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V.S.Chadwick

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Originally from Switzerland...

My parents are from Switzerland. I was born in Canada, but have been back to the old country to visit the land of my roots, and I love the history - the castles, the old buildings, the ancient city walls! It stirs my soul.

By the way, I love your username!
 

LisaR

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I am from Canada, born and raised just east of the Rocky Mountains. I moved to England to be with the love of my life. I love it here, the architecture and history are stunning, and the weather is perfect. I miss my family.
 

angelisa fontaine-wood

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Hi, Newbie here,

I moved from the swamps of North Florida to Paris in 1993, after graduating college. Which means I have lived here for more than half my life, which is mind boggling when I take the time to reflect. I live now in a smaller town just on the petticoats of the city proper. I think I'm happy here but wish I could move out to the country. If I had to say one thing I love about France it's that they're very quick with a Champagne bottle. If I miss one thing, it's simple friendliness.
 

MimiG

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Hi, Newbie here,

I moved from the swamps of North Florida to Paris in 1993, after graduating college. Which means I have lived here for more than half my life, which is mind boggling when I take the time to reflect. I live now in a smaller town just on the petticoats of the city proper. I think I'm happy here but wish I could move out to the country. If I had to say one thing I love about France it's that they're very quick with a Champagne bottle. If I miss one thing, it's simple friendliness.
You have to get out of the city for that, I find. I am an American and I live in a very rural area in the south of Champagne-Ardenne. People are so sweet here that I feel like I'm back in Georgia.
 

MimiG

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I'd really like that. We're saving up to get a bigger place in a smaller place. Gd willing and the crick don't rise as they say back home. If you're passing through the big city give me a heads up: it wd be lovely to meet!
That would be lovely! I never go to Paris (except to get to the airport), but I'll keep that in mind! Are you staying close to Paris in the arrondissements or moving farther from the city? If you ever want some Champagne, look us up in Aube! (though we're more "crémant d'alsace" people ;)
 

angelisa fontaine-wood

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Oh I do love a good cremant!

We'd like to leave Paris altogether, actually; Not too southerly as I don't do heat well, that's all. We're looking at Bourges and Nevers, price-wise, although I would like a more dynamic place, Strasbourg, Rennes, or someplace like that, but I'm not sure that's doable with the budget we have.

If we get out in your direction I'll be sure to give you a heads up
 
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J.A.Nielsen

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Hi, Newbie here,

I moved from the swamps of North Florida to Paris in 1993, after graduating college. Which means I have lived here for more than half my life, which is mind boggling when I take the time to reflect. I live now in a smaller town just on the petticoats of the city proper. I think I'm happy here but wish I could move out to the country. If I had to say one thing I love about France it's that they're very quick with a Champagne bottle. If I miss one thing, it's simple friendliness.
Bonjour!

I lived near the French border for several years--in Germany. My German never developed particularly well, but every time I crossed over the border, that's where I found the friendliest most patient people who let me muddle through their language.

I love Paris, but I was really blown away by how much warmer the people are outside of the city. In Normandy, my US Army husband was treated like a super hero. It was so sweet.

Enjoy your champagne!
 

J.A.Nielsen

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Oh I do love a good cremant!

We'd like to leave Paris altogether, actually; Not too southerly as I don't do heat well, that's all. We're looking at Bourges and Nevers, price-wise, although I would like a more dynamic place, Strasbourg, Rennes, or someplace like that, but I'm not sure that's doable with the budget we have.

If we get out in your direction I'll be sure to give you a heads up
Strasbourg has the most amazing Christmas markets. I'd move there just for that.
 

J.A.Nielsen

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I grew up near Strasbourg. The one thing I miss the most is the Christmas spirit (and moriknepfle, maybe).
My daughter thinks of Germany as her first home--even though she was born thousands of miles away on a pacific island--I'm hoping those early experiences stick with her. I know it's made my son much more globally aware.
 

angelisa fontaine-wood

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I love Paris, but I was really blown away by how much warmer the people are outside of the city. In Normandy, my US Army husband was treated like a super hero. It was so sweet.

Enjoy your champagne!
I'll bet he was, oh my gosh!

I have some Clairette de Die chilling in the fridge for Friday evening!
Best to you <3
 
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angelisa fontaine-wood

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I grew up near Strasbourg. The one thing I miss the most is the Christmas spirit (and moriknepfle, maybe).
Paris has little to no Christmas Spirit. I can't speak to much in the way of other reasons but I know in a couple of Breton Christmases they played the Beatles for Christmas Eve ambiance music and buying things that night there were no wishes from the staff ..... a far cry indeed from a Christmas I spent in Brighton, for example. But that is probably a different story in Strasbourg, yes.
 

ksquared

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I'm an American currently living in Germany. Hopefully in the next few years, me and my littles will be moving to the South of France. I need to introduce sunshine into their lives. If anyone has any experience living near Nice or Cannes feel free to share!
 

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Hey,

I'm an English speaker in Japan. I'm happy to help with details in any stories but I find that in discussion it sometimes features as one of those countries that everyone thinks they know more than the next person, hermetically, with a kind of you don't attitude, and I want to avoid that / I don't want to do that myself.

I know way too much about history and battles but I'm probably not the best person to ask for help with grammar because for some reason I tend to write Japanese like I'm on Saitani's coffee.

ワハハハハハハハハハハハハ。
お望みであれば話しまくりますよ.
(因みに儂は佐幕派です。)

If we are on the same page let's be friends. If not, still happy to talk.

I also speak Indonesian.

Saya belajar bahasa Indonesia sebaigai mahasiswa tapi say tinggall in jepang dan saya surah lupa.

I hope that is right. I am quite rusty. Apologies for any spelling errors.

Plus recently I have been learning Dutch.

Ik kan niet goed Nederlands spreken. (That's about it so far. Still, it is fun.)

At one point I was watching how to speak Russian (in Japanese) but all I can remember is the phrase for 'I like cake,' and "No. We don't need any watermelons," and that potatoes was similar to German.

Oddly, I think my brain works harder if I learn a new language through a second language.
 

dickson

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I haven’t moved around nearly so much as most who have posted here but FWIW, I was born in Kentucky, grew up in Southern California, did a five year grad school hitch in Texas, then moved to England for three years as a postdoctoral fellow before returning to Cali, where I have lived ever since. I have visited Mexico, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Greece, and Japan at various times and for varying periods. COVID has hindered further travel for the past few years. We shall see.
 

bahamaswriter

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I was born in Scotland from a Scottish mother and Australian father. My mother and I went on a “bride ship” to Australia after World War II to join my father when I was two. We all moved back to Scotland when I was four. Then to England with my parents at six years old. Emigrated to Canada by ship at age twenty. Didn’t want to spend the winter there, so caught a Greyhound coach down to Miami, then flew to Nassau, Bahamas, where I met my husband. Have lived in The Bahamas since then, except for two extended stints in England with my family. I drew from my Scottish background and knowledge of The Bahamas when writing my first novel.
 

atacca

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I'm Australian but have been in Europe for about 9 years. I met an Algerian lady, now my wife, in France while on holiday back in 2007-ish. I'd been there for a week during my two-week break in the middle of a tour of Iraq. I headed back for 6 months in Biarritz then back to Australia to go to uni.

Our relationship developed despite the distance and when uni finished I headed back to France on a 3-month visa. We got married in that time at Marseille, and I headed back to Aus to sort out some more permanent paperwork. My wife finished her masters and found a PhD position in Italy, so I headed there and we ended up spending 6 years there. When Covid struck we were in Milan, which was a major epicentre for deaths and whatnot, and she wanted to move back closer to family in France, so once the initial storm subsided, we packed up and made it over the border the day they closed it. We've been here 2 years now. Our first child is due at the start of April, and it looks like we'll stay here long term.
 

Mevrouw Bee

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As of January 17th I'll be an expat/immigrant again when I get off the Eurostar at Rotterdam to greet my Dutchie and doggo for the first time in three years!

Any expat writers in the Netherlands? Anybody? Bueller?
 
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Chris P

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Well, I lived in Texas until I moved to the United States and learned to speak English. ;)
An old girlfriend of mine who grew up in Texas said learning how to say "yes" in one syllable took ages!
 

author.coffee.cat

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I'll be moving to British Columbia, Canada soon. My husband is Canadian and we have been talking about moving there for years but hadn't made plans. His work visa in the US expired at the same time he was laid off, so things are happening a bit more chaotic than we'd like and he had to move before me.

I'm American and getting permanent residence in Canada is not a fast process even though I'm married to a Canadian, but we're hoping it'll come through in the next 6 months and I can join him. I won't be able to work for about 6 months because of licensing process in my field that takes forever, so I guess I'll be taking spring and summer off in a beautiful mountain town.
Cheers!
 
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author.coffee.cat

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Not to mention that you want a divorce just so you can have your own pillow.
My husband tries to make our American sized pillows shared. Sometimes it's cute. Sometimes I say get your own damn pillow! A bit of a gamble for him.