My experience yesterday in Bordeaux dealing with some immigration protocol was absolutely astounding. This is my third time immigrating to a foreign country and by far the most pleasant and easiest. México was relatively easy, but not like France.
After my absolutely horrid experience in Spain with immigration, I thought everything European was going to be the same. I approached yesterday with gloom and doom, expecting the worst and eventually la bombe would drop, especially getting signed up for healthcare, considering France has one of the best universal healthcare systems in the world. But no. It wasn’t awful. Not at all. In fact, this experience was even better than my American healthcare experience thus far.
My general French immigration experience has been superlative. Everyone in France has been warm and kind. The people in México were also warm and kind when I immigrated there too, but I always felt like an outsider gringo and perhaps I was being tolerated for my financial input. I made some good friends in México, but never felt like I completely belonged and that my time was limited.
Right now I’m already feeling more at ease here in France. Despite my questionable pronunciation of a language in which I’m not yet fluent, they have been very accommodating and understanding. The general attitude of the French makes me want to stay. It makes me want to do everything I can to integrate as much as possible. That also requires me to keep an open mind regarding the cultural nuances that are part of France.
If they respond to me in English, although I think my French is decent, I should not take offense. If they go out of their way to acknowledge me, I should do the same when I enter an establishment, even with a simple “Bonjour”. When a dessert menu and coffee are offered after a meal, of course I should accept.
I may have to work a little harder to stay slim, or practice my pronunciation even though it will never be good enough, or to simply acknowledge every single person I encounter, but this is France…and I want to be here and to integrate as much as I can.
Check out my latest photos from my Bordeaux experience:
https://mctrohn.com/bordeaux-france-1024
