In Argenton-les-Vallées, Deux-Sèvres, Tamasin volunteered
to help with the snail festival. It's a major annual event
in the village, through which she met most of her French
friends. Then she happened to try a Zumba class and, to
her surprise, she loved it. So much so, that after training in
the UK she set up her own class. "In the first class I taught,
there were a hundred people in pink Lycra - all of them
French - and it was terrifying," she says. "I also joined up
with an English line-dancing friend to run the dance association here.
I've run classes for three years now, and many
of the same people come every week. They're aged 14 to
70-odd, but are mostly young French mums. There are over
40 associations in the village. It's a brilliant way of finding
your feet and becoming part of the local community."
Moving to Provence was a long-held dream for Jill Wilson. She
thinks her choice of village was key to the ease with which she integrated
- along with being willing to throw herself into all the local
activities. "Montmeyan is a great year-round village and, although I
spoke very little French when I arrived, the local people were very
kind. They were just about to set up an art exhibition. When they
found out I was a painter they asked me to get involved. I realised
that some of them wanted to learn English as much as I wanted to
learn French, so we began to meet at each other's houses every
Sunday morning. From that, I was asked to run classes at the mairie
workshop every week. This is my way of giving something back. I
also go along to the many events that are organised - these are
ideal occasions to make friends and improve my French."
Emma's two children went to a primary school in the medieval village
of Ramatuelle, they now go to college in St Tropez. Having
children at school was a great way for Emma to integrate. "The
school community gave me a way in," says the New Zealander. "Being an outsider - especially a Kiwi - has not been a bad experience.
I was given free French lessons and, because the French love the
All Blacks rugby team, I have always been treated with a little awe.
My tip is to take on the ways of the locals. For example it's important to give
people the time of day when you meet. People stopping their car in the street
to do this without any sense of urgency
used to drive me mad. Now I hold up the traffic too."
49
very kind » LEGGETT IMMOBILIER - LOCAL KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST
Voici les expériences vécues et les meilleurs conseils
des collaborateurs Leggett. Liz Rowlinson l'affirme, "La
meilleure méthode est de rejoindre une association locale ou de faire
du bénévolat à l'école. Tamasin Lovell,
quant à elle, propose son aide pour organiser des
événements locaux et y "rencontre de nombreux amis
français", dit-elle. De la même façon Jill Wilson, s'est
investie dans la vie locale et anime un atelier d'anglais
à la mairie du village. Graham Downie s'est lancé dans
le cyclotourisme, une passion sans frontière qui lui
a permis de rencontrer toutes sortes d'habitants et
même un champion ! Emma Horsley qui vient de Nouvelle
Zélande, a deux enfants, scolarisés à Saint-Tropez,
"Pour moi l'école a été La Voie Royale", dit-elle…
« avec un peu d'aide des "All Blacks", une équipe que
les Français aiment bien… »
« It's a brilliant way of
finding your feet »
Emma Horsley: the only Kiwi in the village
« The school community
Tamasin Lovell: festivals and Zumba
Jill Wilson: giving something back
« The local people were
gave me a way in »
Comment s'intégrer au mieux
dans un pays étranger...