Have you ever lived or considered living abroad?

Admittedly it's great to travel and see how our fellow humans survive but in all honesty life is what you make of it, whether it's living in a street where cars and situations pass you by or maybe it's on the hills or sand dunes of the mighty deserts and plains. I've seen so many people who are content with what they have right now, and others who want more than their own backyard.
2 1/2 years with the family in Gibraltar with the RN. Absolutely loved it. None of us wanted to come home. We'd go back tomorrow.
I was in the mob but only got there as a civvy and I’d have to say you’re so right.
 
One question for those that have lived in Gibraltar, Bermuda or any hot place - how do you cope with the heat? Do you adjust, get used to it or do you always pine for a colder day?
 
I cant see the attraction of the middle East apart from the money. Theres so much morally wrong with the authorities in those countries. If I had the opportunity France would be my choice or scandi countries. I worked in Texas for a brief time and I couldn't think of a worse place for my family to live.
 
One question for those that have lived in Gibraltar, Bermuda or any hot place - how do you cope with the heat? Do you adjust, get used to it or do you always pine for a colder day?

Not really a "hot country" but when I lived in California I pined for seasons, and specifically autumn and winter. Constant sunshine sounds great, but when you're used to cozy British pubs on a Sunday autumn afternoon, or cold biting weather at Christmas you realise you really miss it.
 
One question for those that have lived in Gibraltar, Bermuda or any hot place - how do you cope with the heat? Do you adjust, get used to it or do you always pine for a colder day?


Aircon/fans when needed indoors and get used to the heat outside. Maybe avoid the hottest parts of the day or being out in direct sun, drink beer in the shade. Mostly just enjoy being warm, but I do miss some good UK drizzle occasionally!
 
One question for those that have lived in Gibraltar, Bermuda or any hot place - how do you cope with the heat? Do you adjust, get used to it or do you always pine for a colder day?
You adjust to it, and most of the places have good air conditioning, I found that we'd take sweaters with us if we were going to an air conditioned restaurant and often sat outside places that were too cool.

You live life to suit the climate, no long walks during hot spells but more swimming and you look for shaded spots to sit in.
 
You adjust to it, and most of the places have good air conditioning, I found that we'd take sweaters with us if we were going to an air conditioned restaurant and often sat outside places that were too cool.

You live life to suit the climate, no long walks during hot spells but more swimming and you look for shaded spots to sit in.
Exactly. All the offices have great air-con (enough to make you start feeling a bit cold on occasions). Plus with working from home, you can work topless (so to speak) and just grab your t-shirt when a call comes in!
You adjust quite quickly and can always go away when it gets really oppressive (if you feel it ever does).
 
I cant see the attraction of the middle East apart from the money. Theres so much morally wrong with the authorities in those countries. If I had the opportunity France would be my choice or scandi countries. I worked in Texas for a brief time and I couldn't think of a worse place for my family to live.
Money was the only reason I went to Kuwait in 79/80 - it certainly wasn't for the weather. There was a kind of seedy and incestuous ex-pat community there (British/South African/Australian) which I imagine was replicated in other middle-east ex-pat ghettos. I kept myself to myself and mixed more with the arabs, my best friend out there was Palestinian.

France is far from perfect (show me somewhere that is), but the lifestyle suits me and I'm too old to move now anyway. I would liked to have tried Italy which is beautiful, but it never happened.
 
Live around 20 miles outside of Philadelphia for the last 8 years. Only a 6 and a bit hour flight back home to see friends and family!
 
One question for those that have lived in Gibraltar, Bermuda or any hot place - how do you cope with the heat? Do you adjust, get used to it or do you always pine for a colder day?

I lived in New York for 10 years and then in Los Angeles for about 12 years. The weather in NY is a supersize version of the UK. Hotter in the summer, colder in the winter, with distinct seasons. When it's cold in the winter you really know about it.

The contrast to southern California is stark. The sun shines all the time in LA, it doesn't rain much and it doesn't get very cold in the winter. You can confidently plan weather dependent things and really make the most of weekends and holidays. The are really only two seasons, summer and fall.

I didn't miss the grey British weather at all, in fact I take every chance I can to get out of Britain in Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb and March.

What I do miss are the long summer evenings you get at northern latitudes. I love being out in Edinburgh in June and July at 10.00pm, just as it's getting dusky. In NY and LA it's pitch black at that time.

But rain, fog, drizzle, hail, snow, cloud, gales, frost - nah, no thanks.
 
I cant see the attraction of the middle East apart from the money. Theres so much morally wrong with the authorities in those countries. If I had the opportunity France would be my choice or scandi countries. I worked in Texas for a brief time and I couldn't think of a worse place for my family to live.
I know what you mean but this place is hardly a good example of morality.

After living in the Gulf all of those years I can honestly say that society is generally safe and secure, healthcare (although private), education (again, private) and law and order work very well.
 
Money was the only reason I went to Kuwait in 79/80 - it certainly wasn't for the weather. There was a kind of seedy and incestuous ex-pat community there (British/South African/Australian) which I imagine was replicated in other middle-east ex-pat ghettos. I kept myself to myself and mixed more with the arabs, my best friend out there was Palestinian.

France is far from perfect (show me somewhere that is), but the lifestyle suits me and I'm too old to move now anyway. I would liked to have tried Italy which is beautiful, but it never happened.
Pierre - I'm thinking along the French lines right now with retirement on the Horizon.

Would you say that being a French speaker was Essential or can you get by??

I wish I'd have invested years ago and I'm thinking that I leave it much longer, I'll never do it!
 
I know what you mean but this place is hardly a good example of morality.

After living in the Gulf all of those years I can honestly say that society is generally safe and secure, healthcare (although private), education (again, private) and law and order work very well.
no one said flogging wasn't a good deterrent, but i would say we are light years ahead in morality, treatment of migrant workers, treatment of homosexuals etc. its like saying crime was low in Nazi germany.
 
Pierre - I'm thinking along the French lines right now with retirement on the Horizon.

Would you say that being a French speaker was Essential or can you get by??

I wish I'd have invested years ago and I'm thinking that I leave it much longer, I'll never do it!

Obviously the better you speak french the easier any move will become, but I would guess the majority of brits in France speak very little and some none at all.

It’s probably why these people group together in places like the Dordogne (some villagers are 30% british) for mutual support, but probably applies in other countries too - Spain being an obvious example.

I’d do some serious research before making the move as the french legal system and particularly inheritance law can catch you out and cause problems later in life. I’m fortunate in that my partner is french, but even she doesn’t understand all the complexities.

There’s a good monthly english-language newspaper that is worth subscribing to, albeit a bit expensive, the Connexion, which has regular updates on government changes that are likely to affect british residents. It was very helpful during the Brexit process in setting out clearly what needed to be done and when, which wasn’t always well explained on the french Prefecture websites. They also publish booklets on subjects like Tax, Healthcare, Buying property etc.

They have a half-price offer on their 1-year digital subscription (deadline midnight tomorrow) and I think it may give access to all back issues, but don’t quote me on that. Enter Coupon Code HALFPRICE09 at checkout.


Website: https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news
 
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Don't let your kids age put you off.
Kids are able to make friends and learn languages far quicker than their elders, particularly at that age of your kids.
It would be far more a difficult move for the kids if they were to be teenage.

I had just turned eight when we came to Oz and I was running around the ship playing hide and seek with kids from
Greece and Italy that didn't know a single word of English but that mattered little to us and we had a great time and formed lasting friendships.

Once at school those kids were soon doing better than me. They would go straight home and do their homework, I would go
straight to the beach and it wasn't long before they were teaching their parents words of the English language.
Our friendships grew and was educational for both parties. I helped teach them the language and they taught me such things that it was wrong and
sacrilegious to eat spaghetti from a tin.

My father gave me many words of wisdom but it was my father in laws words that were to be the wisest and most meaningful to me.

After informing him that my wife and I had decided to spend our large deposit on a house on a one year trip around the world instead and fully expecting
a gobfull after he had spent and wasted so much of his time driving us around the Sydney suburbs.

His immediate response.

" Well son when you get old like me and you look back through your life, You never regret the things that you did
but you will always regret the things that you didn't do "

I think that we should all keep that thought in mind when attempting to make an important decision.
I'm glad I did, I have no regrets whatsoever.
Lovely post that mate (y)
 
I’d do some serious research before making the move as the french legal system and particularly inheritance law

Apparently if you’re an English national, but have residency (carte de séjour) A friend who’s lived there for sometime and has been looking into wills and such. A Notaire said it’s possible to have it read under English law….expensive but doable. Hefty translation fees.
Reckons it’s worth it to avoid those inheritance laws.
Seems strange….Have you heard anything like this, Pierre?
 
Apparently if you’re an English national, but have residency (carte de séjour) A friend who’s lived there for sometime and has been looking into wills and such. A Notaire said it’s possible to have it read under English law….expensive but doable. Hefty translation fees.
Reckons it’s worth it to avoid those inheritance laws.
Seems strange….Have you heard anything like this, Pierre?

Yes, although I’ve not followed it closely as it does not affect me. However, it’s not straightforward from what I’ve been reading where children are involved.

As your friend no doubt knows know, french children cannot be disinherited by their parents and the law sets reserved portions of the deceased’s estate for biological children.

In 2015 France respected a EU directive that the law of the country of the deceased’s last residence applies to the whole estate if they state this in a will - this allowed for example English people to choose flexible English law.

In 2021 a new law was introduced which seems to clash with this. It says that when a foreign law system is to apply to an estate involving french property and that system does not have forced heirship rules (as with English law) the notaire should contact any children saying they have a right to compensation up to the value of the reserved portion. However, the children do not have to opt to claim this.

I’ve read that this is causing a bit of a stir in the legal profession as nobody is really sure how the law will work in practice with so few cases as the law was only introduced last november.

Your friend is wise to seek professional advice, although even some notaries seem confused. Something to watch if he has children. There are ways to get around much of the tax, but measures must be put in place well in advance.
 
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