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 ...
However, as much as I liked visiting these and other countries, it never crossed my mind that I would want to leave the United States and live in these countries. Even though the United States is not the same as it was in the 60s and 70s, this is still the greatest nation in the history of the world. Even with the problems of today, there is no place I would want to live other than the United States. I do not understand why anyone would want to leave this great nation and live in any country that has nothing close to our Constitution.
*** “I think every married couple needs two places to live, because you’ve got to get away from each other,” adds Joanna, who previously worked as a healthcare executive.***
I noticed this gem near the beginning of the piece.
I’m guessing that she might return on her own. Ed is managing to get by over there.
She was so busy packing and unpacking that she never bothered to learn the language. What an idiot. There are courses that are available where you can listen while you do your work.
She made her own bed. Now she doesn’t like sleeping in it. Typical Leftist.
Really? I was born there but the last time I visited was in 1998 and everything seemed sort of normal to me. Interesting. I have a niece there studying to be a doctor right now. She’ll be back here for Christmas. I’ll ask about that.
Haven’t heard a peep outta Brittney Griner since she got sprung from a Russian gulag......a little more appreciative of our country I suspect.
From what I’ve read, she’s been standing respectfully for the national anthem.
So true for many places - not necessarily even foreign!
And this is why you’re so much nicer to people than I am. :)
France is dirty, smelly, expensive and unfriendly.
I’ve found some good people/places out in the smaller villages.
“French generally refuse to speak English and do not like American visitors.”
Anecdotally, I’ve heard the same about Quebec.
I’ve read up on it as a tourism destination and it looks incredible - especially Quebec City and the maritime areas of the province. I’m willing to brush up on my French too.
But the rudeness levels are not something I wanna deal with. If I want that, I’ll visit NYC or New Jersey.
In Barcelona, where they speak Catalan, if they know you’re from Spain, they will not speak Spanish to you.
I was in Quebec City decades ago. I gave a bartender a 20 for a beer and he never returned. I walked over to him and he started speaking french pretending like he couldn't understand me. I told him i knew he understood English and if he didn't return with my change I would be waiting outside for him. He rushed over with my change.
I read it, and think they could have tried a couple of things ... learn French for cryin’ out loud. At least try.
Go to church. Meet “real” people.
The limp wilted produce was probably more organic than here, so what’s not to love? ;-)
“”””I’ve found some good people/places out in the smaller villages.””””
I loved being in France and liked the people, being a Texan in France was great during the 80s, what I saw of the civilians was in the little villages.
Being a Texan was a huge advantage since it gave me a reason and excuse for breaking the ice, what I could see is that the French want to talk to you but they are a reserved people and aren’t the type to initiate conversation, but clearly had wanted to once the ice is broken, and many of them love to drink.
We drove to Normandy and you still see American flags flying all over the place in the villages near the landing sites.
NYC fascinates me; but I’d never want to live there, even in its ‘good times’.
I don’t think that’s really true. ‘The French’ are not all Parisians; but they’re all simply much more formal and standoffish than we are in relating to strangers.
It just takes time to make friends with them, and you have to do things their way when you’re in their country. I imagine many Americans have inadvertently offended them because our ways and manners are so different.
“Is anyone else’s Gaydar going off?”
I don’t know…they just seem very French-ish to me…which is the same thing as saying they’re from San Francisco. Lifestyle arrogance. A superiority complex.
Funny what a little uncomfortable time in another country will do for your view of reality and appreciation for America. 🇺🇸
Hätten sie sich nur richtigerweise zuerst für Deutschland entschieden
sie sind Narren
Anecdotally, I’ve heard the same about Quebec
_________________________
Yes and no. They refuse to speak English to Canadians from the rest of Canada.
I told them “excuse me, I am from Chicago”, and it turned out they all spoke excellent English.
But the English Canadians, they have hard time over there!
Eventually, after I identified myself as American, the only people, who could not communicate in English were the street sweepers. I guess, that why they were sweepers.
So enjoy Quebec, but make sure, they know you are from the USA! (You are obviously a tourist bringing $$, and you will leave! They like those!)
BTW, Quebec French is very different from French French.
They have hard time to communicate among themselves.
I asked one of the Quebecois what the French think about them. He honestly answered - “French think, we are stupid!”
Quebec is incredible, and they are actually very friendly there to Americans! Just make sure, they know, you are NOT from Toronto!
But I doubt she learned anything!
Agree it’s how they got that way in the first place.
Many types of education learn as many of them as you can.
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