We used this guide in planning our trip in November--wonderful, valuable information!

tdlr, why I moved to France? Because I love my wife. So cute.

We’re going to Paris for the Olympics could we meet with you two?

This video was excellent!! I've watched it 3 times. Would like to have known what kind of online business you had. What did Colleen do for a home business? How much was the average rent? How much was it to get a bin? I hope you do another one soon answering people's questions. Did you have family living close by? Was it easy for your son to make friends? Did your son appreciate and like the move? Does he tour a lot? This is not intended to be rude but, I have to speak out because it's so apparent. Colleen seems like a very nice, adventurous person but, she does not look like she's from France at all. Meaning, she needs a huge makeover with her dress and hair. Is that the only top she owns? She wears it in every single video. She looks like a slob. Her hair looks horrible, she wears the same exact top for four years and clothes that do NOT compliment her figure at all. If she's going to be on camera, try not to look like a slob. I know this will be deleted but as her husband, you should let her read it because it's true.

Hope we can have meet in Paris next month amd have a photo with you two. My husband, my teenager and I your new followers. You are bith amazing and inspiring❤

why did you move?

do either of you speak french fluently? or did you have to learn?

​@@FreshGrey-pm4vw I speak French fluently but most french speak English like us. Language is not an issue. I would recommend to visit Paris to enjoy the culture and the beautiful place that has to offer. No need to worry about language. People there are simple and kind and there is no violence of any kind but take time to learn and understand french people as they act different than Americans

@@Hippy2021 I visited Paris 20 yrs ago- I see things have changed a lot. It seems more open and people connect more. However as Colleen mentioned, she felt like an outsider not understanding her sons school teacher who didnt speak english. It does help when one person in a couple is fluent - for sure. Builds confidence and you can practice.

What kind of immigration permits are necessary?

Omg! My family and I live in Arizona! And it is our dream to move to Europe. Maybe France or Scotland. Was it really hard to make that move?

Wow lucky you

You were lucky!

Thank you 🤗

Who is Vincent? Please give us info! We stay in St. Germaine when we’re there.

@@Monica68817 here are his tours lesfrenchiestravel.com/les-frenchies-food-tours-in-paris/

What I particularly loved is how the couple having left one country for another don't say bad words about the country thet left, as some people do sometimes. Merci !!!!!

Ms. Colleen is a darling !

Going to Arkansas would be severe culture shock for many Americans from big cities. I'm surprised you picked Arkansas. That's a plate that has beautiful nature sights and things to do in the country, but not if you are used to big city life.

I grew up in Arkansas. It is beautiful and there some wonderful people there. There is also Harrison and the mindset that's rooted there. It has no place in the world of decent people.

The educators in Florida were wrong. Immigrant parents DO CARE about their children's education. The language barrier prevents them from being more involved...

@@JM-gu3tx omg this.... i could never move to arkansas

But then, you get out and you get hitted by "Paris" life....its cool and sad at the same time. Don't get me wrong, France is beautiful and i love it!(i live in IdF 94) But boy.....there are soooo many rotten things, from the administration to the poorest people. Its feels like we are in future but stuck in past, having great ideas for revolutioning things without taking in to account the true real stage of society. And to show you that i don't speak non sens, my small example is that my security number is still not defined after 3 months from deposit my documents and i keep getting asked to send documents that i already gave to them months ago :D....and i have maaany more. Yeah, its cool to travel and visit...but by living you can discover the true face of the beast 😂.

@@AlinBiohazzard The past and its traditions are important to us ...With the past we live the present time .It can't be otherwise , the two notions are closely intertwined .Our past is obviously very different from yours. Stop looking at things from the wrong angle.Of course life is different in France , it can be very difficult to cope and adjust with the humdrum hurdles one may encounter .These can be overcome .Why don't you get to live here for some time , stay for six months , then you should be more to the point .

@@christianayme7316 i live in zone 94, and i was living in 93 for sometime....i think i know how its going around. Paris is not France, as every french will tell you! Paris is cool just for "some days" and beautiful in the eyes of people that are not living here( working, having childs, having business,etc), but when you live here (like me), well...things are very different and many need to be improved.(I can give you loads of example, but is not the right place here). Anyway, who want to know the truth will find it sooner or later and the "honeymoon" will start to become "sour and sometimes a bit sweet". Don't get me wrong!

you're very welcome!

@@LesFrenchiesTravel I'm the opposite, British, moved to France at a time books etc were too expensive to buy often, I had a moment re reading Jane Eyre, thinking "brook" what's a brook? Lol. Your fruité moment made me laugh, it's the taste, fruité :)

That is so wonderful of you to try such an effort as learning French language! Welcome to France, dear Colin, whenever you feel like coming back 🥰 And please feel free to know that even us, French speakers, are not always able to master this language all the way, most of the time.😅 So we’’ll learn on together!

It seems strange to find courage in doing what you say you want to do. And yet, it definitely took courage.

Wow, thank you!

How wonderful I live in Sydney Australia and it’s my dream to live in Europe

Well said!!

Thank you for watching!

The interesting thing is that while the french tend to hate Paris, foreigners love it for some reason.

@@nox8730 Hello, As a Frenchman born in Paris and of Parisian origin through my parents, grandparents, etc. (I'm 56 years old and I've lived in the south of France for ten years now), I think we can't say that the French don't like Paris. This is a generalization that doesn't really make sense. Paris isn't the most visited city in the world by chance. It's Parisian life that's most frequently criticized, not the city itself. But, it's often the same thing for all the megacities in the world. Because life is completely different when you live in a "town," a medium-sized town, and a big city with a very large suburb. We don't have the same priorities, the same way of life or thinking, the same opportunities. We build ourselves with what surrounds us. And this creates subcultures that stick to the general French culture that we all share nonetheless. But, indeed, we sometimes see ourselves as iron dogs precisely because of these subcultures which undeniably shape us and make us different depending on where we come from. I lived in Paris for more than forty years and I never got tired of this city, ever. Paris has always amazed me. And I have memories of it, certainly contrasting, but happy ones nonetheless. It was rather the climate (weather) that ended up making me move. On the other hand, what I've observed in forty years is that the tourists who have ended up taking the place of Parisians in Paris. And this is precisely because of the enthusiasm that this magnificent capital represents for all those who come to visit and end up dreaming of settling there. This caused real estate prices to explode. But how can we blame them when we know the French way of life and the magnificent architecture that surrounds us and these landscapes that change so much from one region to another? So much so that we sometimes have the feeling to change countries even though France is smaller than Texas! 😊 Peace, people. ☮😉

@@j-loosenfout67 Yes, that is pretty much it. If you are born in Paris (or any other city), you will most likely get used to it naturally and like the place. Not so much if you were born elsewhere. We all know that parisians love Paris, it is just that only them do. Paris is visited for good reasons indeed. But you just listed part of the reasons why those like me who were born elsewhere don't want to go there: - Price of lodging. - Too many people, too much stress. - Those people oftentimes don't see you (big city conundrum: why?). - Those who pee where they shouldn't (happens elsewhere, but Paris is something else). - The metro (this metro depressed me for real). - Big european city = traffic jams (and even with the (good) EU city policies, it is equal to: take that damn metro anyway). - Crime rate, incivilities: foreign (northen african and eastern european) gangs that rob tourists (and others), and authorities do nothing to expell them from France. Despite them being there specifically to rob people, because Paris is one of the most visited place in the world. They know our politicans are all the same cowards ever since Daladier. - A lot of what you get in Paris, you can get elsewhere, too. I live in a pretty random and inconspicuous french city, and at a 10 minute walk, there is the castle of King Henri IV, for example. There is no Louvres indeed, but well. - Working in Paris is the least desired prospect for any french who were not born there. For obvious reasons. I am a History freak, and so, this aspect of Paris really interests me. But will i go there again ? No. I spent two days there once, to visit someone. The place 'looked' nice. But it wasn't nice. We are different from you: we weren't born with a tie to this city that would make us yearn for it.

@@nox8730, Don't take it badly, but when I read you, I realize you only consider perspectives from your point of view. However, it’s not shared by everyone. Indeed, today’s Paris may seem less safe than before. But if you're a history buff, you know Paris was a much more dangerous cutthroat throughout its History than it is today. It’s very recent; the relative security in Paris (or big cities and even in the countryside, except that today, we're over-informed, stuffed with news items) is not even a hundred years old, just like the same very recent relative insecurity barely fifteen years ago. For years, I moved around Paris on a massive scale at all hours of the day and night. And, obviously, I’ve been bothered. Ultimately, it was rare compared to the numerous trips made in the capital. I watch a lot of reaction videos about Paris. And I can tell you what you consider significant faults, which are often apparent qualities for those who live there (inside the city). The metro, for example, is obviously an ordeal if you take it during rush hours. And I know what I’m talking about, knowing I worked for around ten years intramural, even though I came from the suburbs. I also went to school there (Technical High School) for two years, plus various internships and temporary jobs. But apart from this forbidding aspect, it’s also the densest metro in the world (in terms of the number of stations). It was designed from the start as the means of transport Parisians should always favor (intra-muros). In fact, you can find a metro station less than 500m from home (most often, much less). And this, whatever your address in Paris, in addition to bus lines, boats, and other picturesque means of transport. It’s unique and undeniably practical, ultimately a luxury. Most Parisians (intra-muros) use their vehicle very little. *“A lot of what we find in Paris, we can also get elsewhere.”* The answer is definitely nope. For a lover of the arts, History, architecture, gastronomy, “heteroclism,” hidden gems, and outings, Paris is unique in France (grouping all these aspects in the same place and with so much density). It’s the largest city in France, the capital, and not just any town in History. Moreover, you can’t judge a city as abundant as Paris by spending two days there. At best, this is a fanciful judgment; at worst, it is terse and lapidary. Based on this observation, you can’t deny there’s an undeniable bias in your opinion. 😅 You base yourself on a feeling nourished by TV images, clichés, and gossip, but ultimately, tiny on your own familiarity with the place. Two days isn’t an experience. I have many friends from the provinces who came to settle in Paris for work and never left- or, like me, in their old days, because they were looking to reconnect with a certain tranquility and end their lives in more advantageous climates. But, for most people, when you’re young, a city’s excitement and opulence is an asset, not a fault. We can also move elsewhere often, go to the countryside, the sea (Normandy, or do the wine routes and others, for example) on a weekend. You don’t have to confine yourself to the capital when you live there. With my friends, that’s what we did in the end, and quite frankly, without much money. Living in a place where you know all the tricks and good deals, and in a city like Paris and its surroundings, is a treat. But still, you have to want to search and, above all, to move. That’s my point of view, anyway. For this, like me, you have to be curious. Don’t be offended by the slightest annoyance; adventure is worth it! And, at this level, Paris and its surroundings (even a little distant) have nourished me handsomely. 😋😅 Have a pleasant day.

@@nox8730 I'd say I agree to you both. I'm born in Paris, lived 30 years in Paris, then moved to south France because I couldn't get with the everyday travel times. I'd never want to go back to Paris. Last times I went to Paris, I couldn't stand the "smell" in the metro. So much pollution, dirt, noise, angry faces, ... I'm now a "young" retired, in a small south France village of 117 people, sorry 118 now with me, and so happy to be living far away from the Paris crowd. But yes, "la ville Lumière" will ever be a wonderfull city to visit as a tourist, not many other places in the world are at this level of magnificence and beauty. And Paris isn't France, it's only a very small part of what France is, and a very small part of the beauty of our country. Paris isn't France. Tourists only visiting Paris know nothing about France. Even too many parisians know nothing about their own country.

❤️❤️❤️

I agree. No one has an appreciation for what immigrants go through when they haven't gone through that themselves. I remind my more "right wing - send them back" friends of that all the time. It's not easy to leave everything you know behind and enter a new world with new rules and a new language. You literally are a fish out of water.

Did you/your children go to the Lycée International in Fourqueux ( now a suburb of St Germain en Laye)? It follows the French curriculum in French, but there are classes in your mother tongue, separated by language (Spanish, Greek, German, Japanese…) and taught by native teachers. In primary school, it is a morning and an afternoon a week, then in secondary, it is extra hours of literature and history/geography on top of the French program.

Yes! The Lycee was perfect a perfect fit our family. The boys were ages 9 and 11 when we arrived and spoke zero French. Most of their subjects at the LI were taught in French by French teachers, and only their English and Studies were taught by American teachers. A lot of our St. Germaine en Laye neighbors were also expats, so the kids were playing on a daily basis with not only French children but also Brits, Italians, Scandavanians, etc. It was amazing to see how quickly they picked up the language.

Super useful information, thanks so much for posting that!

Especially as the US are one of two countries in the world to use citizenship based taxation, meaning that US citizens living abroad and paying taxes in their country of residence will still need to register and fill forms for the IRS, and the IRS'' requests are such that most french banks will not accept to open an account for US citizens as it would cost them too much to comply with those.

Thank you so much! It's our pleasure to share our love of France. And we want everyone who visits to travel with confidence.

bureaucracy

Bon chance!

Thank you so much!

Wow, thank you!

Just LEARN Svenska... I did it being from NL and dont even live there...MOOOVE.

Same!

strasbourg est une très très jolie ville, j'espère que vous vous y plairez.

What kind of heath insurance did you need to get your one year visa?

Thank you Todd.

@@phillipbanes5484 I don't think I said things bother me. I believe I mentioned there are things that I'm no longer used to. For example: (not so) subtly being rushed to finish my meal at a restaurant by the wait staff or being approached every 10 seconds by sales staff in a store. Actually, those *are* things that bother me. LOL

@@phillipbanes5484 It's clear you just want to argue. Ok, you win. Happy?

@@phillipbanes5484 Whatever

If you don’t like misinformation, the. You may be better off staying off the internet

Glad to hear that

Thank you so much!

Thank you!!!

Very partial view .So hackneyed .I used to be hooked by America fifty years ago. Not any more.This country is too far nowadays from what it really could be . I yearn for the Land that came to our rescue twice and whose political leaders had quite a stature. Vive l'Europe ! Its past and its historical landmarks and the good life we have in France in comparison to so many countries steeped in prejudice ,war, hatred, gullibility ...

Yes, you'll be happy where you have a sense of belonging and make friends. However, how does the catagory "Friends and Family" rank in terms of needs? As we get older, we usually are in contact with less friends. We worry more about schools, security, way of life, more vacation days to actually enjoy life, etc. Funny you talk about money - I believe that the poor in France acutally eat higher quality food than say, rich people in the US. I make less money in France than I could in the US and I will not move back to the US anytime soon. Economic incentives and the business environment shapes society - how people treat each other, etc so even if we remove "friends and family" from the equation, we would still look at our situation and think - how many times my life has been threatened by someone, how much road rage I have to deal with to get somewhere. How many times was my property has been damaged by thieves? Does the food I eat make me sick? How am I treated at work? All of these things really are dependent on the environment and a different country can change these factors in a very big way. I completely see how young people would love the US. When you're young and carefree - so much optimisim - America changes so much and it can be exciting. But these huge economic swings, the finiancialization of everything and the lack of free time is suffocating and stress inducing. America loves these young folks because it uses them up, makes sure they have no money left to save for retirement because they bought into the marketing of trying to live like they're in a tv sitcom or hollywood film. Las Vegas for some people like myself - is a very terrible place to live. People are raising families while working nightshifts in hotels and casino's. That's not healthy or good for your kids. The whole economy is built around taking money from you and giving you nothing worthwhile back. The level of education is very low there. Las Vegas is an analogy for what America is - a huge casino with lights and enterntainment providing nothing real or long term in return - a spiritual wasteland exhibiting the worst of humanity. Foreigners love the idea of America. Actually living there long term is a very different story. If you're rich and just hang out with rich people in gated communities enjoying the luxeries in life, it might not matter where you are too much because a luxury hotel in a crappy town is not too different than a luxury hotel in Paris or anywhere else.

@@christianayme7316 Greed, corruption and the fact that corporations are now more powerful than governments. Corporations control government and we're seeing the results of that in the US. Europe has a different version of something similar but for the everyday citizen, it's sill far, far better than the US in my opinion.

Thank you

You are very welcome!!

We traveled a lot thinking there are better places in Europe we can move to, but quickly realized, we are good where we are. 😊