Summary

The author initially resisted falling in love with France due to a dislike for clichés but ultimately succumbed to its charm, culture, and community during an unexpected 18-month stay.

Abstract

The author, influenced by their mother's love for France, was determined not to be swayed by the country's romantic allure, considering it a predictable cliché. However, after moving to France from the UK in 2020 and planning to stay for only a year to learn French, the author's resolve faded. Living on the outskirts of Paris allowed for an authentic experience of French life, from enjoying long lunches in the park to mastering French cuisine. The author found the French to be humorous, intellectual, and deeply connected to their local food and culture. Despite the challenges of life abroad and the complexities of French society, the author grew to love France, feeling at home and acknowledging that the experience had profoundly influenced their worldview.

Opinions

The author initially viewed falling in love with France as a cliché to be avoided.
Living in France was seen as a temporary step to learn the language and appreciate the culture.
The authentic experience of French life, away from the tourist spots, played a significant role in changing the author's perspective.
The French are portrayed as valuing community, good food, and intellectual conversation.
The author developed a deep appreciation for the quality and simplicity of French cuisine.
France left a lasting impression on the author, becoming a place they considered home despite its challenges.
The author believes that living in a place can drastically change one's view of the world.

Why I Never Wanted To Fall In Love With France.

And how I majorly failed.

Sunset on the rooftop of Institut du Monde Arabe- by Melissa Morris

France is known for its incredible food, scenery and culture. For Australians, most people who like to travel, love France. My mum is one of those people, anything Parisian or even just French she loves.

It was always her dream to visit, and thankfully she got to do this about five years ago.

I think it was because my mum adores France that I was so determined not to love it.

While I’m a big romantic at heart, I dislike clichés. So to me, living in Paris and falling in love with all things French was predictable, ridiculous and cliché.

In the middle of 2020, I unexpectedly moved to France from the UK (due to not being able to return to Australia.)

That story, I think, is for another time. It’s amazing how God moves in ways that look out of the box but are what’s needed.

The plan was to spend 12 months learning French before returning to Australia to do other things. I saw France as a stepping stone. An opportunity to learn a language and appreciate the culture, but only for a while.

How did I fail at not falling in love with France?

Living on the outskirts of Paris meant that I got to experience life not as a tourist but as someone who lived in France. As a result, I learned more about the culture and why the French think the way they do.

The simple joy of sitting in a park having a long lunch with friends or successfully replicating a Quiche Lorraine that any French person would have been proud of (in an oven that constantly sounded like it was going to blow up, no less). It allowed me to be creative. French culture places massive importance on community and spending time with those you value. (All of these things are my jam!)

Exploring the centre of Paris with all the tourist attractions is definitely fun, and some spots are better than others. Still, it’s not real life, nor does the centre of Paris represent the incredible diversity of people and cultures that France has to offer.

The French are funny, witty, totally sarcastic, and love in-depth conversations/debates. They will ask what you think about certain subjects and, compared to the general Australian population, have a much better understanding of what is happening globally.

Their love of food permeates their culture and is a central part of the everyday community. I can’t think of a country that places such high value on good quality local food.

Each region in France has a specialty that they are incredibly proud of. This is not just for wine like Champagne or Burgundy but cheese and apples, pretty much anything. In addition, people are proud of their history and culture and are eager to share their knowledge.

I would be a little surprised if, once you have lived in France, you didn’t at least develop an appreciation for quality food. French cooking is considered to be complex and, at times, prestigious. However, in reality (once you decipher all of the fancy French descriptions for things), it is amazing how simple the recipes are (and don’t forget, delicious).

People often say that once you have caught the travel bug, it will never leave you. France is like that for me. At the end of nearly 18 months, Paris felt like home.

I returned to Australia due to visa issues, and re-entry was not as smooth as I would have liked. No, nearly nine months on, if given the opportunity, I would return in a heartbeat. In many ways, I don’t know exactly why I fell in love with France other than I realised that it was where I felt myself.

Life was not all roses, it actually was quite a challenging time, and there are many things that I don’t like about France. Life anywhere is never perfect.

It might surprise you that in all the months I lived in France, I did very few touristy things. Constant restrictions and changing regulations made it difficult. Even so, walking the streets, meeting people and experiencing life like an actual French person for the few months that I was there has changed how I view the world and for that, I am grateful.

Does that make me a walking cliché? I don’t know, but for now, I am willing to embrace it.

Is there a place you have visited that drastically changed how you view the world? Where would you go back and live if you could?