I know this sounds bizare, but I have always wanted to be French. I have studied the language for 8 years and I would consider myself fluent. Two years ago i lived in Paris for 6 months in the 7th district (I know! How perfect is that?) and that has deffinitely embedded my desire to live in France. I have recently graduated from school and I tried to get a visa to work in France. I have been very unsuccessful. Does anyone have any advice besides (1) getting married: I am too young to even fathom the idea (2) finding a US company that has offices in France: US company’s will only move people once they are very experienced. I am smart and I think very talented…PLEASE Help!
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Well I graduated with a Bachelors degree in both economics and International business and I minored in French. I lived in Paris during my sophomore year of school and I have since returned to the US (reluctantly). I have experience in the financial world and I would love to work in the finance area but if that is not possible I am willing to do just about anything! Any advice would be greatly appreciated since this has been a life long dream of mine!
PS Laura: I dont check here often so write to me at ra_desilva@yahoo.com………… Thanks..Regis
Well, I am really sorry that you feel that way. I just feel bad for you that you have nothing that you dream about doing with your life. Perhaps you should consider someone’s feelings before being so vulgar and immature. Next time learn to express your dislikes more clearly as to why you feel that way. Then maybe I will be able to identify with what you are saying. As of now my opinion of you depicts the picture of a malversed immature individual
Thanks,
LauraW
Nicely put Laura……….. very articulate!!
On another note…. HI everyone! I’m male, 22…… and I’m from egypt. Now I may not be as fluent as Lauara in the french language, but je sais un peu de francais allright. and I’m willing to learn alot more.
I also have a dream. But I don’t believe it 2 be so difficult as Laura’s (which I don’t think is that difficult to start with). I just finished Medical school here in Egypt, and I wish to either:
1) continue my post-graduate studies in France, work there till I finished them, and then leave
2) have my post graduate studies, and live in France.
I have heard that all I need is a knowledge of the french language and money. so I need all the help I can get from u guys, in order to start working for it!
hope to hear from u soon!
hello laura
I ve got the solution. if you want to be french you just have to marry with me : I am french
salut et à bientôt peut être
rod
hey,
i have an idea. become a flight attendant and get stationed in france that way you’ll live there. i know this sounds stupid but you have to start some where, right?
I want to be French, too!…(I think I was French in a past life–ha,ha!…)
you know ever since I went to france I decided that I would move to france when I got older. It is so amazing. It is like being a part of the whole ooh la la thing. It was so fun to go to the eiffel tower and look down on all of france. I have been taking french since I was in like pre- school I luv it!
hey! i wanna be a french too.. actually, i’m gonna graduate next year with a degree in french… could you guys give me an advise too? merci!
Hi Laura,
Your desire to be French is not bizzare at all. Have you tried applying for a working holiday visa? It’s a visa that allows you to work as much as you want and travel the country as well. My suggestion to you is to locate the closest French Consulate to your city and obtain the application forms. The application can take up to 2 months to process, so make sure you have a specific date in mind to arrive in France.
Hope that helps. Good Luck!
Just to chime in here a moment …
After looking into this a bit, it is my conclusion that ESL is by no means a holy grail of becoming French. Personally I don’t see it as much of an option at all. I have become of the belief that becoming a citizen of for instance Holland, France, or Germany is a matter of how much you want it. And if you want it trully enough, with work and patience, it may be done. And legally of course for that matter.
If we examine the following document http://www.lapres.net/immi.html
it is plainly stated that:
"In general, naturalization can only be claimed by foreigners who have resided in France for the 5 years preceding their applications. But this period is reduced to 2 years for foreign students who have successfully completed two years of university studies in a French university or school of higher learning as well to those foreigners who by virtue of his or her capacities or talents has rendered important services to France"
Assuming this is correct I think it highlights quite a path to do it.
Not to mention the possibility of marriage. If one trully wants to be of another country, then they should have no problem becoming married to one of its people. Perhaps they are married already, whatever .. if they want it bad enough and it is right, this too is an option. Marriage per this document doesn’t make you a citizen immediately, but leads the way.
Then there is the avenue of making contacts in French society that can give you a hand. Schools or businesses can’t provide this, only one’s capability to make a few true friends. Then I would think this alone may lead the way. So in this possibility there will be no bubble. One must get themselves dirty in the new cultures they supposedly want to join.
So from what I’ve found so far, there is no guarantee. But the future is quite brilliant for those who are determined to get where they belong.
One more thing, on the idea of running a business in France. Per the above mentioned French immigration lawyer’s account, this will be difficult to do. Best thing on that front seems to be get into a small writing group (e.g. magazine) or music ensemble (e.g. rock band) and join a union. Somehow an ‘employer’ can technically fit the law and file for a longer stay. Perhaps a bar that employs a band.
So I think some of the problem stems from misunderstanding about what exactly qualifies who for what. And it seems that this is resolved with the site I believe France.com administration posted in the forum.
Again the site is:
http://www.lapres.net/immi.html
The NET can be misleading in that it appears more types of persons are represented than I believe are at all. For instance, there are many in France I would suspect that will never see this forum.
I don’t mean to appear unnecessarily rude. Nonetheless, we’re talking about someone putting it all on the line to get where they want to be. And in that case, fact rules.
Not word of mouth from someone, that I can assure you .. you probably don’t know them at all. My impression of some in these situations is they’ve followed quite neatly and without really any risk a tidy system, for instance degrees are the first thing out of their mouth. And they find something nice about certain factors of a place such as France. And they want to live there. To go there in their cozy bubble, and live there in their cozy bubble.
But what they fail to understand is they simply do not have the true passion to do what it takes to get there because they only want to be there for a dreamland. Not to participate in the struggles in thoughtful groups they never even see for instance. To grapple with ideas in art that their degree can’t teach. I guess I’m referring to some of the parasites on the NET that say they want to be French.
But what contribution can they make? Can they only do what is done? Or can they get there souls dirty. Will they forever be following a cook around gawking at them? Or will they work based on their work for something of their changes and contribution?
I’m not pointing a finger at anyone here, though it might be assumed I am. But that would be, mere projections and speckled speculation .. and of course such are very dangerous faculties to just blindly and thoughtlessly applied. Yes there are .. perhaps similarities, but what does that mean? I think it doesn’t mean very much at all!
Because it needs to be said on this forum to assist those who will die inside and perhaps ultimately if they don’t reach where they trully need to be.
HELLO, I WANT TO BE A FRENCH.
MY NAME IS HOSAMELDIN GAMALELDIN.
I AM EGYPTIAN
I WORK AS AN ACCOUNTANT IN A PHARMCEUTICAL COPMAPNY.
I AM 31 YEARS OLD.
I AM MARRIED.
MY EMAIL IS http://www.gamaleldin12@hotmail.com.
CAN YOU HELP ME TO BE A FRENCH.
You wanna be French, Laura? It’s sick.
Central Europen
PS.: I mean it’s nice to appreciate a culture but get a new identity and nationality…
I have a big dilemma. On the one hand I wanna be Gege. On the other hand I wanna be a Portugese sailor. What can I do?
Well, my good friend, maybe not sick. Maybe we just don’t understand it.
I’ve never been thinking about myself in national way. I think that it’s important who you are and not what you are ( I know that it’s banal). But I understand why you would love to live in France. I would like it too but it won’t be possible next couple of years because I won’t have right to work there for at least next 2 years. But who knows how it will all look like? … I mean our lives , not european law
Hi Laura!
You have just asked a question that bears a little research on our part. I know that it’s a question that will come back time and again, and we will try and answer it for you the best we can. Obviously it won’t be a legally-bound answer as this would fall outside what these forums can offer. But it will be a start!
Could you please give us some more info. For example are you now in France or in the US? You wrote that have just graduated from school. What did you study? Finally, you say you’re very talented. No doubt, but what would your specialty be?
One thing I can tell you offhand: working in France if you’re not married to a Frenchman (or a woman as the case may be), is going to require a lot of patience on your part -especially if you intend to stick to the law. I’m sure you know a lot of people who like you, fell in love with the city and just stayed, regardless of their legal situation…
Please answer these questions and we’ll try to steer you in the right direction.
Good Luck
France.com Forums Admin.
Laura,
Thanks for the reply. As I said earlier, we need to give this a little time. We need to contact people that have been in the same situation. We’ll get back to you, but give us a few days.
You may want to "subscribe to this thread" to receive our answer by email when we post in in the next few days.
Hang in there!
Forums_Admin
Hi Laura, I go to France often and have worked there. There are 2 ways to do it – the cheap way and the expensive way. I organize my own art photography workshops and manage to make money so that I am thinking of buying an atelier there to teach in. I can stay as long as I want if I buy my own place. At present I rent space from universities, hotels, etc. What is ideal for you since you are Fluent in French is to teach ESL…you have to take a certifying exam. Where are you BTW? It may be useful to talk since I am interested in also working there. I have more ideas, but need to know more about you….Take care…Regis
PS I am in Cambridge, MAss.
Hello Laura,
Here’s a websitem a French lawyer specializing in immigration to France for foreigners. It’s a very good primer. you may already know all this, you may not. Let us know where you stand in your quest for becoming French!
France.com Staff
Hello Laura,
I don’t know if you’re still reading this but maybe it reaches you somehow. Have you ever considered becoming a citizen of another EU member?
As EU-Citizens can move, live and work whereever they want in the EU, that might help.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you, take care
Manuel
Hi. Find out which branches of the UN are in Paris and apply in person for them. Another alternative is to work in a UN organization (about 13 different huge offices)in Geneva which is quite close to France. Another idea: do volunteer work, or a summer course or something and start making contacts, network in the American community there and maybe something will show up. Apply to work for Club Med (headquarters: Champs-Elysees). Or apply to be a tour guide with an american company there. Good luck.
Alison
DEAR LAURA
This post was edited by the Forums Admin, because it contained foul language