Posted on 11/08/2024 6:51:58 AM PST by aquila48
They moved to France from San Francisco in October 2023, but just over 12 months later, Joanna McIsaac-Kierklo and her husband Ed Kierklo say they are on the brink of returning to the US.
While Joanna, 74, and Ed, 75, intended to spend the rest of their lives in the European country, the retired couple have struggled to make friends and are becoming increasingly frustrated with French bureaucracy.
“We gave it a year here,” says Joanna. “And we just said, ‘Too much grief and no joy.’ There’s no fun. We’re struggling every day.”
“I honestly don’t think we could have put in any more effort to acclimatize to the French way of life,” adds Joanna, who describes their experience as “a nightmare.”
While they’re still working out the finer details of their imminent return, Joanna and Ed say that they’re “frustrated and exhausted,” by life in France and feel ready to “give up and leave.”
Uprooting their lives in the Californian city and moving to France was certainly not a decision taken lightly, they say.
Joanna and Ed, who’ve been married for 20 years, had already traveled the world extensively, both together and separately, beforehand.
“I didn’t get married till I was in my 50s,” says Joanna, who is originally from San Francisco. “So when I met my husband, we traveled.
“We have no children. No siblings. No parents. There’s nothing to encumber us doing exactly what we please.”
Joanna explains that she and Ed bought and sold three different homes during their first 15 years of marriage, “giving us a comfortable amount of cash to afford us the option to travel and even relocate to anywhere we wanted.”
(Excerpt) Read more at amp.cnn.com ...
As a full time and part time expat for more than two decades, I can say yes, it is tough. But the best answer is go with the flow.
In Sweden, you get served raw herring and avocado. Eat it. The weather is often bad. Get better clothes.
But the worst is the governmental regulations. I spent this summer in France. Ended up with a dozen speeding tickets from unmarked mobile cameras. Several for as low as 3 mph (3.107 to be precise) over the limit.
It’s not hard to live elsewhere. Just try to blend in and try.
They saved big bucks on deodorant.
France is likely one of the worst countries for Americans to settle.
French generally refuse to speak English and do not like American visitors.
France is dirty, smelly, expensive and unfriendly.
Is anyone else’s Gaydar going off?
Not so sure now, LOL!
Awhile back I read a story about an older couple who lives on a luxury cruise ship full time. And in a very nice cabin with a balcony, to boot. They’ve seen much of the world that way.
If I had the money that would be something I’d might consider. For a couple years, anyway.
You got that right!
Where are you moving to?
I tried to read the whole thing, honest I did
I watch a YouTube channel about renovating a convent built in 1776. It is addictive. The French countryside is absolutely beautiful. I’d love to live there. The people doing the renovations are all British. It does seem that finding affordable housing, whether renting or buying is next to impossible. Government ruins even the most beautiful places.
From the article, The fact that she struggled to pick up the language — Ed has learned some French since they’ve been living there, speaking the language would have been better. They moved to a smallish town probably without extensive tourist/expat presence. When they were there as tourists they probably stayed in a hotel and frequented restaurants where English was used. Living there, you can't assume the grocer or handyman will understand you. And making friends, yes, language could be a barrier.
She has a rent-controlled apartment in SF, all her friends are there, her husband seems like a tag-a-long, so with the promise of crime going down, it’s a no-brainer for them to move back to CA.
“10 bucks says they don’t go back to San fransicko.....or crazyfornia even.”
Article: Before leaving the US, the couple made the decision to hold onto their rent-controlled apartment, which Joanna had lived in for over 40 years, in San Francisco, just in case things didn’t go to plan.
My Daughter, her husband and MY Grandchildren moved to a nice small town in the Southeast portion of America, it’s called Texas I think, But it turns out there are a lot of places in America near her in America. Since I am taking my Airplanes with me, I don’t have to be next door...
Absolutely, hands down, the dumbest, most immature and spoiled people I have ever heard. Good gravy, they blame France when their stupidity is at fault. She’s lonely but never bothered to learn to speak French in order to communicate? I’m really ar a loss for words.
I suggest they relocate to the Hill Country of Texas. Vineyards and liberals everywhere. If I could, I’d hightail it to Driftwood, but my kids and grandkids all live within 30 minutes of me in Irving.
Sorry, closed. Try Australia.
French generally refuse to speak English and do not like American visitors
The French sure liked American visitors in 1944.
As a wise man told me, get a French girlfriend and live with her for six months and learning the language is easy.
Australians refuse to speak English too. :)
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