Moving to France - Bring your sense of humour!Written by B A Boyle
Copyright 2005 Oliver Phillips. May be freely reproduced "as-is" for private and commercial use. In this article from PFS France (http://www.propertyforsalefrance.co.uk/), B A Boyle a British expat, writes a "tongue in cheek" account about communication challenges they faced when they moved to France. For many newcomers to France, one of greatest challenges is actually to make sense of French language which we studied years ago in school. If you’re lucky you may still remember a little vocabulary or how to conjugate verbs, exceptions and rules. Nevertheless, beware. french learned at school has its limitations. It’s most unlikely that you will be able to impress anyone by asking “Where is station?” “I’d like to book a room with a shower” or even “How do I get to Eiffel Tower” So, soon after we moved here, we came to rely on two very good pieces of advice: If you can’t make yourself understood, try saying it in a different way. Learn how to ask politely for French person to speak a little slower/clearer for example “doucement, S’il vous plait” (literally, softly please) Let me give you an example. Our first summer here and we’re living in a quiet little French village. We’re ready to receive our first visitors, daughter, son-in law, & two young children; a family more used to seaside than countryside holidays. How do we keep little ones entertained. The supermarket is full of little plastic paddling pools. We buy two. One for water and one for sand. Water, we have plenty of but we need to visit DIY store in search of sand.
| | Baltimore Inner Harbor Offers Fun For The Whole FamilyWritten by Elizabeth Ann Wares
When you visit Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, you will find lots of things to see and do. To help launch your adventure in "Charm City", here are (2) of most popular sites you will want to visit with great attractions for both kids and adults alike.At one end of harbor is Baltimore Aquarium. The Aquarium receives more than 1 million visitors annually from around world. This popular attraction contains five levels and two impressive pyramids made of glass which showcase more than 5,000 species of fish, marine mammals, birds, reptiles that make their home here. There is also an entertaining seal pool, a tropical rain forest complete with piranhas, and ever-changing "special exhibits". Daily scheduled dolphin shows are among aquarium's popular events. Be prepared to get wet if you are lucky enough to get a front row seat. You will be amazed at their brilliance and intelligence. This is a show that everyone one will leave with a HUGE smile on their face.. A short walking distance away on opposite side of harbor stands Maryland Science Center. The Maryland Science Center is a private, non-profit organization that attracts more than half a million visitors a year. The Science Center has received many awards including best Indoor Family Recreation Spot which makes this perfect for a family outing. The Center is known for its interactive exhibits, which provides for fun and interesting hands-on learning for kids of all ages. There are various "showcase" exhibits, such as Titanic exhibit and Dinosaur Exhibit, that stop at Science Center for a month or two, which keeps museum offerings fresh. The staff is also very friendly and knowlegeable about what is going on in Center.
|
