Author: Bob

While living in North, Central and South America, in the middle of the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean, and now in Europe, my passion has remained the same: travel and meeting new friends.
Life in France

Poo vs. pooing

Shampoos for men and dogs
Shampoos for men and dogs

When friend and fellow blogger Tracy was trying to encourage us to start this blog, she said that just about anything we did or saw could become the subject of a post. I’m not sure that she had this post’s title in mind when she wrote a few months ago “even the French shampoo you use on Heather” could be something to write about. You see, in France you have to add an “ing” to the word we use in English to wash our hair. The attached photo should explain everything. Continue reading “Poo vs. pooing”

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Life in France

Not there you don’t

TV Carcassonne's studios overlooking the main square
TV Carcassonne’s studios overlooking the main square

One of the advantages of living in another country is getting to compare your new experiences with the ones you are used to. We were watching television the other day and a political ad came on. That’s not a topic we pay a lot of attention to but in the hopes of improving our language skills we watched it anyway. As with much of what we see that doesn’t come with French subtitles, we didn’t fully understand the message until the commercial concluded and the sponsor’s logo and name flashed up: Parti Socialiste. Oh my, that would never happen on American TV. Continue reading “Not there you don’t”

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Life in France

Drive, he said

Drive up shopping
Drive up shopping

If you just glance at this photo you might think that we had gone to a drive-through gambling establishment. In Louisiana and some other states too they have drive-through liquor stores where you can pick up a case of wine and a frozen daiquiri to-go without ever leaving your vehicle. In France, it’s all about the food. There are about 3000 stores here, including this one called Casino, where you place an online order and a couple of hours later just drive into the designated area and it’s loaded into the trunk for you. We even have a chocolate maker here in Carcassonne who will do that for you. Continue reading “Drive, he said”

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Dealing with government, Life in France

In residence

Paperwork
Residence permit paperwork

It’s official, we’re legal residents of France for a year, at least, as of yesterday afternoon! The process all began back in January of this year when we went to the French consulate in Miami to request a visa. Americans can stay here for up to 90 days in any 6-month period with only a passport but for any longer than that you need a visa that’s valid for a year. But wait, even with that document issued in the US you still have to request a titre de sejour (residence permit) once you arrive.Then the wait begins. Continue reading “In residence”

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Life in France

I can assure you

Insurance building, Place Davilla, Carcassonne
Insurance offices in the Tomey building, Place Davilla, Carcassonne

The French word for insurance is assurance and I can assure you that we’ve been trying to buy some ever since we arrived. Because of rental laws here, apartment and house leases usually run for 3 years and you are required to have renter’s coverage for that whole time. Our place is furnished so we don’t fall under those same rules but we still felt it was important to be covered, especially since our own household goods have arrived. Trying to get an insurance company to accept our money has not been easy. Continue reading “I can assure you”

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Life in France

No one’s home

House with a castle view
House with a castle view

When we first arrived in Carcassonne we stayed in a hotel for a few days while waiting for our lease to start on the house we rented for the year. We intentionally stayed in a room with a view of both the river and the castle figuring that we weren’t likely to get that same vantage point again once we lived here. While out for a walk with Heather on our second day in the city we noticed the building for sale that you see here. It’s one block from the hotel, also at the end of a street, so it too looks out across the water up to the majestic Cité fortress. What a view, but at what cost? Continue reading “No one’s home”

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Life in France

Art is where you find it

Sculpture at the courthouse
Sculpture at the courthouse

We went to the Palais de Justice yesterday but not to attend a hearing although we did visit two different courtrooms. We were also in a couple of assembly rooms, many corridors, and even a lounge where lawyers dressed in long, flowing black gowns with white scarves tied at their necks looked quizzingly at us. I overheard one of the avocats tell her colleagues that we were there to see the exposition. We had gone to the city’s courthouse to see an art exhibition. Continue reading “Art is where you find it”

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