The language barrier is one of the most commonly cited problems when making the brave move to France.
Article written by The Overseas Guides Company
Today Alexis Goldberg of the France Buying Guide answers a reader question about learning French before and after her move to France. If you should have a question that you would like Alexis to answer, you can email her at France@overseasguidescompany.com.
“Hi Alexis. I’m really interested to hear how you tackled the task of learning French before and after your move. My husband and I are set to make the move to the Dordogne in July and as well as being incredibly excited, I can’t help but feel a little trepidation about my lack of French language skills. It’s been so long since I have learnt anything new and I know that it’s silly but I worry that people will laugh at my efforts! How did you do it? Any handy tips?”
It’s perfectly natural to be a little apprehensive but you need to put those fears aside and immerse yourself in as much French as possible. Before you go, listen to language learning CDs, attend lessons and carry a dictionary which you can constantly refer to every time you find yourself at a loss for what the French word is that you are looking for. Practice daily with your husband – in fact – where possible try and speak in nothing but French. This will improve your pronunciation and help put a stop to that shyness!
I would recommend reading French children’s books, listening to French radio and watching French TV. You will soon find yourself learning new words. The key is to surround yourself with it, not be afraid to look a little bit silly and most importantly, don’t give up!
For details of property all over France, visit the French listings on Rightmove Overseas. One way to save money when buying in France, or moving there, is to use a currency exchange specialist when transferring your pounds into euros. For more information on this, visit the Currency Zone or contact Smart Currency Exchange.
To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in France, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘France Property Buying Guide’
The views and comments herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Rightmove Overseas, Rightmove Group Ltd or Rightmove Plc