Monday, December 1, 2008

Support the cause...

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...


Bloggers Unite

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Defining moment...

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 country purely by choice and the economic migrant who has by definition mainly financial motives? If so, how do we in fact differentiate - and can one person in fact fall into both categories? Well, perhaps those mainly choosing a change of lifestyle will then build in financial considerations in making their final choice of country, and that is quite natural.

However, for those driven to a move by financial necessity, should we expect them to make any further commitment to their host country? They have made their decision on a financial basis and presumably have been welcomed for the skills they bring to the host country without further commitment being required, other than perhaps to learning the language - so can we blame such people for returning home when the financial advantage disappears suddenly?

Do the expats who relocate by choice, for love of culture, environment, etc., make a different sort of commitment to his host country? Are they more likely to remain and weather the storm when times get tough for a while? Probably, I would think, but perhaps only because they can afford the luxury!

In any event, perhaps a level of commitment aside from financial interest becomes part of our definition of an expat...

Sunday, November 23, 2008

A question of quality...

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 relating to family life overseas and included factors such as the cost of raising a family, time spent outdoors, languages learned, study time, and whether parents believed that their children would remain in the country as adults. The summary report covers the 14 countries that yielded enough results to be significant in the survey.

Well, if another survey is of interest, you can see the detailed results by following the link below - but for this British expat in France there were some points of particular interest... while Spain is rated as the cheapest country to raise a family, the UK is the most expensive, at fourteenth position.... for the overall results, rating all factors in the survey, I was pleased to see that France is second only to Spain!

If you are contemplating making a lifestyle leap, you can gorge on statistics, graphs and detailed comments here...

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Always a lovely day...

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 and that quality of life and a higher standard of living rated second and third positions respectively. So, what is the No. 1 reason for Brits to live elsewhere? Well, the weather of course!

Given the reputation of Brits for always talking about the weather, and the UK having a climate that is the envy of few, I guess it is natural that this would be a major consideration, but perhaps surprising that it is the primary factor. Perhaps we need to be chatting about the weather more on this expat blog!

A safer environment, lower crime rate, slower pace of life, and better food were also rated in the top ten. In fact the report comes up with findings and destination breakdown too extensive to cover fully here, but there were some other interesting snippets...

For example, given that a massive 75% of Brits in France understandably rated the cuisine as a key reason, what about the poor expat souls (9%) who actually admit to missing British food!

Also, going back to the climate issue, in which countries are the 4% of British expats who miss the UK's weather?


Alliance & Leicester International

Friday, November 14, 2008

Who wants to be a millionaire...

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 a fascinating idea - to run a competition to win their property. Well, this is not totally unique but in this case the package not only includes their home (which they say is worth £ 1m) but also their business, "The Wild Wild West" tourist attraction, which they value at a further £ 4m - and they are even including their Harley Davison motorcycle!

The attraction of this combination of home and business is that the lucky winner should have both a home and a ready-made income.

In fact, the owners have a target of selling 200,000 tickets - and at £ 25 per ticket, an interesting chance for someone to become very wealthy when the draw is made in early January! Apparently if the target number of tickets is not sold, then the winner will receive the money taken up to that date. Anyone wanting to find out more can see the full details and conditions on their web site...


Monday, November 10, 2008

Bloggers unite on November 10th for Refugees United...

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 Civil War - in particular to offer the opportunity of citizenship to the descendants of those who were forced to flee the country at that time.

Well, today we go a step further in joining bloggers internationally in the "Refugees United" campaign, designed to spotlight the plight of those people who have become homeless, and perhaps stateless, as a result of natural disaster, civil unrest or war. Those families deprived, often over night, of many of the basics that we consider essential to normal life... shelter, food, warmth, access to health care, education, employment...

Bloggers around the world are united in raising awareness of refugees on this special day but if you want to make a difference on an on-going basis you can consider supporting one of the international organisations providing essential help and care to those in this desperate plight with a one-off donation or regular contribution. These links will give you an idea of what is possible...

British Red Cross

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

...and you can make a significant contribution by simply passing on the message...

Bloggers Unite



Sunday, November 9, 2008

Back home...

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 workers seeking employment and a new life in wealthier EU countries - and we soon saw, despite fears of the "Polish plumber" taking work away from citizens of the host countries, these workers quickly gain reputations as hard-working, skilled people, making a valuable economic contribution.

Taking as an example the much quoted Polish workers, by happy coincidence we are seeing the Polish community in Britain celebrate this week the 90th anniversary of Polish independence! Apparently the post-war Polish community in the UK had dwindled to about 60,000 by the turn of the century but following the EU enlargement in 2004 that rapidly swelled to about 400,000 people!

Well, only last week we were speculating here as to how the credit crunch might impact on expats, so it is interesting to read reports now that receding job opportunities and fears of UK recession are already seeing Eastern European expats rapidly repatriating themselves - in many cases returning with the benefit of having enhanced their careers with overseas experience and to home countries that are not experiencing the same extent of economic crisis and are actually in need of those skills. Excellent to hear some positive news in the midst of all the gloom!

For those of us Brits stranded on foreign shores, whatever our circumstances may be perhaps we should pay attention to this and not be tempted to go rushing back to Blighty just yet...



Photo: Aleksandar Momirovic

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Returning home...

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 of restitution will offer descendants of those exiles the opportunity to apply for citizenship of Spain. Apparently this could amount to as many as 500,000 people, although it is not known how many are likely to apply.

Another amazing part of the legislation is to allow former members of the International Brigades to apply for citizenship. Now quite elderly, these are people from overseas who travelled to Spain voluntarily and joined these brigades to fight against fascism.

Whilst this new law has apparently been controversial in Spain, it is sure to touch the lives of many people in a most poignant way - and it is exceptional to see this potential creation of large numbers of expats and what we could perhaps describe as repats...

Sunday, November 2, 2008

A local representative...

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 became the town mayor by default!

A wonderful story, although it was later reported by the BBC that he had not actually been offered the post of mayor which was later taken up again by the released incumbent... a bit of an anti-climax for the story but what was fascinating to hear was that this small town has a population of about 11,000 of which the majority are British - now that is certainly an expat community!

This lead me to thinking of what reaction we would find here if we chose to stand as councillors. In fact, with a long history of British expats in many areas of France, it is not so unusual to hear of the odd Brit on a local council. However, in the hills of a rural area of the South of France we are in an environment where visitors from neighbouring villages can often be thought of as strangers and true foreigners are still regarded as something of a novelty... and with Brits representing about half of one percent of the population in our village, our situation is rather different to that expat enclave in Spain. Perhaps for now we should just support the most expat-friendly local candidates to represent our modest needs...

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

While we weren't looking...

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 save us all, one can resist the temptation to add to the global escalation in commenting on the economic situation... except to point to one stunning spin-off for a Brit in France - the sight of a British socialist Prime Minister and a French President from the political right announcing that they are working hand-in-hand to find solutions to the financial crisis. A true sign of the gravity of the situation, given the renowned love-hate relationship between the British and French even, or perhaps particularly, at senior political levels!

However, while our leaders may be suddenly united in mutual objectives, what is the take of the expat, in whatever country, on the international crisis, even if we are now to experience mere recession rather than complete meltdown? If the expat is by circumstance always somewhat in isolation, would a tougher financial environment create more of a sense of being stranded on foreign shores? Perhaps a lot will depend on the individual expat... retired with a secure income, dependent on earning a crust, etc. I have a feeling that we will be returning to this subject as one of our mini-themes in coming months - let's hear your experiences so far...

Monday, October 27, 2008

Apologies...

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 much appreciated!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

And now for something completely different...

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 follow the challenges he has set himself on his web site...


Good luck to the ex-expat...


Saturday, June 28, 2008

Subtracting the ads...

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 shortfall created by banning advertising, it seems the intention is to increase taxes on other media, including private television (whose advertising revenues are sure to increase) as well as internet and telecoms companies.

Of course, as there are so many vested interests at stake, there has been the inevitable uproar on all sides - and, apart from financial interests, there are those who believe that this will eventually lead to public television being pushed to the sidelines in France. Well, we will see, but if one makes a comparison with the UK's BBC, then perhaps one could see the potential for greater independence in programme making, editorial content, etc.

Here at 245 and Counting, sweltering in the South of France as temperatures hit 30°C and everyone heads for the Mediterranean, it is perfect timing to point out that you will usually find on this blog a few links to associates and affiliate advertisers, which can include hotel booking service, holiday rental accommodation, French house hunting services, commercial currency exchange, etc.

These limited links do make a small contribution to running the blog and hopefully do not prejudice our content - but then, of course, we are not able to do away with advertising and simply raise a few taxes here and there...



Photo: fito

Sunday, June 22, 2008

A friend for life... style...

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 some possessions - Ian Usher came up with the unique idea of putting up for auction his entire expat lifestyle - this is to include not only his Perth home but also its entire contents and the trappings of his life, such as jet ski, motor bike, parachuting equipment. Not content to leave it at the purely material, he has also included the chance to take over his job (his employers have agreed to offer the buyer a trial with a view to full-time employment) as well as introductions to his circle of friends. Yes, to enable him to offer the complete lifestyle package, his friends agreed to meet the highest bidder. Great friends indeed!

Bidding is under way today and of course we wish him all the luck in raising the funds for his new adventure!

This does add a fascinating dimension to the expat experience, though. We see many expats here making key decisions about their home in terms of an investment for the future - particularly thinking that there may be a time when they will want to sell up and move on or return "home". So, people will often consider their property type and location as much for later reselling as for their own pleasure - and many will renovate and develop properties purely for the investment potential. Quite normal, of course.

However, whereas Mr Usher had this great idea when he needed to make a change, what if people considered building from the outset a complete expat experience, with a view to its future value? Might that also influence the type of work we find, what pastimes we enjoy and possessions we acquire... and even where we like to be seen and the friends we make? Imagine becoming a friend for your investment value!

Well, enhancing a property is one thing but the idea of developing a lifestyle for its later value is a fascinating thought - now did I mention my good friend the ambassador...



BBC News: Bidding begins on 'entire life'

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Announcing new services in the Languedoc...

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 home or business... admin. and bookkeeping / secretariat services... and relocation support for those making the move to the region...


If you are an existing or new expat in the Languedoc these services may help with various aspects of your new life, particularly if you have a business - but we hope you will also continue to visit 245 and Counting from time-to-time...


Sunday, May 25, 2008

Expat? Well, almost...

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. Here we certainly see many Brits in this situation who want to maintain the security of a base in the UK but enjoy as much time as they can in France, for the pleasures of the culture, climate, cuisine, etc. - just the same as any expats really.

However, a recent conversation brought home how careful one needs to be as a part-timer in this context. In any foreign country one should be sure of one's rights of part-time residency and what the implications may be in breaking the rules, even inadvertently. In this particular case, this part-time expat said that she loved life in France and that, although she is maintaining tax residency in the UK for access to the health service there, she is now spending "most of her time" in France.

On hearing that if one spends 183 days per annum in France then one automatically becomes tax resident here, this friend said that she is never here for that long at a stretch and regularly returns to the UK for a few days. This emphasises the need to know exactly how you stand in any country because in the case of France it is purely a matter of how many days you spend here in a year, rather than the length of any visit, and that friend should probably be declaring herself tax resident in France - and making contributions to the French health system!

So, if you are enjoying the part-time expat life, get proper advice - or hope you don't break a leg enjoying your alternative lifestyle...


Saturday, May 10, 2008

No rest...

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 all these holidays? Well, as usual, it is a matter of the expat's perspective and what is the most appropriate course given a choice about holidays. For example, in the day job we have British clients and some expect us to be working on French holidays, as we specialise in services for English speakers. So, should we observe the British holidays instead? Well, our French associates certainly expect us to be working when they are, so that does not work either.

Of course, many expats who are employed in their host countries have no say in the matter and have to observe the local practices. Personally I am not too worried about these holidays but there is a danger in our situation that we end up taking no days at all! Having tried to compromise between the two we have found that is no solution, so perhaps the best approach as an expat should be to observe the traditions and holidays of our hosts, in the interests of goodwill and integration - and ask our British clients to understand that.

OK, that seems like a good decision... apart from Boxing Day, of course - now, even if our French friends and colleagues are back to work that day, the Christmas period would not be the same if we did not enjoy that extra holiday, of uniquely British origin! Well, I wonder if we can do it this year...

Monday, May 5, 2008

Expat resources...

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 extensive pages here give a broader view of living and working abroad including feature articles and a "Useful Links and Contacts" section - all presented in an easy-to-use magazine format...



Saturday, May 3, 2008

May protest too much...

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 unusual for France! One side of the protests involved an on-going battle between the government and unions on pension rights; another might have appeared a little ironic, but we saw illegal workers protesting for the first time about how they are exploited - apparently a major problem throughout Europe, where in fact the growing illegal work forces actually make a significant contribution to the economies.

Of course, one can see that one being hotly debated but it brought to mind the personal experience of registering fully in France to work legally, register to pay contributions, and have the associated rights in terms of healthcare, etc. However, as an expat it is very easy to make incorrect assumptions about how things might work in your host country, especially when only moving within European countries, and to get things drastically wrong.

So, it is important that all expats should take advice from official sources, or professional advisers, to ensure that they do not accidentally end up working illegally - otherwise, when the authorities point the finger, you may not find a handy May Day protest to join...


Sunday, April 20, 2008

Europe bound...

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...


...hopefully a useful resource for potential expats considering Europe!

Monday, April 14, 2008

Bubbling over...

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 as number one country in terms of quality of life. In thinking about expat life much of our thoughts are about the practical challenges presented in terms of a foreign culture, language, administration, etc., but perhaps we should be thinking more about the positives that contribute to the enjoyment of being somewhere else - so, for another mini-theme in coming posts, we should take some time to discuss the pure pleasures of being an expat.

On that note, what better starting point than a recent announcement in France - seemingly untouched by worldwide economic events, it has been announced that the official Champagne area is to be expanded, taking in another 40 villages (and the related vine growing capacity) to cope with international demand for the finest fizz! Now that is taking the pleasures of life seriously...


Photo: Chance Agrella


Monday, March 24, 2008

And the winner is...

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 Lucky" option of a certain well-known search engine!

However, there is an interesting starting point, just recently up-dated, which could give you the inspiration for on-going research - the
Quality of Life Index 2008, published by International Living magazine. This rates different countries according to an impressive range of criteria, including cultural, social, environmental, climatic and economic factors, to arrive at comparative rankings - you can see the published chart here...


If you have already made your move, you may be interested to see how your country ranks - and if you agree! You could probably offer many suggestions as to why a country should rank differently and, of course, our decisions about moving country often arise from more than the very pragmatic considerations and can include sentimental and emotional factors that are hard to measure by any scale - so this kind of assessment can only ever be a helpful guide, to give us pointers to some key aspects of life in different countries.

That said, this seems to be a quite detailed survey and assessment and we are delighted to see that the number one spot is again retained by France...


Sunday, March 16, 2008

Vive les Gallois...

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 country.

Even when France is playing England at soccer or rugby, where there is a long history of intense rivalry (which probably reflects the two countries' relationship for many centuries!), there is not really a problem. It is generally assumed we are English but at times like this we can stress that we are actually Welsh (Gallois) and adopt a certain impartiality about the match!

Well, yesterday saw the Welsh succeed in winning the annual Six Nations rugby competition and on top of that achieving the "grand slam" - not losing a match to any of the other countries. A superb feat which will have have been celebrated throughout Wales! With there being five other nations, yesterday's deciding match could have turned out to be against England, Ireland, Italy, or Scotland, but in fact this final struggle for the championship was between Wales... and France.

So, forgetting about the outcome yesterday, what is the appropriate stance when your home country is playing your host country? Some carefully phrased diplomatic comments about the strengths of both teams? Some might think that would be a typically British approach. I'm not so sure how French people living in the UK would generally play it but I have a feeling that most would be more likely just to be openly patriotic. Perhaps that is the most honest approach and would actually be the most respected. For us, other things kept us away from sharing the match with anyone local, so we were not put to the test - however, maybe one might think twice about cheering on another nation in the middle of a packed French bar...

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Adapting your life...

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 look at all the possible permutations of moving between particular countries.

It should be said that we already had some UK - French electrical plug / socket adaptors before making the move, having regularly visited France - so, there was no surprise that French plugs were quite different. It is also obvious from the existence of the adaptors that power supplies are similar enough between the two countries. However, if you were to move between, say, France (power is 220/230 volt) and perhaps the USA (120 volt), you would take a completely different view about shifting appliances, computers, etc., from one country to the other, without investigating the cost and practicality of power transformers.

If you do take electrical goods with you, eventually, as items are naturally replaced, you will end up with mainly local equipment, with local plugs - that actually seems to happen surprisingly quickly which says much about the obsolescence built into consumer goods. Nevertheless, for the transition period, we found some short cuts that worked well, particularly as changing electrical plugs on a host of items is very time-consuming and boring when you have a whole house move to deal with.

For example, we kept a couple of adaptors near electrical sockets that would be used for the more portable items (hair driers, mobile phone re-chargers, etc.). For our computer equipment, the idea of changing plugs on the mass of peripherals was frightening - so we just changed the plugs on our UK multi-blocks to French ones which enabled us to continue with UK plugs on all the equipment. It should be said that one should take expert advice on such things involving power supplies and electrical equipment, but this worked fine for us!

Something that did catch us out was that, despite having visited France quite often, we had never paid any attention to the phone sockets - and were surprised to find that they are completely different to UK connections. One can never make assumptions when crossing international frontiers! Having brought several phones and computers needing to connect to the internet, we did invest in some phone adaptors, albeit that they were comparatively expensive at the time.

That worked very well for the computers and it seemed that it was a good solution for the phones and fax machine. We were able to make calls which confirmed what we had been told - that UK telephone handsets work in France. It took a little while to realise, though, that there was a slight incompatibility between the French telephone system and UK handsets, which when connected in France, did not actually ring - a slight disadvantage when it comes to incoming calls. So, a case where a temporary measure was extremely short-lived!

Well, perhaps the planning of the physical move from one country to another gives us another mini-theme, so we will return to this in future posts...

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Our cultural heritage...

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 theme is rather well-timed in coinciding with a bold move by the head of state, President Sarkozy, who has it seems proposed that UNESCO should add French gastronomy itself to the world heritage cultural list!

Naturally this has created some controversy. Is this a case of a country's high self-esteem or simply perhaps a deeply patriotic gesture? The more cynical might suggest a calculated move in the face of less that ideal ratings in the polls. Or could it be entirely motivated by tourism in what is still the most visited country in the world? Well, perhaps there is a mixture of motives, but another argument says that while it helps to focus the spotlight on the importance of a national cuisine, and high gastronomic standards, it may well help to stave off the fast-globalising fast-food culture.

In any event, whether this is successful or not, it will do no harm in raising the profile of French cuisine even further and that is sure to help to attract visitors.
For the more focussed visitors, particularly potential expats, I would still recommend researching what food is not commonly available as much as the delights that are on offer. Many Brits ensconced in France still import their 'favourites from home', such as Branston Pickle, PG Tips tea, Heinz Baked Beans, to name just a few. Now where's the Marmite...




Photo: Alyson Muse

Friday, February 29, 2008

A leap in time...

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 passing comparisons between different countries' attitudes to public holidays. Well this particular point came up in the form of a question, being "why is Leap Day assumed to be a working day?"!

It is not a part of the normal working year really, and when it is worked, certainly by salaried people anyway, there is never any suggestion of extra payment. Perhaps salaries are based on a 4-year calculation?

Anyway, it was on the basis of this thought that there was apparently a (not very successful) petition in the UK to make this day a public holiday! The petition actually made it to the 10 Downing Street web site it seems! I can't say I'm terribly surprised, considering the dearth of public holidays in Britain - but what really astonishes me is that the French, the masters of the public holiday, have not already tackled this one...


Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Meat and no veg...

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! In shopping, one soon discovered that there were few ready-made protein-alternative dishes (lazy vegetarian!). Then, in eating out, some restaurants gave blank looks, total incomprehension, when asked for vegetarian options - but perhaps that situation was more honest and preferable to those places where they would serve a dish with "just a little" chicken or ham, on the basis that this did not really count! Fortunately most chefs would be happy to rustle up a simple meat-free omelette - and what better place for omelettes than a French restaurant.

In my own case, fate took the upper hand and health reasons forced me to add fish to my diet - well, perhaps there was also a slight element of convenience... however that decision was nearly regretted at the very first meal, where the plat du jour turned out to be a whole, large, and very rubbery cuttlefish, unrelieved by any form of accompaniment - a challenge for someone facing their first fish dish for many years!
Fortunately, these days there are definite signs of improvement here for vegetarians.

However, some diets, especially those for health or religious needs, are not easy to change by simple choice, and researching the availability of essential foodstuffs, special supplements, etc. , is very important if your options are quite limited.

And just as important as food, it is worth remembering that laws relating to alcohol consumption will vary in different countries. Fortunately, in that respect France has not posed us any challenges whatsoever...


Tuesday, February 26, 2008

The most taxing problems...

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 conditions and outlook must play a significant part in any potential expat's decision about making the move to foreign shores (or should I say "off-shores"?).

Well, one has to be rich to need to take such radical tax measures, and not many of us can take advantage of such havens, but where we might only speculate as to how much the cuisine, culture, language, etc., of a particular country will influence our decision, it is fairly certain that financial considerations will play a great part for most of us - as Bill Clinton's campaign message said, "It's the economy, stupid"!

So, in coming posts we will consider what financial and economic factors expats should investigate as they research or plan the big move... the economy, the cost of living, property prices, exchange rates, taxes and social charges... contributions in comments will be most welcome!

Meanwhile, on with my personal research - heads for Monaco, tails for Andorra...

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Food for thought...

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 context - food and how much this would influence your decision, one way or another, about living in a country.

Although for some food is purely a matter of fuel, of course for many the type of food available, the pleasure of cooking, restaurant experiences, etc. are key aspects of life. It might be a question of what food is commonly available in the country or what you might desperately miss in being there. Personally, whilst enjoying fine French cuisine, here in rural France a disappointment has been the scarcity of decent Indian curry (commonplace cuisine in the UK and abounding with delicious vegetarian options) - on one occasion, driving some distance to a large town for a recommended Indian restaurant, we not only found it closed but it seemed to have been so for some time - so perhaps not to the local taste, in that town at least.

How important is the local cuisine, or lack of the food we are used to, when contemplating a move? I now know that the Languedoc is one of the toughest regions of France for vegetarians but I must say that I'm not sure if that knowledge would have decided me against the move if I had been aware of it at the time.

Anyway, in the quest for a curry alternative, the next move is to try a recommended Vietnamese restaurant which is sure to have some interesting options - if it is open of course... however, in these days of globalisation certain foods are available almost internationally and perhaps that will help some survive practically anywhere...


Photo: Chance Agrella

Friday, February 1, 2008

Not so happy holidays...

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...


Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Happy holidays...

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, the holiday was later reinstated for public sector workers - but it was left it to private sector businesses to decide if they would work that day or not!

So, then, aside from some people being entitled to a holiday and others not (or perhaps not!), this resulted in the strange situation of companies, and their staff, being unsure as to whether they should be taking the holiday or not... and the general public not knowing which firms would be open, or closed, on the day... chaotic really. Well, it seems that sense has prevailed as it is widely reported today that the Pentecost holiday (also known elsewhere as Whitsun) has been totally restored for all!

Great that we now all know where we stand, with a holiday weekend for all - and especially good for those wishing to celebrate Pentecost Sunday, the 50th day after Easter...

Friday, January 18, 2008

Out of sight...

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 giving its users access to TV programmes from the previous seven days, which can be viewed on their iPlayer site or downloaded from there. What a fantastic service! We rushed to see what was on offer and found that this site has a similar system for detecting overseas users; on this occasion, however, the service is currently still only available to UK users - a matter of rights agreements it seems. So, nothing available on the site at present for those overseas.

The good news? Apparently they are working on an international version which they will make available as soon as possible - great news for expat Brits wanting to keep in touch with their cultural roots! We will keep you posted...

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Absolutely fuming...

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 winter we see the hardened smokers having to walk outside for a puff. That seems no great hardship and does mean that everyone can enjoy smoke-free air while enjoying a drink. Of course there has been the expected outcry - particularly from bar owners in rural areas complaining that this will see the end of country bars which tend to be the social centre of smaller isolated communities. Perhaps it is worth bearing in mind, though, that many rural bars also double as the village tabac (tobacconist)!

We have also heard comments that this could affect tourism! Perhaps the classic Gallic image has been one of Gitane-smoking French philosophers in fashionably hazy bars - and perhaps that has been seen as a haven for overseas visitors escaping smoking restrictions at home.

However, my guess is that for every tourist put off by the new atmosphere of café society, there will be two more savouring the lack of ashtrays and smoke. And the biggest surprise of all - apparently the smoking ban is supported by about 70% of the French people! Of course there is no ban on smoking on the open-air terraces or at pavement tables which certainly abound here in the sunny South and in a region that has 300 days of sun, perhaps life will not be so tough for smokers here. I can't really imagine these new regulations impacting much on tourism. What about expats - would such regulations affect your decision to relocate to a particular country, one way or the other?

Anyway, to keep things in proportion, let's hope that the whole PC thing does not go too far - they'll be banning alcohol from bars next... in fact, I couldn't get a drink in the local bar the other evening - but that was because the barman was outside having a smoke...


Wednesday, January 2, 2008

French health issues...

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 am please to say that I have stumbled across what seems to be the definitive source on this subject for English speakers - not only do they seem to provide the most up-to-date information (they have front page "breaking news") but they are also active lobbyists for healthcare rights in France. They can be found here... French Health Issues.