There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for settling into expat life in a new country, but here are a few helpful articles and personal stories that may help make your move a little easier.
Dorian Cliffe is a non-binary writer, artist, community organiser, and agitator of systems. They have performed at World Pride, Paris Pride, organized Ulsan’s Pride for 3 years, and considers lip syncing Born This Way on a float a major life milestone. Their published work includes poetry… Read more
Originally from the US, Carey moved to Toulouse to pursue his Master's degree in Musicology. In his interview with Expat Arrivals, he talks about his experience as a student living in France. To learn more about Carey, follow him on Twitter @That_Musician.
About Carey
Q: Where are you… Read more
Aga, originally from a charming village called Tarnowskie Gory in Poland, moved to Lyon almost two years ago. She made the move from rural to urban with her French husband, not knowing a word of French or anything about French culture. In her interview with Expat Arrivals, she offers insight into… Read more
Got an interview lined up for a great new job in Paris? Dreaming of Alpine life and acres upon acres of snow? Then don’t go anywhere before you’ve read this.
1. Insist on Speaking French
Because if you start chatting in French, they’ll often switch… Read more
More than just an expat guide aimed at children, My Moving Booklet by Valerie Besanceney is a workbook that aims to prepare children for a move to a new location. Moving can be scary, confusing, exciting, or a complex mix of these and other feelings. This book offers an opportunity… Read more
Jenny is a British expat living in France. She moved from Manchester to the northwestern department of Finistere, in the Brittany region, with her partner John in search of a different and easier way of life. They both left careers and businesses behind and now spend their time renovating a… Read more
Most people say that planning a wedding is probably one of the most stressful things you will do in your life time, along with either buying a house or having a baby. And just think…some people actually do it more than once. People say it’s stressful, so imagine when you decide to marry abroad!… Read more
Liene Kukainis is an expatriate from the United States living with her family in central France. After earning a degree in forestry and working as a wildland firefighter in the US, she is currently working on raising two boys, learning French, travelling Europe and writing her blog, Femme au Foyer… Read more
Paris-based writer Anne Marsella is the author of the award-winning collection of short stories, "The Lost and Found and Other Stories" and the novels "Remedy", "The Baby of Belleville" and "Patsy Boone", an epistolary narrative written directly in French. Her work has appeared in numerous… Read more
Jennifer Greco is an expat living in a small village in the south of France. She shares regular photos of the stunning scenery and charming vignettes she captures with her camera, and blogs about French cheese tastings, the delicious food and wine from France and the Languedoc-Roussillon region,… Read more
Gillian (aka Olga Swan) is a writer originally from England but moved to France with her husband five years ago upon retirement. They now spend their days in the fresh country air of the French countryside. Her book Pensioners in Paradis gives a humorous, ironic account of… Read more
Andy H is a young American expat with hopes of enjoying the good life in France with her Frenchman for many years to come. She worked as an English teacher for two years but is currently studying to get a masters degree in the cultural field, so she can eventually work in the very… Read more
Mark Greenside was originally from New York, moved to California, and then was dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France. It was here, in Finistère, where he wrote his book 'I'll Never Be French (No Matter What I Do)'.
Read… Read more
Julie Mautner is a freelance food, wine and travel writer who lives most of the year in Provence, France. She was a founding editor of Food Arts Magazine in New York and was its executive editor for ten years. Since she resigned in 1998 to freelance, Julie has produced hundreds of articles for top… Read more
Dedene Nelson-Court lives in central France between Orléans and Gien near the Loire River and Sully-sur-Loire. She grew up in Oregon and moved all over the U.S. before finally settling in France in 1989. Dedene says she came for work, and stayed for love.
Read more about the country in the Expat… Read more
Ashley & Jason Bartner live in the beautiful Le Marche region of Italy. They run a small guest house cum cookery school that combines searching for the best seasonal local ingredients, hands-on cooking classes, and the conviviality of the table to help guests connect with the people through… Read more
Kimberlee Mancha describes herself as a somewhat contrary, 40-something woman who decided to leave corporate life in the USA behind and reinvent her life in France. She runs a small business, The Bohemians, a petite boutique in Brantôme with gifts, clothes, and décor items for the home. Read her… Read more
Wendy Johnson is an English 42-year-old mother living with her French husband near Montpellier. She has been living in France for 11 years and loves to help people move to France and settle in. Read her blog at www.moving-to-montpellier.com
Read more about the country in the Expat… Read more
Cynthia Caughey Annet never dreamed about living in France. In fact, she’s an Italophile, having studied in Italy as a college student, vacationed there for 20 years and lived there from 1998–2000. But as fate would have it, she fell in love with a Frenchman in 2005 who she met during a train ride… Read more
Sholu Pande has lived in many places and worked in a number of fields before settling in France. Sholu and her husband Mark bought their French house in a beautiful village in southwest France in 2004 and are running a bed and breakfast as well as painting holidays, gourmet breaks and day trips… Read more
Expat Health Insurance
Cigna Global Health Insurance.
Medical insurance specifically designed for expats. With Cigna, you won't have to rely on foreign public health care systems, which may not meet your needs. Cigna allows you to speak to a doctor on demand, for consultations or instant advice, wherever you are in the world. They also offer full cancer care across all levels of cover, and settle the cost of treatments directly with the provider.
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