things i wish i'd known before moving to france. | american living in paris and limoges france.

About your payslips, you should be able to ask them to your past employers, they are supposed to keep track of it for years. With it, you should also ask the "Attestation d'Employeur" (AE). It's basically a document summarizing all your employment details (with payments) from that specific employeur. It's normally meant to be used by Pôle Emploi (the organism that gives your allocations chaumage when you are unemployed, they use it to know your employment history but also how much allocations you are due). Perhaps your retirement company is able to use that too (and I know some other organism that need to know your past payslips prefer that document anyway because everything they need is there, so it's more practical than possibly dozens of individual payslips papers). Good to note that some employers might send that AE to Pôle Emploi automatically when you stop working for them. And also note that every past employer is obligated to provide the AE, by law, no exceptions, no conditions (aside not working for them anymore).

I'm German, spent 20 years in UK, and 1 year in France.
I didn't get the lunch time period in France, they all go home, all shops closed, they eat and sleep, do something else maybe, and then back to work.
Also, when I arrived in France, and got my place to live and everything sorted, I've got money every month from the social security. Apparently, they have to do that, it's Europe.
I have to say, the year in France was fantastic.

The first time I went to France, I knew little and made a silly mistake. I had the phone number of friends who had stayed with me in the US. Getting off a train in their town near their country home I called their number and couldn't get through and ended up sleeping in the station. The next day I learned that while in France one has to put in 0(zero)before the number. My friends had left me the form of their number for calling from the States. Sometimes the simplest things can bother you.

La misère... 1er plan , et il boit du vin dans un verre à bière - What a pain, 1st sequence, and pour some wine in a BEER glass ....

You can pass the code de la route in English with a translator in France but not the driving test.

About retirement that's not totally true. The pensions bureau has all your information since you started working and for all the jobs you had. They even normally regularly send you a summary. However if they ever make a mistake you'd better have those payslips to prove your case otherwise it will be complicated to make your case.

Well the whole world literally emigrate to countries like France to get the healthcare and social benefits. The largest welfare state in the world.

I have traveled to France and I think they are reserved and slow to share personal details.

Thanks for your helpful video and best wishes for your future.

People, be nice.

Thanks, Jordan,. Glad to have you among us. You're a great contribution to our country! Hope you've got a French passport now. Maybe you mention it in some other video...
Vous avez perdu vos bulletins de salaire ? Pas de panique ! En principe, vos organismes de retraite centralisent tout au long de votre carrière les informations concernant vos cotisations et donc vos droits à la retraite. Ces informations sont synthétisées dans le "relevé de carrière" que vous pouvez consulter à tout moment.
Vous pouvez aussi essayer d'avoir une copie de vos fiches de paie par vos anciens patrons.
Vos bulletins de salaire vous seront utiles pour vérifier que les informations concernant vos cotisations et vos droits sont complets et exacts. Ils pourront servir de preuve au cas où des problèmes apparaîtraient (oubli de certaines périodes, montants erronés, etc.). Il est donc important de les conserver précieusement et même conseillé de les garder à vie surtout si vous avez plusieurs employeurs.
Rechercher sur Google "retraite, fiches de paie perdues" pour plus de détails. Bonne chance!

I know,everything is amazing in france!

Drinking wine without food, after brushing your teeth and in a beer glass that's blasphemous in France haha

Good tips, but your teenage girl voice inflections are very annoying.
WHY?

Love your videos, right on all points.
Your driver license experience was opposite,of mine : French guy, I lived in the States (Md) for about a year when I was sixteen. I got my driver license : never passed an easier exam in my life, both theoretical and in the road, with an automatic gearshift on top, after maybe 6 hours in the road. Returned to France, didn’t drive for 2 years, and when I turned 18, got my US licence translated, et voilà, was issued a French driver license valid for life, without restrictions. On the road, with 0 experience, and a manual stick shift. First hours in {Ari’s were just a nightmare. 😂 maybe the system you experienced is safer though more stressful.

The dark side of critique is that French people are sometimes moaners and not doers. They can't help criticizing everything and it creates a kind of gloomy mood that prevents simply doing things. That is way I appreciate US people so much. Your positivity is a well needed addition to our old nation.

Ooops ... this is a critique ... again ...

France, land of opposites. I've never been treated so badly anywhere else. It's also the only country where women have (or have tried) to literally pick me up (like in "let's go to my place"). It's a weird place, and I'll never understand it.

I never had any problems with socialising (in fact the wild opposite!!), but any success rate may well be closely connected with the degree to which you understand them, and they understand you.
So, if anyone prefers to speak another language, the social success rate is obviously going to be diminished.

You seem a bit tormented by your experience, but your priorities are in the right place. I had the advantage of being born with dual nationality, but there were still some complications. It's been so long now that I can't imagine living anywhere else. (i moved here at age 20.) I actually appreciated the difficulty of making friends in France because when you make a friend, it is a real one on whom you can count.

rahhh, c'est un verre a bière malheureux ;) il te reste encore beaucoup de choses a apprendre ;)

Keeping payslips is ridiculous. Reducing hands movement would be helpful.

Ahah, don't drink your wine in a glass made for BEER !!!
And also, buy normal bottles, not the one for child.
Then, you'll begin to be a little more french.

Jordan I loved your video you are living my dream life as evil corrrupt American system of injustice won’t let me leave America!!! Would you be so kind to throw a coin into the fountain in Paris with a wish for a Anastasia4light to get liberated and move to France soon 🙏🇫🇷

Begins with wine 🤔

Je me retrouve dans tout ce que tu dis (les critiques et les amitiés) tu nous as bien cernés😅 bravo!

concerning the payslips it is preferable to keep them on the other hand it is FALSE the pension fund has all the amounts already, they are all registered so no need for papers to prove your pensions... it is computerized

These are all very helpful tips. The driver’s license tip is very good to know. Thank you.

Hand gesturing, dizzying.

I saw some teenagers in a park in Poitiers enjoying the sunshine. Oh how nice, I thought, now if we were in Britain they'd be swilling cans of lager.
Just then, one of then produced a large bottle of WHISKY!

I like your flat. or more you HOME because it is cosy (at least it looks cosy) and that is what one need after the work a place that is cosy for to relax.

2.50 you described it VERY WELL the matter of fact THE BEST DESCIRBE IS ABOUT CRITIC is that one care and take the other as equal (means accepted ) and try to help for to develop faster and make it easier for to get information how other way things can be seen. that will lead to be OPENMINDED and less feel frustrated once some REALIZED THAT.

Hello. You seems very clever ! Its always a pleasure to receive an american guy in our country ! As a french, i like USA for lot of reasons and especially for the beauty of the nature and space : mountains, flora and fauna ! In France yes we are very green and "nature-friendly" as the germans or scandinavians... ^^ we love nature and like in the USA we creates lot of national parks and not only in our little territory in Europe but in the Indian Ocean, Caribbeans, polynesia etc... because we are lucky to have french territoires all around the world. Im very happy to be french and live in France even if i love Anglo-saxon culture, japanese culture and Nordic culture... greetings !!! ♡ et ne fais pas attention a tous les connards qui te disent de ne pas boire ton vin dans un verre a bière ! Ils te taquinent, On s'en fous tu bois comme tu veux ! XD

It is strange you didn’t get mutuelle from your company as it is compulsory now (since a few years only though)

Do save your payslips especially if you claim it from abroad ! This is the only way you will get it back

Jordan
You have drunk your wine in a glass of beer !!
But any way, respect for your determination, you are welcome

French people are usually known for complaining a lot... and critic is part of it :D
But, yes, critic (or suggestions) can help you progress or question yourself, and that can be positive when it's founded.
And it doesn't mean that you hate what you critic. A lot of people have a hard time with that.

Next one to get right in Europe is not to drink wine out of a beer glass. But you’ll get there... 😜

Les français sont des chouineurs ! Et des nombriliste. Ce n'est jamais simple...

Hi my name is David mark and am from Nigeria,i know a lot about wines and i work as a bar manager here in Lagos Nigeria i would really love to travel to France to work

Excellent advice! There are a lot of videos from people who have moved to France and either got kicked out or decided to move away. Congratulations on your success.

Boire du vin rouge dans un verre pour une biere... surprenant pour un francais..

A piece of advice from a Frenchman, you don't drink wine out of a beer glass ! Stay classy ; ) . Thank you for your content !

You must be new in the mediterranean world. I didn't see you give a single sip on that wine the entire video, while I have drunk half a bottle during your video only!

You're in Europe mate! You don't need to brush your teeth very often, or get a shower for that matter! Put some perfume and smoke a cigarette and you'll be fine mate!

Is Florida one of the states where one can change the driver’s license to suit France?

Thank you! I am moving this January and I’m so excited

Bet you prefer the holidays (vacation days) to the US.

Hi you look french because of your red -darkbrown hair and blue / light eyes. And the french have nice sweaters like yours :)

Carry on ! Unpretentious and very straightforward with good points. Good luck !