Courtney: "I really love everything about Lyon"

Why did you decide to move to Lyon?

I like to think my story of how I got to France is a rather romantic one. I met my husband, a Lyonnais, in early 2010 while he was living in Miami for work. He took me on a trip to Lyon that summer where I fell in love with him and the city, so when he asked me if I would ever consider moving to France, of course I said yes. We got married in June 2011 and we moved to Lyon that September. When I arrived to France I didn't speak a word of French, so for the first year and a half I took French courses at the University of Lyon. Currently, I am a freelance publicist working with travel and leisure companies in the U.S. and I'm about to embark on the biggest project of my life as we are having a baby girl this October.

How was the moving process?

Moving was the easiest part, as my husband's company took care of moving our stuff from Miami to Lyon. However, you do tend to weed out the unnecessary when moving abroad and it does get you thinking about how much you really need in life; which doesn't tend to be much.
When we arrived in Lyon we stayed with my husband's parents for about two months before we found our own apartment, which worked out because it took the moving company about that long to get our stuff from Miami to France. The day we moved in, the cargo container arrived and we unloaded all of our stuff. I have to say it was an out of body experience unpacking in a different country thinking about the rest of our lives in France. Then, my husband's things arrived from a storage facility he had been keeping them at for the last four years he was in Miami. That's when the fun began! I remember I was downstairs with him and the movers weeding out his premarital life... sometimes single men have the strangest taste! Let's just say most of his things went to the garage at his parent's house!

Did you face some difficulties to adapt to your host country (language, culture, do's and don'ts)?

When I arrived to France I really didn't speak a word of French. I had taken a Saturday course at a community college in Miami a few months before we left to get the basics, but I was relatively lost during the first year we were in Lyon. I enrolled at the University of Lyon for a year and a half to take French courses and bit by bit I was finally able to understand French. However, speaking, even after two years, is still a challenge for me. French is one of the toughest languages I think.
The university was a great way to not only learn the language and culture, but to meet fellow expats and be able to share the same difficulties and challenges. Other than the language barrier, which gets better every day, there were and still are cultural challenges. I tend to be a relatively open-minded individual, so daily habits and culinary differences were never a problem. However, there are little things like having to buy your groceries at a few different places to get everything you need: boulangerie for bread; boucherie for meat; fromagerie for cheese, etc. or getting accustomed to saying bonjour to everyone. In the U.S., it's relatively normal to pass someone or enter a store without saying hello, but in France it's very rude. I could go on and on about the cultural differences here, but I would just say that I find the French to be 100% unlike all the stereotypes that are out there - they are some of the most welcoming and polite people!

What surprised you the most in Lyon?

All Americans think that Paris is the only place in France, but surprise, surprise there are actually other cities, and Lyon happens to be the second largest city after Paris. I would say the biggest surprise is how Lyon, as the second largest French city, is relatively small in comparison to a U.S. city with a little more than 400,000 people (Florida alone has more than 19 million inhabitants).

Is it easy to meet new people in Lyon?

As an expat it's definitely not easy meeting people; however my husband has a wonderful network of friends who have embraced me as if they've known me as long as him.
There are, however, many different associations in Lyon for expats including ACT4, which is an organization that I'm involved with that brings together French (along with some American, British, and German citizens, amongst others) people in a social setting so they can practice their English. This was a great opportunity to meet some French people and get to talk to them in my native tongue.

Could you please share with us something you like about Lyon and something you don't like?

I really love everything about Lyon, but I would say one of the things that's great is the fact that it's a large city with a small city mentality. If you want the hustle and bustle of a downtown area it has that, but you can also live just two minutes outside of that area and it's a bit quieter, but the superb public transportation can put you in the heart of Lyon in no time at all.
I always used to love summertime living in Florida, but without air conditioning, which is uncommon in Europe, it is a pretty hard season to handle - especially being pregnant. Lyon can get super-hot during July and August with temperatures in the high 90s.

A common belief about France which wasn't right:

That everyone is rude - like I said before, the French are kind people with an impeccable politeness.

Being pregnant, you had to receive medical care: what do you think of the French health system and how does it work for you?

I find the healthcare system in France to be far superior to that of the U.S. It is one of the reasons I did not hesitate to choose to have my first baby here. Besides the costs associated with giving birth here (almost zero if you give birth in a public hospital) the attention you receive is wonderful. The minute we found out we were pregnant my husband alerted the insurance company (I'm covered by the insurance he receives at his job) and the social security administration here and within a few weeks I had a packet of information on how giving birth in France worked, along with charts to mark my progress; useful phone numbers; information on post-birth; and how to care for my baby. In addition, you are set up with a sage femme (midwife) at no cost and who thorough several sessions covers everything from your stay at the maternity, to what happens after you give birth, and everything in between.

Tell us more about your day-to-day life in Lyon:

I can say my day-to-day life in Lyon is never dull as living in a foreign country allows you to learn every day. Whether it's a new word, phrase, cultural nuance, or even something about yourself you never knew. These days I spend most of my morning working for my clients so that the work is done by the time they get to the office in the U.S. The rest of the day is typically spent as the life of a young housewife - picking up groceries at the local market; tending to the house and our small garden, as well as doing things I didn't get a chance to do in my hectic life in the U.S. like cooking more and crafting - I love making handcrafted cards and various different DIY projects. Currently, I'm busy putting together our baby's room - decorating it and making various pieces of art.

What do you miss the most from Miami, your home town?

You know, I didn't start to miss Miami until this past year. I think the more time you spend away from your home town the more you miss it. The one thing I do miss is the ease of being able to do what I want - having a language barrier always has you preparing in advance whether it's for a doctor's appointment or getting help in a store. I still have to prepare what I want to say before I head out into the French world.

What's your favorite French food?

Oh la la, this is probably the hardest question as I love just about everything here. In such a small country, there are so many different regional cuisines to enjoy, but I would say the French cheeses and breads are my favorite - that's one stereotype the French live up to!

Is there any habit you have adopted since living in Lyon?

My husband's friends say I'm becoming more French every day, so I would say I've embraced the French way of life well. The biggest habit is being able to embrace and enjoy a four hour lunch or dinner - the French use meal times to really connect with each other.

Why did you decide to share your experience on your blog, Pardon my French?

I started my blog right before I left for Lyon in order to keep my friends and family in the U.S. up-to-date on what I was doing over here. It's funny because now my friends and family in France keep up with it as well. It's sort of an easy way to share experiences and photos in one place without having to send out a bunch of e-mails.

Which advice would you give to people wishing to settle in Lyon?

I would say when moving to any foreign country it is important to embrace and be cognizant of the culture. The French are people who appreciate the effort you make to learn about them and their language.
If people are interested in more about Lyon and its surrounding areas they can check out my blog.