One of my first posts on this site was to list 3 things that annoy me about living in France. I also enabled Google Analytics. I noticed that some small-minded idiot found this post by typing "i hate french people" into the search box (presumably (s)he was, however, a big fan of "freedom fries").
I didn't want to become some kind of dropping-off spot for jingoists, so given that I've lived in France for a few years, I thought I should complete the story and write about what I like about France.
However, when I started to think about it, I started to panic: what I disliked was easy, but I really struggled to list the positive things - the reasons I am here (not in an existential sense) and why I don't plan to leave! Could it be that there is no reason to stay?
France is just like any other country - it has its own social and economic problems, and when it comes down to it, the things I like are fairly nebulous: I like eating outside, I like the open spaces, I like the sense of history, I like the love of food, I like the climate, I like the language.
The thing is, you can say this about many places in the world (I once said it of Australia - apart from the language bit). When it comes down to it then, it's not where you are, but who you are with that matters. France just happens to provide the framework, and a damn fine one at that!
God, I sound like Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz", or James Stewart at the end of "It's a Wonderful Life".
Tuesday 21 August 2007
Some things I love about France
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4 comments:
Hi Stuart - got here via your post to JC's blog. You know, your blog is a better read than "A year in the Merde", maybe you should go for a publishing deal!
I don't recall anything about epilepsy from those start-up days, and it's a huge relief the conference you refer to was in Vancouver not Cologne!
As for driving, I guess you must have had a lift with our team leader in the mornings - I never picked up that you didn't drive.
Hi Steve,
Yes, for most of the 3 years before the startup I got a lift from a colleague, then when the company moved to Skipton, my driving licence was given back and then taken away. It was why we moved to Skipton and during this time, our (excellent) team leader gave me a lift to work every day.
Basically, in the UK, the doctor is legally required to inform the DVLC for even the most minor seizure. This creates a situation where I suspect that many of the people with "minor" epilepsy lie about their condition and therefore do not receive the best treatment. Hhhmmm, I think I will write an article about this...
Anyway, I'm glad to see that you have found me! Maybe I should look for that publishing deal - if "A year in the merde" can get published, then anything can - "A Tale of Two Cities" it ain't
Steve, I would like to catch up with you - what are you up to?
You have my email address - use your Cologne conference pseudonym in the title so that I can identify you...
Hmmm - I'm sure it's somewhere obvious, but I can't see a contact email address on the blog! Send me a mail at steve.(~my real surname~)@gmail.com :-)
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