Moving to a new place where you may not know many people is never easy, even less so when you don’t speak the language and the city is a big as Paris. And the truth is, the city can sometimes feel like an isolating place.
But there’s no need to sit at home alone feeling lonely! Last week I told you about the Pastas parties, but there are a whole host of things you can do to get out and meet people!
Kunveno Exchange
For the culturally and globally minded amongst you, Kunveno helps expats to feel at home in Europe and loves to share events that its members suggest.
Angloinfo
One of the largest directories of information for English-speaking expats around the world, Angloinfo has a host of links to organisations, clubs, and associations in the Paris area. There’s sure to be something for you!
http://paris.angloinfo.com/af/4/paris-&-ile-de-france-community-life-paris-and-ile-de-france.html
Meetups
Meetup.com has loads of groups that meet up on a regular basis around all sorts of themes and interests.
http://www.meetup.com/fr/cities/fr/paris/groups/
Language Exchanges
If you need to practice you’re French, a language exchange is a perfect way to brush up on your language skills while helping others to learn English or another language. Try the two links below!
http://letthemtalk.com/parler-in-the-park.html
Are you looking to meet people in Paris? Are you organising an event? Let us know below!
In order to become completely fluent, you need to start thinking in French and using common expressions that the French use every day. So what did I do?
I started talking to myself
If you don’t have a French friend with whom to practice what you’ve learned in your lessons, do what a five-year-old would do: invent one! No, you don’t have to start blathering to yourself in French while you’re on the subway or in the park, but if you’re at home alone, who’s going to notice?
I imagined there was a five-year-old French kid following me around, asking me questions. What are you doing? Why are you doing it? What colour is it? Where are you going? Ask yourself these questions out loud or in your head, and respond to yourself. Do this every day for fifteen minutes or so, and you’ll start to see that your French becomes more naturally.
I read the news online
France has many famous newspapers, both local and national. I’m a big news junkie, so chances are I already knew the story. This helped me to recognise words that are similar to English or figure out phrases that I may not have been able to make out if I didn’t already have a context.
Start with newspapers like Le Monde or Le Figaro, or for a more local flavour try Le Parisian or Ouest-France.
I joined forums and chatrooms
Back in the days before Facebook and Myspace I’d spend some time writing in forums or chatting online on MSN with native French people. It’s important to find one that’s related to something you’re interested in. Do a quick search on Google for “forum” followed by the French word for one of your interests, and have a look. After a while, start replying and starting threads. You’ll be surprised by the new words and expressions you’ll learn!
I listened to the radio and podcasts
France has plenty of radio stations that stream online – and you can listen to it live by going to their website. For intermediate learners, try the ‘Journal en français facile’ from RFI.
I also subscribed to several podcasts so I could listen to them on my iPod. You can do a quick search on iTunes for French lessons you can download, or if your French is more advanced, change your iTunes from your home country to France, and have a look through the podcast directory.
I joined a club
Once I was at university, I joined the university French club. It gave me the opportunity to explore French cinema and culture, and luckily we had many French students at the uni who were very active in the club, which gave me the opportunity to practice with native speakers. Check with your uni to see if there’s a French club you can join. If you’ve already graduated, try asking at your local Alliance Française to see if they have social events that you can attend to meet French speakers.
What do you do to practice your French? Share your tips in the comments!
In French, the informal is represented by ‘tu’ and the formal and plural by ‘vous’. However, it is difficult to know when to use which one.
The general rule is that you use ‘tu’ with those you know well, and ‘vous’ with those you don’t. However, the rules aren’t always clear cut. There are some people, particularly amongst younger people, who switch to ‘tu’ at the first possible opportunity, oftentimes without ever passing through ‘vous’. This is particularly the case if you have friends in common.
‘Vous’ is used for people that you don’t know well, or you know only in a professional setting. If you walk into a café to have a coffee, you use ‘vous’ when you order. If you talk to a director or associate of a company, you will almost always use ‘vous’.
Even this isn’t clear cut though. In my company, pretty much everyone uses ‘tu’. Our company is made up of young people (the average age is around 30) and the founders made a point of it being a comfortable place to work. When I first started, I consistently used ‘vous’, but was quickly told ‘Non, on tutoie ici‘. You have to go with the flow.
If you’re unsure which pronoun to use with someone, start with ‘vous’. If the other person starts to use ‘tu’, you can assume you can follow. If you try to use ‘tu’ before the other person, you can end up looking like an over-eager puppy!
You love food. A lot.
France has a very rich culinary tradition – and no it’s not just fancy creations served in small portions on large plates. French food can be very rich, served in very large portions, and over several courses. There’s a reason the French spend longer on meals than anywhere else in Europe.
French cuisine can also vary by region, and even by town. It’s not uncommon for French students to take time to learn what the local specialty in towns throughout the country. In Paris you can find pretty much any type of cuisine you want, but in other areas you may want to look into what type of food the locals eat.
You love wine.
The French love their wines. It seems as if every town has a chateau that produces a local vintage. Wine is cheaper in France than it is in many other countries, and can often be even cheaper than beer.
If you’re stuck on your local wine, however, you’ll be hard pressed to find it: French stores are brimming with French wines, but the market for foreign varieties is smaller and less developed, although it is beginning to grow.
You like people.
The French are a social lot, and social interactions are coded a bit differently than in English speaking countries (at least differently than I was used to). The French love to invite people to their homes, and in return they fully expect to be invited to yours. Getting together at the local bar isn’t done to the extent that it is in England, for example.
French young people are particularly fond of the “apéro” or apéritif, a small get together to have a drink or two before dinner. It is not unusual for the apéro to cover dinner as well. When you’re invited to an apéro, you should always ask what you should bring. You may be asked just to bring something to drink, or you may also be asked to bring something to eat. If so, assume you’ll be staying for dinner and bring something filling.
You like a social safety net – and you’re willing to fight for it.
France is also world renowned for looking after its citizens (albeit in a distant and cold way). Unemployment insurance generally covers 60% of your former income for up to two years time.
However, getting a job in France can be difficult. Unemployment is high, particularly amongst foreigners. Also, French employers love degrees and qualifications, and these are generally expected to be in the same field that you want to work in.
You love the language, and you’re willing to make an effort
The French love their language, and will expect you to make an effort to speak it. It’s part of the immigration requirements to renew your carte de séjour, but it’s also common sense.
Also, no matter how well you think you speak the language, the French will correct you. Don’t take it the wrong way, it’s part of French schooling. They spend oodles of time learning grammar and vocabulary and spelling, and it just becomes natural for them to correct others’ faults.
These are just a few of the reasons you may like France enough to want to make it your home. What about you? Why did you come to France, or why are you considering it? Share it with us in the comments!