Avoid these 6 mistakes your first year
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Published 2024-06-29
See the top 6 mistakes that cause expats to end their move abroad earlier than expected.
About Us:
We are an American family of 3 who moved to France for an extended stay adventure in 2022.
We wanted to experience Europe as more than rushed tourists on a 10-day vacation. To dive into the culture, learn a new language, experience daily life, and truly know what it was like to work and live somewhere other than the US.
In France, we set up a business, enrolled in a middle school, found housing, and even got our cat a European passport!
While in the US preparing to leave, the information we found about staying in France for longer than a short vacation was directed at college students, young & single digital nomads, or retirees. Where was the useful information for families like us?
With a year under our belts in France, we created Baguette Bound to pass on what we have learned. We hope to make it easier and inspire other families who are interested in experiencing a long stay in France with their families. Stay tuned for more information on French culture, local travel ideas, and the logistics of moving across the world.
Contact us or follow our journey @ baguettebound.com/
#movetofrance #france #americansinfrance #expatlife #expatinfrance #expatmistakes #baguettebound
All Comments (21)
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I’m married to a 🇫🇷guy who came to the US for grad school & stayed. Fast forward to our retirement. We have spent loads of time in France w/family & friends in different regions, so if we move there soon, I already have a good idea of big cities there, as well as village life. I’ve told my husband that screens & a/c are must-haves. I don’t want to be eaten alive by mosquitoes which I am every single visit to my SIL on the Provençal coast which also gets blazing hot in the summer. I’m glad you’ve adjusted so well. It’s pretty remarkable since you didn’t speak much French at the beginning. You are doing a wonderful thing for your daughter.
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You are asolutly right when you say going in holidays in a country is very different from living as a local.
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Don’t forget about sucre vergoise brun for all your American cookie recipes!,,
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Screen + electric shutters are a good combo for renovation.
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You are absolutely right. All these points are also valid if you move from one European country to another; you'd still face the same challenges. I'm so glad you managed all the cultural changes and enjoy being there now. Thanks for all your messages and optimism.
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Great video, no sugar coated, the real thing , life happens!
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Bonjour! Excellent advice. We learned during our time in Ukraine that accepting the nuanced lifestyle is healthier than constantly comparing the states with Europe.
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did you know that the film with Tom Cruise (the last samurai) is based on the true story of the Frenchman Jules Brunet who fought alongside the last samurai 😉
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You can find moustiquaires (mosquito screens, rideaux/panneaux anti-moustiques) quite easily in France but you have to adjust them to fit your windows and doors. A quick seach on internet shows lots of results. About AC systems, the situation is a bit more complicated : most home improvement shops have portable AC devices but they're only usable for small rooms. However, if you need to get a new heating system you can choose a reversible heat pump (pompe à chaleur réversible) that can heat your home in winter and cool down in summer. And if you have a low income you can get a subvention (state subsidy) to help buy this system that is supposed to be more economical than gas or fuel heating systems. Oh, I forgot : modern rolling shutters can also be used to still get some light while avoiding biggest bugs, but they aren't efficient against mosquitos.
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You both have a great attitude : it's a pleasure to have new residents of this kind in France !
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❤🎉Great content as usual. I agree with not needing to recreate your old life, that's part of the fun, new environment and new challenges!
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Nice tips ! The windows screening part is fun. I'm so rarely annoyed by a bug or mosquitoes at night that I really don't see the utility, the hassle and the loss of free opening to put a screen. Maybe it is a bug degree of tolerance thing. 🤣🤣
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Love your channel!!!! I've been to France 5 times staying 4 to 8 weeks each time which has given me a greater sense of what to expect when I move there this year!!
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We are here…been watching y’all for a while but just reiterating we are here en permanence from Austin : ) arrived in April and traveling until December to decide where we want to be our ‘forever home’. We will be in Bordeaux in late October… = )
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This is just what I needed to hear today. Thank you!
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I made the opposite journey. I moved to the US forme France. I did not manage to adapte and finally got back to France. Hope you're enjoying our country and tell your american friends and family how france is great :))))
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Yet another thoughtful down to earth video. Thanks!
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Si j'ai bien compris vous déménagez vers une ville un peu plus grande prochainement, ce serait intéressant de faire une vidéo un peu plus détaillé sur ce changement, ce qui vous a motivé et comment vous avez choisi votre nouvelle ville. J'espère que votre fille ne sera pas trop loin de ses amis =)
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Like your video❤ I've emigrated 4 times, different countries, its always a leap in the dark. Point 6 is valid, visiting somewhere is not the same as living there.
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Anywhere you move to, within the US or abroad, there is the "2 years rule". It takes that long to make friends. Just hang in there.
