Maintenant, j’espère bien avoir un jour 50 ans et ne pas être malade, merci bien! Il y a aussi des mesures pour accompagner les personnes souffrant de maladie au Canada.

Oui, j’ai travaillé dans la distribution et dans le service à la clientèle quand j’étais étudiante en France et quand je suis arrivée au Canada. J’ai travaillé dans des emplois précaires et à des heures pas possibles, je sais ce que c’est. Je ne suis pas non plus une grande consommatrice et en général je ne fais pas mes courses à 2 h du mat’ (et la plupart des gens ici non plus d’ailleurs). Avoir des magasins ouverts le dimanche, par contre, je suis pour.

En ce qui concerne les jeunes et l’alcool, je suis désolée mais je trouve que c’est un vrai problème en France. Qui ne dérange pas grand monde parce que, comme toi, beaucoup de gens mettent ça sur le compte de la jeunesse…

A strange thing about North America and the rest of the world however, is that you use another band standard than the rest of the world. When we go to US or Canada, we need a triple band phone and I noticed when my MIL was here in Norway, two years ago, she could not use her mobile phone at all.

So true, in North America people depend a lot on their car; whereas in Europe we don’t.
Ah, yes…the “café” at the esplanades…delicious, isn’t it? You can stay there for hours, talking and laughing…I like that too.

LOL LOL I think no Latin-European is politically correct (look at the Spanish, Italian and the Portuguese…they are like the French LOL)…but you know what? I prefer us that way. PC drives me mad!
When I lived in France, I was listening to a show on the radio (the French radio rocks) and there was a lady who called the show saying that she worked in the NY, she had come home [France] for holidays, and that French men were too forward and practiced sexual harrassment; the radio host told her “No, we don’t…the thing is, French men are real men who love women. If you don’t like it go back to NY” just like that! LOL…I loved it!

“(…) and there is no “triple cheeseburgers with a side of onion ring, bacon, ribs” nonsense, like in the “land of plenty“.” — LOL LOL LOL.…

I think landlords are picky everywhere. But here in Portugal they are less picky now, because of the crisis and because of the new laws for renting flats (plus, now you can rent a flat or a house for a two days, a week or a month only — before you had to sign a 6 month contract to rent a place, can you imagine?).

Oh France is like Portugal when it comes to bureaucracy: however, things are getting better here (now you can find all the info you need online; but in Portuguese only — which is so backward…I mean, if you are a foreigner who just got here…how are you suppose to know how things work?).

In France stores do not open on Sunday? Wow…our stores open 7/7 and close at 21:00. Our “hipermarchés” open on Sundays until 13:00 (except for November and December where they are opened 7/7, until 24:00); but on the other days they are opened up to 23:00.

LOL France has a health system deficit again? They had fixed two years ago (even Pres. Obama, when running for President, used France as an example)…ai, ai, ai *nodding*…

“can’t you get some other pens?“. Yep, that’s what I’m talking about…!” — LOL LOL my mother loves that kind of shop employee…she’d just look at that girl and say “open the God damned cabinet and give me the God damned pens before you feel sorry for having been misfortuned enough to have sighed on my face” LOL *nodding*. I have been through some situations with shop clerks who do not understand that the client is actually paying their salary. That is why I love shopping in London: they are so polite, God bless them!

The same thing used to happen here in Portugal: kids drunk in the streets (it is so sad!). But now the government has made it hard for them to buy booze.

LOL LOL LOL LOL now you reminded me of my mom who always says “but why aren’t the Portuguese like the Americans?” (she is referring to dog poop on the floor)

We still have public phone booths, but you can use either credit cards, ATM cards or phone cards…there are some for coins (I think, if they haven’t changed it).

Excellent article, Zhu…:D

Cheers

@Agnes — I’m not sure myself! Yes, I think it was a two-way round about. French like to make things difficult!

@Bill Miller — Thank you for your input! I find US small towns quite fascinating. It’s just a different world… I like driving in NY state in the summer and passing all these towns, with one main street and US flags everywhere. Looks like the time stopped.

I lived in “big” cities all my life and can’t imagine life in a town. Must be comfortable in a way because you know everybody… yet creepy too at times I guess.

@expatraveler — Get better! And enjoy your holidays…

@Tanya — You are right, France is quite beautiful. Well, and I guess I’m lucky to live in Ontario which is still “old” (Canadian “old”!), it would be even more modern in Calgary for example.

@Kirsten — I would miss water too! I already miss the sea so much…

@Khengsiong — No, shops are open all day on Saturday, typically from 10 am to 7 pm.

@shionge — Yes, when you travel you get the best of both world. Living in a place spoils it a bit I guess.

@Bluefish — Great! I hadn’d added you because you are still in Canada

@Gabriel — I love it! You know what, I miss almost the same things from Argentina… even though I was only a traveler there!

The sandwich de miga are my favorite. Tastes great! I also like eating late (even though in BA it was sometimes a bit too late, like midnight!) and enjoying life without thinking too much about the consequences. I like the latino way of life…

You made me laugh with your “sexual harassment” thing. I heard some tourists complaining about it, but I have never felt threaten by latin men It’s cultural… yes, they look at women, but it’s pretty respectful after all. I don’t mind it

Yet, I can understand why you left Argentina. The future can look so uncertain, especially after what happened in 2002… I can tell a lot of Argentinian still resent it (and I would too!).

Thank you so much for your input!

@CM-Chap — India has a strong culture, I’m sure you miss a lot of daily stuffs from there!

@barbara — Mais tu es plus Française que moi maintenant! The grass is alays greener on the other side like they say. I like the fact you found your paradise in France, and mine in North America!

@Jennie — You are so right about the heating system — it sucks! I always tell people that even though Canada is much colder, I never feel cold there… unlike in France!

@alexander — I bet you do! Feel free to do the meme if you want, I will add you to the list

@Cuckoo — Food is very cheap in North America, that’s true. But France used to be affordable… prices really went up the last few years.

@Linguist-in-Waiting — Asian cities have a very distinct favor I found. Love it or hate it, but you can miss it.