Why do we always think that "ELSEWHERE" is better than our own country? (page 14 of 23)

I think I mentioned that I was limiting myself to Europe (in my mind, the EU and Western European countries that aren’t part of it), and I still stand by that.

Two examples: - In Switzerland, Romansh, spoken by 60,000 people, is a national language, and in the relevant municipalities, it’s the primary language in education and administration. In France, it would’ve been dismissed as a dialect to eradicate, and kids would’ve gotten a dunce cap for speaking a word of Romance. - In Hendaye, there are two boats that cross the Bidassoa to reach the Spanish Basque Country: a French boat and a Spanish boat. On the French boat, there’s a sign with a whole list of prohibitions: smoking (obviously), drinking, eating, leaning over, and others I can’t remember. On the Spanish boat, nothing—just a no-smoking pictogram for those who want to enter the enclosed cabin.

Obviously, if you’re comparing to Saudi Arabia or North Korea...

The list of oppressive countries is way longer than the list of those that are only marginally so. And if you count by population, it’s even worse.

Everything else is just nitpicking from spoiled kids with a Tatra complex who focus more on the speck than the log.

I also wonder why our adopted Breton hasn’t left both Brittany and France.

A masochist? Too French in the end? (a whiny, neurotic complainer) The forum’s court jester?

I checked out your blog to read your posts about Poland, and I’ve got to say, you get around a lot. Maybe you’ve found the right balance.

I don’t see what gives you the right to deny me my own way of feeling things, and to indeed be very sensitive to individual and civil liberties

The issue isn’t what you think. You’re free to think whatever you want, and that’s a good thing. The problem is the contempt (real or just for show, I don’t know) you show toward those who don’t share your opinions. I’ve already told you—it’s hard, even impossible, to have a conversation with you if we don’t see things your way. You have ideas, convictions, and experience—that’s a wealth of knowledge. Try to share them with us, not hammer them into us. 😉

And don’t reply with that condescending tone while switching to formal address—it annoys me. 😏

Good evening,

Do you sense contempt in my words? Really? 🤪 Personally, I sometimes feel it in yours, or in those of others I won’t name out of respect—but they’ll know who they are... A kind of dismissive incredulity. Forum posts are a special literary genre: you have to keep it short, which inevitably makes things a bit caricatured. It’s a bit like teaching—you have to make an impact and repeat yourself.

That said, when it comes to misunderstandings and hurt feelings, I might just not be a great fit for the French. I actually know very few of them.

Michel

I don’t see what gives you the right to deny me my own way of feeling things, or the fact that I’m very sensitive to individual and civil liberties

The issue isn’t what you think. You’re free to think whatever you want, and that’s a good thing. The problem is the contempt (real or just for show, I don’t know) that you display toward those who don’t share your opinions. I’ve already told you this: it’s hard—even impossible—to have a conversation with you if we don’t agree with you. You have ideas, convictions, and experiences—that’s a wealth of knowledge. Try to share them with us, not hammer them into us. 😉

Do you sense contempt in my words?

Yes.

Personally, I sometimes sense it in yours

When I re-read my messages, I sometimes find them harsh and curt. I’m not a literary person, that’s true—I write concisely and directly. I’ve often thought my intentions could be misinterpreted. But never, or at least it seems to me, have I shown the slightest contempt toward anyone I’m talking to. As for you, I sometimes respond with exasperation, I admit. Then I let it go—what’s the point anyway?

Oh, and I also try to use humor... not sure it’s working. 😏

Hello,

Okay, if you sense contempt, that’s legitimate in itself—I can’t argue with your subjectivity. I’m just saying that’s not my intention. I actually have no intention other than to express my point of view as it is, no matter how strange it may seem to you. The French from France are, deep down, very foreign to me. I personally meet very few of them, and I admit I don’t understand them at all. And less and less as I see them leave a Europe that, truthfully, they probably never really wanted and with which they’re not truly compatible. And it does sadden me, indeed, to feel like I’m being held hostage by it.

Michel

You sense contempt in my words?

Yes.

Personally, I sometimes sense it in yours

When I re-read myself, I sometimes find my messages harsh and abrupt. I’m not a literary person, that’s true—I write concisely and directly. I’ve often thought my intentions could be misinterpreted. But never, or at least it seems to me, have I shown the slightest contempt toward anyone I’ve spoken with. As for you, I sometimes respond with exasperation, I admit. Then I drop it—what’s the point anyway?

Oh, I also try to use humor... not sure it’s working. 😏

We can only sympathize with your struggle, without having any solution to offer. Hang in there!

irrespectueuse

Is it disrespectful to be called French? 😮

What holds me back, I sometimes say, is that I love my job, I enjoy it, I have fun with it.

Unless you work in the travel industry or in web-related fields, I don’t get why you’d stay put here.

Another break?😇

It's weird how you're calling me out for even being here. 🤪 Why are you so hung up on this? 🙂

Michel

disrespectful

Is it disrespectful to be called French? 😮

What keeps me here, I sometimes say, is that I love my job, I enjoy it, I have fun with it.

Unless you work in travel or the web, I don’t get why you’re so stuck on this place.

Another distraction?😇

I love the break.😛

Well, that’s something at least. I know you can’t even begin to grasp the perspectives I’m sharing, but you could at least try. I must be too deeply European and have been for too long—I’ve always been that way. 🙂

Michel

I love a good break. 😛

Oh, Teacher MarieCurry is gonna pull your ears again...😇

What’s this about?

Michel

Looks like maîtresse mariecurry’s gonna pull your ears again...😇

Seek and you shall find...

For riddles, I suggest using PMs—I sometimes reply to them... :) As for what you're thinking about, no idea, I’m not a mind reader. Since I only talk about Europe in this post, I guess that’s what it must be. But I didn’t say anything special... Just that I’m European?

Michel

Seek and you shall find...

The more I live abroad, and in several places outside France over the years, the less I want to go back at all. Actually, we go where that ELSEWHERE suits us best. Based on OURSELVES.

I checked out your blog to read your posts about Poland, and I must say, you get around quite a bit. Maybe you’ve found the right balance.

Thanks!

No Poland for me in 2017—I’ll see about that later. I can’t be everywhere at once, and I can’t travel 52 weeks a year 😛 Actually, in 2017, I traveled less to fund the trip of my dreams: Russia. Yeah, some people have weird dreams...

Besides, in 2017 I had to travel less to finance the trip of my dreams: to Russia. Yes, some people have weird dreams...

No, it was a beautiful dream. I dream of Russia too. For a long time now. In the meantime, I read everything written about it on VF.

As for whether it's better elsewhere (to answer the initial question), I think, like it was advised earlier, you have to try it. I did—I moved to Athens to live. Nine months later, I was back in France. Language issues, different mentalities, I missed my friends, etc... In short, total fiasco. The only city that tempts me now is Lisbon. For the climate first of all. The city is beautiful, the Portuguese are really nice, welcoming, and love life. I’ve tucked the idea away in the back of my mind, and who knows? Why not spend my retirement there?

I’ve had those kinds of ideas—retiring "elsewhere"—but after weighing it all, I gave up because my "elsewhere" doesn’t fulfill all my wants, desires, etc. My "here" complements my "elsewhere," and I juggle between the two depending on the opportunities and mood of the moment.

No, elsewhere isn’t better than my country, in my view. I find these back-and-forths between the two—elsewhere and here—rich and balancing.

🙂

Happy to see I’m not the only one dreaming about this country (full of flaws but fascinating). If my travel journal or blog can help you out...

Maybe I’ll expat one day, I don’t know (I’d need to figure out what to do elsewhere—that’s the issue, the world isn’t waiting for me). On the other hand, I don’t have strong ties to France. I only have a small family, few friends, and live a bit in a bubble, so here or elsewhere, it wouldn’t change much. Nothing stops me from visiting my mom three times a year and my best friend along the way (who already lives far from me, just like my mom, and I barely see her more often anyway).

As long as I can keep busy and eat well (impossible to live in a country where the food isn’t good or varied), if I feel good somewhere, I don’t feel any lack.

Though I think my criteria are different from most people’s. For now, I’m still enjoying the Paris region a bit because it meets some expectations (but repels me in other ways—it’s a love-hate thing, really).