Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Living abroad, What do you miss the most.
Options
Comments
-
-
-
Great thread. I am only after moving to France from Dublin, but I still miss a few things. Particularly Irish Milk. Seriously, French UHT Milk is just disgusting. It has destroyed breakfast for me. I have to put chocolate in my milk. I have even tried fresh milk but it doesn't bode well with me.
Civil service. Things in France take ages to sort out. Also forms and supporting documentation can be lost, eventually thrown in the bin (seen it in front of my eyes) I am working here and I've still to receive my social security number and I can't get other admin stuff done without that number and claim money back on Doctor's visits.
Even though I thought I was prepared for France (My college degree is in French and I speak the language fluently), it's still challenging at times. Though Bread, my English teaching job, my home and beautiful landscapes is helping in good amounts.
I've lived in a few different countries over the last few years and the one thing I have consistently missed from home is the way we acknowledge each other. Be it the eye contact, a nod, lifting your index finger while driving, ye don't really get that in foreign!
Yeah. Totally get that.
For example, I really like dogs and will also admire them out on a walk. In Dublin, 6/10 times, people would notice my smile, say hello, stop and let me pet their dog, talk about their dogs routine. Here in France, I look at someone's dog, admire it and it does not even come to their awareness.0 -
-
When you go to the doctor you'll get a "feuille de soins", it's a white and brown form. Keep all of these, plus any receipts from the pharmacist. As soon as you get your number (you'll get this on an "attestation" before you get your card) you can start sending those forms to your local CPAM to get reimbursed.playedalive wrote: »Great thread. I am only after moving to France from Dublin, but I still miss a few things. Particularly Irish Milk. Seriously, French UHT Milk is just disgusting. It has destroyed breakfast for me. I have to put chocolate in my milk. I have even tried fresh milk but it doesn't bode well with me.
Civil service. Things in France take ages to sort out. Also forms and supporting documentation can be lost, eventually thrown in the bin (seen it in front of my eyes) I am working here and I've still to receive my social security number and I can't get other admin stuff done without that number and claim money back on Doctor's visits.
Even though I thought I was prepared for France (My college degree is in French and I speak the language fluently), it's still challenging at times. Though Bread, my English teaching job, my home and beautiful landscapes is helping in good amounts.
Yeah. Totally get that.
For example, I really like dogs and will also admire them out on a walk. In Dublin, 6/10 times, people would notice my smile, say hello, stop and let me pet their dog, talk about their dogs routine. Here in France, I look at someone's dog, admire it and it does not even come to their awareness.
About the milk, you can get fresh milk in most supermarkets, I find the one that's pasteurised by filtration (I think that's what it's called) tastes most like the fresh milk in Ireland. It's a bit dearer but it's worth it!
For admin, put any documents that they regularly ask for (eg the scan of your passport, you "attestion de securité sociale", justificatif de domicile etc etc on a USB key, like that anytime you need to ask for something new you have the documents right there.
Oh and it's worth remembering that income tax in France is not deducted from your pay, you have to declare in May. (I was not told this!) You'll need to get a form from your local Mairie or tax office in May.0 -
Advertisement
-
-
-
IvyTheTerrible wrote: »When you go to the doctor you'll get a "feuille de soins", it's a white and brown form. Keep all of these, plus any receipts from the pharmacist. As soon as you get your number (you'll get this on an "attestation" before you get your card) you can start sending those forms to your local CPAM to get reimbursed.
About the milk, you can get fresh milk in most supermarkets, I find the one that's pasteurised by filtration (I think that's what it's called) tastes most like the fresh milk in Ireland. It's a bit dearer but it's worth it!
For admin, put any documents that they regularly ask for (eg the scan of your passport, you "attestion de securité sociale", justificatif de domicile etc etc on a USB key, like that anytime you need to ask for something new you have the documents right there.
Oh and it's worth remembering that income tax in France is not deducted from your pay, you have to declare in May. (I was not told this!) You'll need to get a form from your local Mairie or tax office in May.
Thank you very much Ivy. Appreciate your input. I have ranted a lot on different forums about life in France. It's just a case of making the unfamiliar familiar (deep I know
)
For the admin, I've all my feuilles de soin, prescriptions, stickers of the antibiotics, receipts at the ready to go to the MGEN. I work for the French Ministry of Education, teaching English in the secondary system near Toulouse. So I have a different office.
Also my taxes are done for me automatically because I work in the Public System. The documents that gave me explain gross and net tax, and it's automatically deducted. My contract even had gross and after tax explained, and I've received the net so there are getting no more income tax. I know a taxe d'habitation (charge for people who rent) is due at some point.
I'll keep an eye on the dairy section for something ressembling 'filtration' around the milk section. Merci bien.:)0 -
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
Living in Paris for about 3 and a half years now.
Contrary to popular belief (mostly), thankfully I don't have the problem of the rudeness as mentioned about Spain. Politeness seems very important here and sometimes after an interaction, I feel like a dick for not doing something "polite" that I should have done. Again contrary to popular belief, they don't seem to hold grudges about it. The rude stereotype is there in areas and at certain times of the day but I'm one of those now. Get in my way during rush hour and I'll hate you. Also, the smell of certain areas can bring out the worst in anyone.
I do miss the laid back Irish way. Very relaxed atmosphere.
Food, there are some things that I miss, specifically spar/centra etc deli rolls (cuisine de france). Hot chicken roll. Chips from a chipper ! Goodfellas pizza. Double Decker bars.
Don't miss crisps. Maybe a pack of Hunky Dorys Buffalo but I can do without them.
As one poster said, I don't miss Dublin bus. Metro is cheaper (€1.70 for a single or €67 for a month unlimited)
The humour too.0 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
The absence of Asian food surprises me about Germany. Especially considering Germany's favorite fast food is Doner( I love them). I have been/lived in various German cities and the absence of Asian Restaurants and even people amazes. There is a handful of Asian restaurants in Munich, yet my Grandparents ****ty village in the West even has a Chinese take away. Most American visitors to Munich/Berlin are shocked there is no Chinatown. But I suppose its the German mindset. Spend a lot on quality and it will last. You walk into any German store and there is seriously very few Chinese made products.
But its surprising all the Irish food you find in Germany eg Kerrygold is Germanys best selling butter, kerrygold cheddar in lidl, Irish meat and fish is fairly common. But I found the German food tastes are very much Ireland 20 years ago. They still only eat what is comfortable and safe with them. All their ethic food other than Turkish is pretty disgusting
Really different around my spot, Dusseldorf has a Japanese Quarter:
http://www.japantag-duesseldorf-nrw.de/en/japan-in-duesseldorf/
Wide variety of restaurants around the place
http://justhungry.com/dusseldorf-germany-japantown-frugal-eats
Also a large Indian population, Infosys had their Christmas party in Cologne a few weeks ago and it was in the thousands, although this was for all infosys employees in NRW I think.
The selection of Indian stuff is very good too, there's a new Indian in the Medienhafen that gets the thumbs up from my Indian colleagues (and myself also)
Dusseldorf is not a very pretty City, but its a bit of a German oddity in that its very different to most other Cities i've been to in Germany.
I know for Bavarians that hail from the south it can be a bit of an adjustment 0 -
-
-
Funny story about Clonakilty.
Any time any of the Irish lads went back home, we had a gentleman's agreement that we would always bring back Clonakilty (we are in the Middle East). Then one day it appeared in the shops here.
We have now all come to the conclusion that we no longer like Clonakilty and that Rudds black pudding is now the new kid on the block. I think we may have overdosed on Clonakilty.
No pork of any description here so I miss pudding too! And agree with you on the Rudds. Tried it a year ago and never went back to Clonakilty after that.
0 -
I'm in Ireland visiting for 6 months and now find myself missing home.
I forgot what the drinking culture was like, people peeing in doorways. Empty takeaway rubbish all over the place and IMO racism and xenophobia is much more apparent.
Even the rain here is different, a sort of depressing damp mist that goes on the whole day.
One nice thing was the lack of fireworks, this is the first year we didn't have to put the dog into kennels due to the Dutch pre-apocalyptic fireworks
Wtf happened to taytos. They taste manky now.
Happy new year everybody !0 -
-
Advertisement
-
Advertisement