I’m glad I caught this video. I recently moved from Ireland to France and whilst most French people are really lovely..oh my good god, when they’re bad..they’re really bad. A French girl that I met in Ireland before I left, told me “good luck, French people aren’t very nice” and I thought it was a bizarre thing to say about your own nationality but I get it now. The social norms are so far removed from Irish culture. Being friendly and helpful is expected in Ireland, you will be rejected by society if you aren’t and that’s not exaggerating. I’m really struggling with adjusting. That said, I have met some wonderful French people. But wow, I’ve also had the most obnoxious things said to me that have left my jaw hanging on it’s hinges. Sorry..I just needed a rant 😅

French here, you are so correct about the smoking thing. On top of that smokers are SO entitled. They leave their cig butts everywhere but a bin, and seem to think it's perfectly normal. I currently have a neighbour above my floor who smokes every hour and it smell so bad I have to close my windows. It's summer and I can't even open my own goddamn windows because someone thought they looked cool and rebelious when they were 15... And if you thought this is annoying enough, let me tell you they just drop they cig butts on my balcony. So I left a nice and polite note in the elevator asking them to kindly stop using my balcony as they private trash bin. And shockingly (no) it didn't work.

I'm french and keep every packaging ever. For me this is perfectly normal but now I understand why sometimes strangers look at me like "do you really need that pile of empty packaging?"

I have lived in hong kong for some years. Coming from France, all admin wirk was so easy that at first I was very anxious. When opening an electricity line, a mobile line,etc… I kept asking many times to the officer « are you sure it’s done? Have you well understood my question?… » It’s quite a shock to deal with a functional administration 😂

These videos really help me when I start lamenting about not living in France anymore. I think there are reasons it didn't work for me despite my love for France.

The scammer issue is not unique to France. It's a constant irritation here in the U.S. They come at you through cell phone calls and texts, land line calls and emails. It's awful.

I can relate to this so much! We lived in Paris for two years (originally from Canada) and we couldnt open a bank account, we couldn’t rent unless we paid for a full year, we couldn’t register the car we bought, we couldnt find a place in daycare for our son, etc without a mountain of struggles every step of the way!

I’m in Australia and probably get 3 scam mobile calls a day; I have a personal policy of never answering unknown numbers; if it’s important they always leave a message. I don’t trust any banking messages now except by mail.

Im a kiwi in France and your videos are so good to watch since you are also comparing France to cultural norms in NZ. Kiwis are so chill and informal and I love that. I do struggle with the culture differences sometimes and how complicated, rigid and formal things can be in France... 🤦🏼‍♀️

I’m in the US and I get scammer emails, calls and texts all the time. It was daily at one point. Also, there’s a lot I don’t like about the US, but customer service is excellent compared to any European country I’ve visited. It’s as though after thousands of years of commerce, European businesses don’t understand that they are losing money in droves by being so inefficient and unhelpful.

PROTIP: if you're struggling with the proof of address thing (I know I did too when I came back from living abroad and were in airbnb's before finding a long term job and a long term flat): get your in laws to sign an "attestation d'hébergement", it's a simple letter where they say you are living at their place for free, signed + one of their bill + the copy of their ID. It opens all the doors a bill in your name would, and it was a huge live saver for me ! The paperwork omg I can't ! As A CITIZEN it took me 9 months to get hold on a new carte vitale after I came back. As a foreign resident, it took the Japanese administration 15 min to issue one when I moved there.....

As a French living now in NY, everything is so true! Little things are complicated, having flexibility is hard unless you are being super nice and doing “copinage”. French are not client/ service first compared to anglo-saxons countries.

I'm a Frenchman who's been living in Belgium for 21 years. Though the Belgian and Walloon administration is definitely not a standard of simplicity it's still more efficient than the French one. It took me less than a week to open a bank account and receive my debit card here - just had to show I had a Belgian work contract. I changed bank since then, that was fast and easy. Closing my French bank accounts took time and lots of paperwork. Obtaining a new cell, Belgian phone subscription took me less than a day. Closing my French one was a real test of patience.

I've heard a theory that the heavy/inefficient bureaucracy is by DESIGN. Basically, it's the way the state tells the individual "look how powerless you are" "we own you". The passive-agressive mindgames of bureaucracy is like a cat playing with a mouse to show the power of the state, basically. Even in "efficient" countries like Germany or Japan, the bureaucracy is slow and cumbersome.

You are not being nasty when you just explain the situation of this unreasonable person.

I just showed this to my husband to show to his co-worker. The guy was in France last month and recieved a ticket in the mail from a toll that he thought the rental car company was going to pay when paid an extra fee for that sort of thing. He contacted them and now it's not their problem. They refuse to help him. He doesn't speak much French. He's in Seattle. He's unsure if this is even real and not a scam. He's been so disgusted by the lack of help from the rental car company.

You are complaining ok you passed the exam you are french

I’m coming to France in 3 weeks to study french and your vids about France helps me out a lot on what I might possibly expect.

Paris is an open air museum: like a fairytale you step into but, no, I would never want to live in it. The total neglect of customer service and the money someone had earned and spent for the experience. I live in the US: went to a language school for 2 weeks in Paris last year. I am 43 years old. The treatment and the reception I got for my money--there was a huge part of me that wanted to say, "F you, mofos, I am out. In Anglo-Saxon culture one does not treat 5 year-olds like that". But I had paid for these classes and didn't want to be a tourist all day long, since this was not my first trip to Paris. If I treated my customers like that in the US, I would have been out of job. It is definitely the architecture, the history, the cuisine but not the ppl that keep us coming back. And, yes, sometimes, it is thinking, "Thank God, I do not live in this," that makes you appreciate your home even more.

I was in the south of France and I really had to watch out for dog poop everywhere, especially in the less touristy areas. I don’t see that at home at all and after a while it started to make me feel like France was a filthy place. Feces on the sidewalk is not the mark of a civilized place…

I'm French. Nowadays, when I'm back home after a trip abroad, I have a feeling to land in a third world country. There is always something broken, something that doesn't work. It wasn't like that 20 years ago and more. I remember a time when I had the pleasant feeling to live in a modern country where everything was smooth and clean.

You can control your own body, but you cannot control other peoples perception of your body. I find it refreshing that the French speak frankly about such things. The Anglosphere is a train wreck of obesity and poor health, yet instead of improving themselves they try to make it socially unacceptable to mention it, even going so far to coin such absurdities as “fat shaming.” That is attempting to shame people for saying the truth, because it may hurt someones feelings, rather than the French social pressure to remain fit and healthy. I am with the French on this one.

I have been living in France (Brittany) for 3 months now and omg so much of what you said made me realise how lucky (or sheltered) we are in NZ :’) especially with customer service!!

My French hubby and I are done with France! We just bought a house in Portugal and found freedom!!! The Portuguese are so welcoming and helpful and we can afford to live here! France is beautiful to visit, but not a place to 'live' anymore! C'est la vie, bu-bye Francey-land...

I’ve moved to Bordeaux in June for the year with my 4 kids and husband to study the language and learn about France. It was supposed to be fun. I’ve literally broken down as a person because of the apartment we rented. For the first two weeks, no hot water and the apartment was left incredibly dirty. Like construction dirt, old rusty nails, copper wires, floor that have holes in them and then stuffed with old newspapers. No Air conditioning… okay… but the woman downstairs cooks All day long, even when the temperature was 108F. The neighbors across the street just stare into the apartment if you leave the curtains open. Now we have no water because the entire building needs serious work, but the plumber took over a week to determine the issues. All the while the rental agency and the building manager are on Vacation- because it is August in France. Plus we chose to live downtown so we have the noise of the party goers till 4 AM and the motorcycles that race around. My phone sim too didn’t work and on any given day it will just not work. The phone company favorite response is “have you paid your bill?” Old women and young women talk about me constantly (my husband speaks French) because of my children, because of how I’m dressed, what I’m doing wrong as a mother. Young people make fun of my husband (has a limp when he walks). He understands- he brushes it off. But the mocking and pointing is way over the top for me. People are so very Rude and then if it comes out we are American all they want to do is tell me that we are crazy for having guns and that Trump should be in Jail. Like they literally know nothing about Americans. Yet We are spending our money in their country to learn about their history and language. Honestly, France has totally soured my heart and my complaining could go on and on but mostly it’s the mean/ rudeness that is just accepted. I had been to France many times as a tourist but living here for just these few months has been so different. But shout out to the actual really nice French people that ARE real- they do exist and that is why I’m keeping on keeping on. We meticulously planned this year for an entire year! Schools, bank account, visas… like we dedicated our entire family to this… so, maybe my heart will feel better by next summer. Oh, and my kids are 11, 4, 2 and 1 years old, so I’ve gotten to compare playgrounds and behavior within the playground and it is different! Mostly French parents are so involved with the act of play, like playing manners. Where as in my home state of Colorado parents rarely get involved. Like if a kid is climbing the slide… they learn… but in France it’s “attention attention! That is not how you use a slide!” Thank you Rosie- I needed to just vent.

Have you ever read the book The Bonjour Effect? The authors included a whole chapter on pas possible 😂Their take on it is that the cultural norm is to say no rather than to admit that you’re not sure what to do or that it might be more difficult. I wonder how true this might’ve been in the situations you mentioned!

Interesting video. Every country has its quirks. Back when I lived in Denmark, so much stuff drove me mad but there is a ton of stuff I miss too. It’s part of the foreigner experience.

As a Frenchman, the problems you had with the bank, the telephone and the gym, I never had them in France but I had them when I moved to Germany. I think these are more problems that you can have when you are a foreigner somewhere. And, yes, the scams are unbearable and come mainly from French-speaking Africa.

Everything you say is true. We have lived in France on and off for 11 years. When you get a culture that controls its people, how and what they eat, how the learn, every aspect of their life from childhood, you become a race that cannot think for itself, there is no entrepreneurship, they cannot and do not want to change how they do things, life has become too sheltered, so they are afraid. As a result the way they live life, how they do business, how they eat ,sleep, all of it becomes rigid and inflexible and stuck in the past. They do not want to accept that their is a better way to do things. The world thinks France, French food, french way of life, etc is wonderful, but the reality is that have created an illusion about themselves and they believe their own hype. As visitors we beleive the hype until you have to live there.

What the heck is going on with the right side of the screen?! It's one picture behind you but if you lean over too far or reach with your arm, it disappears. Are you trying to cover something or using a filter? And why is there a jigsaw piece cutout at the bed pillows? 🤔

Interesting how they think a few extra pounds as being unhealthy but do not think that way about smoking which is way more deadly. Had no idea smoking was so prevalent there. Love your videos!

Je suis Française (sud est) et je pensais que c'était partout pareil avant de découvrir des youtubeurs parlant des différentes culturelles . Je suis d'accord pr la cigarette et encore ça c'est beaucoup amélioré, avant c'était pire, on pouvait fumer ds les restaurants, boîtes, bar, pas de zone fumeur. Et les critiques désagréables sur le physique en général et le poids aussi ,j'en ai entendu depuis mon adolescence ( j'étais mince en haut et plus grosse en bas ) on peut rien y faire ,qd il y a une disproportion .J'en ai tellement marre t'entendre les commentaires déplacés des gens que je ne me met plus en maillot ,sauf qd je suis seule ou je quitte ou remet le paréo de suite avant et après le bain . Heureusement il y a des gens délicats mais trop de critiques sur le physique, c'est vrai je reconnais

Same thing in Italy (where my husband is from, and all family lives there). Simple tasks that we take for granted in America, (license, registration, phones, etc) even getting YOUR money from your bank, is a NIGHTMARE. First you have to give the bank advanced notice, why do you need so much money, affidavit, wait 10 days, etc etc. One of the main reasons we do not live in Italy.

This was so spot on! ♥️ I also returned to France after 2 years and share most experiences. French way of intimidating if you get something wrong is a mastery itself😂 And no comments about the moral approach to money - actually not too appreciated/trendy in this culture.

Quick tip for the phone line / SIM : Go to a Free shop! You can buy a prepaid SIM from a sort of vending machine and voilà. We did it when my mom came to visit and it was very simple + very affordable unlimited data.

Before I was 19, I would be afraid to go in french stores and restaurants because they used to make me feel so unwelcome...then I I went to SoCal for the first time, and I was SHOCKED literally! I came into a foot locker store, and one of the sales person greeted me with a "How you doin today sir?", with the biggest smile on his face, and I genuinely thought that he wanted to be my friend. I had never experienced such a warm welcome anywhere in France in my whole life. This first impression stuck with me. And I'm still not used to the cold welcome here in France...but then there are also very nice people here, just be prepared to be more feisty and on guard here, and don't lose your temper and respect, because that's easy to do

These are just SO relatable!! My French husband always says you don’t get your way if you don’t fight in France! 😅

If only Australia and NZ had the same drive to run anti-obesity campaigns as they do for anti-smoking campaigns. Obesity is becoming a real problem here and nothing is done to curb it.

Highways are privatized in many countries, not just France.

Wow Rosie, you seem mega uptight. Maybe you should chill out a bit. I am a kiwi living in France. Maybe your problems are a Paris thing. Living here in the South of France I can’t really identify with most of your issues. Maybe we have been lucky but we have bought and sold houses, changed Banks, phones, internet servers etc with relatively few problems and met lots of nice friendly people. Big cities are the same all over the world. You should try living in New York if you want angst. Pour yourself a big glass of rose and enjoy France. It is what it is.

The secret in France is to do everything via internet, SIM card from B&you you just need an email address and they send it, to any adress you put not checking anything. Bank: Boursorama, online bank, so easy to use and no bothering, no fees at all, ...etc Don't do any administrative 😅

I've said it before and I'll say it again - if France is okay with smoking but not okay with people being 'overweight', it's not a health thing. It's never been a health thing, and even if it was a health thing, shaming people doesn't make them get healthier.

I don't think leaving a TRUE comment makes you mean. You can simply write up what happened. What makes that mean and it helps someone else?

In Hispanic culture, it's also normal to say things to a family like oldie or fatty or skinny. As nicknames, but it usually comes from a place of love. Is more common to come across someone nicknamed skinny than chubby though because it can get a bit offensive.

Had a really bad experience with sfr when i moved here as well The best phone/internet service provider is orange or sosh, it’s a little bit more expensive but it s worth it if you want to avoid the hassle that comes with other providers

We get those scammers all of the time, here in the US .They do it in the email, text messages, phone calls, both on people's landlines AND cellphones as well.....

*You're completely wrong about the first point. There are scammers EVERYWHERE. And scammers in USA (and other English speaking countires) are way WORSE !*

I'm halfway through the French Lingoda Super Sprint... I haven't missed a day yet!

I'm a senior citizen who began my French visits in 1982 What I have gleaned is we are a spiritual being in a physical body having a human experience. We ask for what happens to us (to gain from the experience). What matters is how we respond [which I'm sure you did humanely] and to reflect on why we invited this situation into our life. Entertaining video; thanx!

Boy have I missed your videos. So glad that KZfaq just started recommending to me again. Can’t wait to see all of your content in the coming weeks. Stay strong! You’re amazing for not wanting to “become that person”. I wouldn’t either.

Your best bet for banks and/or phone is to go to another company and explain your situation and what you need. Most likely they'll take care of everything if you agree to go to them (can't say it works 100% of the time, but it can save a lot of hassle).

I'm not French, but I have family that lives near France (so still not French, but I recognize some behaviour still) and I too noticed the comments about our bodies. It really did a number on me when I was young. And I'm a dude so I can't imagine how it must be when you're a women. Must be tough. Thing is, I do it myself too. And I mean no harm at all. But when it's directed at ME, it does hurt a bit. I realize this is hypocritical. It's so weird, myself whenever I make those comments I regard it as just a sort of playful banter or a harmless observation but when the same thing is directed at me it's quite hurtful. I've kind of had this epiphany recently that when it's directed at me it too is just banter - one big joke. Nothing to be taken seriously. I know, I know, that's easier said than done. But it helps, a little. Fortunately the smoking part is not a thing at all near the border. Or at least, for my family. I consider myself a Francophile but the smoking thing is absolutely vile and inexcusable. The French are stubborn and it's gonna take a while to change their behaviour - rightfully so - but the outside world does have a point on this one for once!

You are very correct. I came here from the United States and thought of making France my home, I was wrong. I can't wait to leave, I tell you solemnly.

The mother commenting on her adult son's weight is kind of creep. I am from Cadana (Quebec) and commenting on people's weight is viewed as an inappropriate/uneducated thing to do. Glad that the English pple take us over! The bad costumer service you described remind me some south american countries when they will do anything not to help you XD and plus giving you attitute.😅

On the SIM card, if you’re only visiting, you could consider getting a card from a different EU country and then use roaming in France. Ok, you’ll have to check lots of rules (T’s and C’s) but it could be cheaper.

Hello Rosie! You are completely right about the bureaucracy in France. For a foreigner, it can be a real nightmare. I always keep the packaging of the products I buy until the warranty expires. When I send a product return mail, I take photos of each document and the packaging and I carefully keep the proof of shipment. Always anticipate customer service mistakes and assume things are going to go wrong. I have never experienced customer service in foreign countries but I do not see how it could be worse elsewhere than in France. For the traffic, in this period, it is normal. It is much more fluid outside school holidays. All Europeans are on vacation and many take the motorway to go south (Belgians, Dutch, Germans, Danes...). You can take the national roads which are free, but it will probably take longer. Smoking and bad comments about weight => true 😞 I still love my country even if sometimes it drives me crazy

Smoking -- how about this -- you are invited to dinner in a friend's cozy apartment. Nine people are sitting at the kitchen table (it's a studio apartment). Seven of them light up while waiting for dinner! I don't even remember if they stopped during dinner!

I get 5-8 scam calls a day in the US. It's ridiculous. And, judging by the KZfaq scambaiter videos I watch, the UK and Australia get nearly as much scammer activity.

Heck, I live in France and throw all my packaging away. Asking for old packaging is crazy, who’s got space for all that! The proof you need to get or do anything is soooo frustrating. For my Carte de Sejour they took over a year and they never liked the birth certificate I kept sending, too long, can’t read it ( no idea why it wasn’t clear, they said it wasn’t legible) I had to order certificate copies for everything.

Revolut has a debit card that automatically exchanges your money into whatever foreign currency your paying with! It’s super easy and they even have a free version! All my study abroad friends have those!

I'm only a minute in, and I'm wondering what dirty secret you had to edit out on the side? 🤔😅 (I can see your hand disappearing as you gesture.)

I love both France and Switzerland. Geneva is so close to France but it is like night and day about your point about things not working. The Swiss have a great work ethic, what can I say?Trains run on time.They are so organized and as far as the food, the views and the culture, Geneva is a match for Paris and smaller French towns, in my opinion.

They sell Orange prepaid cards in every airport and store.. I used one for over 8 months it was super easy set up and zero issues with service.

Just moved to NY. I had to mail a hand written letter to SFR to close my account. C’est incroyable. What year are we living in???

When I moved to France I just brought my Irish phone and kept topping up online...cheaper and generous 4g allowance per month. Thank God! It was also easier to continue using my Irish bank account and cheaper than opening a French one although for some jobs you need a French bank account.

Ugh. I hate cigarette smoke. I love France and it’s been ages since I was there, so I had forgotten and assumed that would have changed by now. I imagine that thinness is more important to them than preventing lung cancer and lung ailments. Sigh. Can I tolerate the smoke? Frankly, I may not given I’m allergic and to inhale it makes me ill. In my state in the US it’s been illegal to smoke in public places or virtually anywhere for decades. I rarely see people smoke.

I experienced such vile harassment living and studying in France that it has taken a very significant toll on my wellbeing ever since. I would describe it as trauma. Not only that but I have been screwed over for thousands of euros by la Poste and UPS in France, who have destroyed my packages including a guitar and simply sent cheques to the wrong address refusing to rectify their errors. The mediator basically works for the company so they just do nothing. Now my landlord is trying to take money from us after we left, even though we left the apartment is better condition than when we moved in. Sorry, but I hate France and am so happy to be back in Australia, despite Australia not being perfect like any other country.

12:35 LOL. Saying "I was trying to be organized" in France. That's like saying "I was just trying to breathe without a suit" on Mars.

Hi Rosie! I’m a new subscriber from Melbourne, Australia. I love your channel. I’m married to a French-born (Paris) man who left France in his teens. I would love to learn the language! I love the country!💝

Paris full of tourists. Going down hill fast, not what it was.

Been to France 6, 7, time's and some times to get to Spain. But the times I've visited it's been dirty and messy. If you stay on the touristy parts you're okay. But don't go off area if you're going to Paris. And to me most of France needs rebuilding because looks very run down and in touch of renewal or demolishing. There's lots of interesting buildings and history. But there's also much needed restoration to be done. Sorry London is the clear winner.

Pour la complexité des formalités administratives, prenez en compte que la France vit en permanence et depuis des années sous la menace terroriste et que toutes ces précautions, qui vous pèsent et qui nous pèsent, sont avant tout dans un but de protection. Je pense que s'il s'était produit en Nouvelle Zélande, des attentats du type de ceux de New York ou Nice, vos autorités seraient moins cool pour laisser ouvrir des comptes bancaires et des accès à des téléphones mobiles à n'importe qui. Par contre, le mauvais accueil, je comprends votre courroux. Pour votre souci d'abonnement, vérifiez les conditions de remboursement et si le commerçant est en trot adressez vous à la DCCRF, la répression des fraudes. Ou changez d'opérateur. Pour la circulation, la période d'été avec les vacances l'explique. Les autoroutes concédées au privé c'est un choix. Le choix de faire payer uniquement celui qui utilise le service et non pas tout le monde. Il reste les autres routes, gratuites et généralement bien entretenues. Plus globalement, depuis toujours, l'automobile a été une occasion de ressources fiscales au point que petit à petit, l’automobiliste est devenu "une vache à lait". Concernant votre demande de naturalisation ça devrait bien se passer, vous êtes intégrée, parlez parfaitement le Français, connaissez la culture locale, aimez notre pays malgré ses défauts. Pour une fois, on donnera la nationalité à quelqu'un qui ne la demande pas pour profiter de la générosité de notre système social. Ce n'est pas une consolation mais sachez que le tabagisme dont vous souffrez a énormément régressé en France depuis la loi EVIN il y a une quarantaine d'année.

How did you get over these documentation issues and enjoy living in France ? As an expat in France , even coming from India, a “Developing country” , it amazes me how very few things are digitalised and hard to get done yet it is just taken as a norm /something to complain about rather than change.

Rosie, Could you do a video on the top 5 things you adore about being in France? Maybe some things haven’t changed from 3 years ago…maybe there’s something new you really appreciate.

Returning a pair of Prada shoes to Printemps: had to kneel to Sales Lady and to Le gérant for the return (trop serré). I reside in the U.S. and it is a non-issue to do a return here; however, I grew up in Mexico and there was no culture of return that I can recall.

When I moved to England, I couldn’t open an account for 3 months, although I had an address, I worked for the French government with the British council, I had paychecks. Only HSBC accepted to open an account only because my landlord who had accounts there and a mortgage came with me and threatened to withdraw all his money from the bank! And I could only get a withdrawal card! I can’t even tell the mess with taxes, refunds and stuff AND all the work done there was not taken into account for my pensions, because a box hadn’t been ticked on my contract. Yup it’s complicated everywhere.

They always say no first, you need to insite everytime to know if their is an actual solution.

I always laugh when I see people metion the patronising thing and the way frenchies talk down on you because it's the reason that pretty much every european country I know classifies them as unbearably arrogant ahaha Some stereotypes definitely have some truth to them xD Half a year ago I moved permanently to France (Paris, specifyng cause we all know it's a breed of its own...) and I was already familiar and used to most of the the things you mention in this video from previous visits to the country (which are all very true). But the thing that actually shocked me it's the smoking it. I have never seen so many people smoking as in Paris in my entire life and in all the other places I've lived in combined. You mention in the video that they smoke a lot in Avignon too and I'm not sure why or how I haven't noticed before, but I never noticed it being as bad in the weeks or months I had spent in the past in east or west France. But Paris is absolutely insane. And so many young people smoking too, it's just... sad. And man but do I miss the customer service experience of anglosaxon countries and how easy it is to do your admin/bureaucracy there. Encountering the UK system after growing up in Spain (that is just as bad as France in that regard) was such a heavinly experience. I couldn't believe how easy things could be if people wanted them to be easy haha Now I'm sadly back to square -1 in Paris with that. And I was fully aware of it, but I was still not prepared to suffer through it again. Regarding the grossophobie and all those issues, I'm not gonna comment much. It's all true and they definitely have an issue with that. And to be fair to them, that's also a big problem in eastern Europe, not only in France. Spain, however, I find it to be more bodypositive than the French. But there's one thing that I find funny and ask myself about the frenchies: how can they be so obssessed with eating "clean" non fatty foods when so much of their gastronomy is based on butter? x) Also love that you're practicing the national sport (complaining) for your nationality exam haha

Love your videos Rosie!

I can’t wait to go back to France after watching this video, so that I can enjoy the good stuff and fully appreciate Australia again.

Yes it's so true with the phone scammers, I literally get around 10 a week, as for the banks I just got my second home in France, they were both times a nightmare, also very sexiest, as for refunds in France never happens, the product or service can be broken or doesn't work, they don't refund anything, in New Zealand you get a refund pronto, I'm glad you took the high path and didn't leave a one star

C'est la meilleure critique de la société française que j'ai entendue depuis longtemps.

French administration is the worst!!! Iv been trying to get my Carte Vitale for a year and a half. My application has been lost 4 times. I’m not in the process of trying to exchange my driving licence and I can’t even tell you how much trouble it is 😩

My neice studied in France, snd YES, that sim card/ bank account / address loop is do true. She differed s lot with that. Even when she came back, just to transfer her money home and close the sccount, it took her over a month of endless phone calls and emails.

Wow that telephone thingy is upsetting 🤯 Edit : your experience with the cancelled lesson is ever more infuriating. I don't understand people who function on such level of dishonesty or selfishness...

The smoking is the worst! We have it here as well in (French part of) Belgium. It's like nobody cares about their surroundings. I go to Quebec a lot, and it's like going to another world as so little people smoke plus if you do smoke you gotta do it at least 9 meters away from any building.

SFR is the worst! I got a prepaid one like you when I was on vacation and it literally never worked. You’re right, sometimes I don’t have the energy anymore to argue yet alone in French so we just take the loss :/

Love seeing you back in France! Have you tried the eSim card?? We got it from Orange and it worked perfectly. No proof of address needed. We got the Holiday one.

Well, at least in France they tell you they can#t help. In the uk they talk to you nicely and still take forever to sort things out or never do.I was wondering if you could make a video about your favourite places to eat in Paris

Thank you for such an honest and funny video :) I can totally relate to the 'things not working' part, especially when it comes to anything admin-related - closing my French bank account from abroad was a bit of an adventure and involved me having to send them a *hand-written* letter... Personally, I found moving to other countries more smooth, but I wouldn't miss my time in France for the world, and I'd be totally up for moving back there if an opportunity pops up :)

Hi! I'd like to tell you that SFR is the worst internet provider in France. It's well known for us: the client service is awful and I know a lot of people having problems with them. In the future, I would advise to avoid them at all costs! I'm so sorry for you!

Great video, some of these things low key triggered me after living in France for 2 years. For the SIM card I recommend Free. They have "bournes" all over the city in like Fnac and you just pay 10€ and it spits out a sim card immediately. It's "sans engagement" but you pay 10€ a month (from any card) for 80GB a month. When you want to cancel it you just send a lettre de résiliation on la poste's website and they cancel it within a few days

The Pilates teacher took my money when I dropped out due to migraines. I told her I had migraines before I started. I’m in the US.

Hey Rosie! Been a while since you did a video - did you give up on France? Would'n't blame you if you did. 🤣 Hope you're doing well.

I love the architecture in Paris, been there 3x but the scammers ruined it for me lol

Also here in the u.s. I ge many scam calls probably 2 or 3 a day saying they've money for my student loans (I don't have any)...

Plusieurs de ces défauts existent aussi au Québec. Pas quand j'y suis venu, mais depuis.

Your second thing is even worse than the first one as this kind of issues with banks, phone providers, internet providers, gaz providers, electricity providers, etc. Is totally universal. In any case I lived in 5 different countries (not in New Zealand to be honest) and this was the same mess everywhere

Loved the video and your candor. Thanks for the insights.

Concerning #3, it is not mean to stand up to someone concerning the unfair practices in their business. This is justice, not meanness. Next time, I recommend you stand up and get your money back, or at least , report it so that others are warned.