Valentin: I’m French, but I’m still very confused as to why we need to have a spelling system that’s so divorced from reality, or why it’s necessary to add gender to any and every inanimate object like it’s some kind of magical spirit. But, as we say, “c’est la vie!”
Valentin: In the UK, I just couldn't believe how well-behaved people were behind the wheel. I was also astonished at those two-way streets where's there's barely enough space for one car: people willingly pull up to let you go through! That would never work in France.
Something I like in France: I know many expats feel a similar way, but I love the pace of life, spending time with friends outdoors in the sunshine, with a bottle of wine and some food in a park…
Valentin: It’s going to sound cliché, but when I first moved to the UK, something I missed very dearly was actual cheese and bread (apologies if you’re British — I love melted cheddar on toast, but in my opinion they just don’t compare with the bread & cheese I grew up with…).
Something I certainly didn’t miss was the very French attitude of “Things have to be done this way. Don’t ask why, it’s just the way it is”. The UK, or at least the parts where I lived, felt more open to different ways of being and doing things.
