So, in the depth of

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-5106170002353004322008-01-02T19:42:00.000+01:002008-01-02T20:08:24.820+01:00

The availability and cost of healthcare is a serious consideration for all expats and we mentioned changes to the French healthcare system which were to affect mainly those retiring early (see post: Retiring but not so shy...). There seems to be much debate in our area about these changes but that is to be expected with the South of France being a very popular area to retire to. In this context I

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-42987239864691735092007-12-31T13:09:00.000+01:002007-12-31T13:21:41.174+01:00

Many thanks to all who have visited 245 and Counting during the first few months - and special thanks to those who have contributed on, and off, the page. I hope that expats and others around the world will visit and contribute in 2008... but now it is time to wish you all the very best for a peaceful and prosperous new year...Photo by: fito

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-75750915450551860702007-12-27T21:34:00.000+01:002008-01-07T18:34:24.220+01:00

A timely return in this holiday period for 245 and Counting... after an unexpected break. Amongst the many festive articles and end-of-year reviews, it was interesting to come across a BBC feature* where a number of British expats around the world share their thoughts about Christmas from a wonderful variety of exotic countries. It is fascinating to hear how individuals in different locations

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-31227651208788970462007-11-11T18:22:00.000+01:002007-11-11T19:43:32.870+01:00

How do you take your news? In these days of mass media it seems quite easy but for expats there may be challenges, especially those who are not fluent in the local language, making TV news, newspapers, etc., hard work. Well, the wonders of the www can help and we have found the BBC web site absolutely superb as a source of top quality news and information in our first language.Now some are

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-44454684301879494852007-11-10T15:19:00.000+01:002007-11-10T16:11:12.448+01:00

Autumn already and, to continue the (fairly) recent theme, one could be forgiven for thinking that this blog had gone into retirement - but real life and the day job inevitably take their toll from time-to-time!Perhaps it is an appropriate time of year for the subject of retirement and I have been wondering how this time of life may be more or less challenging for expat retirees and what

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-43464447229836081252007-10-09T20:13:00.001+02:002007-10-09T20:25:34.508+02:00

Well, a hectic life has seen this blog neglected but that does mean there has been more time than usual between posts for reflection and this time the thoughts have come around to pondering further a major change in life, which perhaps gives many their best opportunities for reflection - retirement!Any mention of this subject, whether here or in conversation, seems to spark strong reactions on

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-35149657300706431582007-09-30T22:48:00.000+02:002007-09-30T23:22:34.696+02:00

Well, it has been easy to praise the French health service, simply because it is so good. However, to give the promised feedback on experiences with dental care, it has to be said that there seems to be a weak spot in what is otherwise a superb system.The local dentist here is excellent but there are others in the local towns and villages, so choice is not a problem at all. Just recently, though,

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-89639467836597368172007-09-27T18:36:00.001+02:002007-09-27T19:29:19.144+02:00

Spending one's retirement in the sunny South of France is an attractive idea, particularly for those from cooler, damper climes, such as Brits! So, imagine the furore in the last few days as the rumour machines have generated the idea that France will no longer honour the international agreements on reciprocal healthcare! Naturally, this is a subject of keen interest for anyone, but particularly

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-49131674346296992282007-09-23T15:00:00.000+02:002007-09-27T19:45:17.918+02:00

To return to the subject of language, but in the context of continuing the theme of expats and citizenship, it was interesting to read earlier this month of the UK government's intention to extend the requirements for immigrant workers to the UK to provide proof a certain minimum ability in the English language; apparently only "highly skilled" workers were required to prove that they could speak

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-69648636353849712512007-09-16T18:38:00.000+02:002007-09-27T19:40:23.909+02:00

Having survived the recent dental work I return with another major consideration for the expat. Does one take on citizenship in the host country? And, if so, how is that regarded within that country and by outsiders?For temporary overseas postings, contract work, etc., there have long been agreements between countries for granting visas for living and working for a comparatively short period and

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-79536105549179742612007-09-03T20:04:00.000+02:002007-09-03T21:43:49.375+02:00

This time it has been raging toothache that has kept me away for a few days - and coping with the cocktail of painkillers and other medications that are to prepare the way for the work to be done! I think I have learned a little about the French dental service already in this process but will save any comments on that until the worst is over!What I have been reflecting on, in the odd lucid moment

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-30641215650836211732007-08-29T20:45:00.001+02:002007-08-29T21:03:15.086+02:00

Back in dear old Blighty, a great pleasures was listening to Radio 4 with its wonderful variety of programmes. So, image the delight when discovering an equivalent French station - France Culture. This has a similar mix of news and comment, plays, documentaries, humour, panel games, etc. - and with the added advantage of being good for one's French!In the UK I often had Radio 4 playing for most

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-12622999690796751302007-08-26T17:51:00.000+02:002007-09-27T19:33:27.915+02:00

It seems inevitable that we will return regularly to matters of language - a big subject and one of which there are daily reminders for most expats, even if they have got to grips with the local lingo reasonably well. 'Local' is a key point, as even the French from other regions can find accents and dialects in the Languedoc difficult to understand!Anyway, the summer usually brings its own

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-65826783561568320892007-08-22T17:58:00.000+02:002007-08-22T18:26:49.711+02:00

That last post has had me reflecting on the time that we did have a real medical drama here - and of course such events always happen in the middle of the night, especially when you live in a small village up in the hills. So, all the more impressive that the emergency services were here in not much more than 15 minutes - fantastic at 4 o'clock in the morning!In fact the emergency ambulance

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-75746368676546349772007-08-19T16:04:00.000+02:002007-08-26T11:35:37.320+02:00

A comment the other day was that, in rarely visiting the UK, we have probably lost our immunity to the day-to-day cold bugs in circulation there. An interesting thought and perhaps it means that it is necessary to avoid Brits visiting France! It may also mean that we are still developing an immunity to the common infections here. It is hard to say to what extent this may be so but perhaps just by

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-25200628462799915622007-08-18T16:34:00.000+02:002007-08-18T16:52:48.555+02:00

As this blog gradually takes shape, it does seem destined to address the big issues facing expats at large. Without wanting to set targets that are too ambitious, this feels like the right direction just now and, in any case, I'm not sure that it is feasible to attempt to provide the solutions for day-to-day needs for anyone, in any situation, in any country. In any case, there are plenty of

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-51229037233378224892007-08-15T11:53:00.000+02:002007-09-16T18:36:43.733+02:00

Assumption Day - and whilst we will make no assumptions as to how significant this is for most of the population of a secular state (it is a feast day recognising the passing into heaven of the Virgin Mary) this remains a holiday in France. A public holiday during the month when anyone in France who possibly can is away on holiday seems a little odd, but religious and other traditions have their

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-7180942022329585952007-08-13T18:07:00.000+02:002007-08-13T18:49:00.954+02:00

If the day-to-day challenges of expat life are to form a part of this discussion, then we must also not shy away from some more demanding considerations. Like David M, I think I can describe my expat experience so far as "enlightening and certainly life enhancing" (ref. Comments in the last post) but what about very fundamental factors that can make or break our peace of mind and security?OK, you

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-24036081786136556262007-08-11T15:48:00.000+02:002007-08-12T11:18:10.710+02:00

In reviewing the first few posts, I feel that one could be forgiven for thinking that this is concerning itself purely with the concept, the state of being an expat. For the more pragmatic, it is worth stressing now that I am as aware as any of the realities of life as an expat and expect the practical considerations to become key to this discussion.Of course some can relocate with the security

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-44940436884573216872007-08-08T09:43:00.000+02:002007-08-15T17:59:19.315+02:00

The thought of overseas holiday homes seems to have lingered since last posting. Perhaps one cannot deny any sort of expat status here as I'm sure that many second home owners are genuinely experiencing, and participating in, the second culture. It is probably a case of looking again at how much our expat definition will flex!Looking more carefully at the holiday home scenario, we can probably

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-16045585607316002792007-08-06T17:26:00.000+02:002007-08-06T18:43:18.347+02:00

Illness rather than lack of enthusiasm or time caused the abrupt halt just as this was beginning to take shape on the page - even in the country with the world's finest cuisine, it is still quite possible to buy a suspect tuna and mayo sandwich! However, part of the attraction of this very format is that one can come and go, prod the subject around, and generally approach things as informally as

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-88393984491761322852007-07-29T23:00:00.000+02:002007-08-15T17:58:32.584+02:00

However many potential destinations there may be (refer the very first post), at this early stage the point of the blog seems to be to examine what it is to be an expat - and if that word conjures up classic images of colonial "lotus eaters", then let's look at a definition. According to my Collins English Dictionary... Expatriate: a person who lives in a foreign country.Perhaps we can

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-43917408785364243352007-07-27T16:27:00.000+02:002007-07-27T17:33:22.252+02:00

The peak summer months of July and August see the rural areas of Mediterranean France at their finest and a particular joy are the village fêtes - far from the afternoon garden parties seen in the UK, these take the form of open-air partying going on through to the early hours. These can be attended by hundreds of people (of all ages) from surrounding towns and villages who are entertained each

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487498775407582108.post-76585267026933843422007-07-26T20:15:00.000+02:002007-07-28T00:26:12.467+02:00

Idly browsing a little while ago I came across a Wikipedia article, as one does, stating the number of countries in the world as 244*.Apparently, this includes full United Nations member countries (currently 192) and many others with, or claiming, the status of "country". Looking through the list I noticed, to my horror, that my own country of birth, Wales, is not actually listed but rather

Will Powhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06580197604044113553noreply@blogger.com0