Living in France almost one year and would like to back to Asia

That's sad to hear, about your dad and also that you are losing interest in staying in France. Maybe once the pandemic is over you can persuade your hubby to move back out to Asia where I think people are much more open and friendly. I did live in France before, in Paris and mostly in Biarritz and I think both are probably nicer than living in Rennes. I lived in Hong Kong too and I also prefer it as well as almost anywhere in Asia rather than living in France. My ex- is French and I missed Asia a lot, but thankfully was able to regularly return on business trips. But now I am living here I don't miss France at all.

Sure, people can be a little "cold" and arrogant in France. But not all people are like that. In SW France I had so many friends who were friendly, fun and kind. I also worked in one of our stores and was forced to improve my French very quickly.

Hope your hubby will try to find a job back in Asia.

Shill88 wrote:

That's sad to hear, about your dad and also that you are losing interest in staying in France. Maybe once the pandemic is over you can persuade your hubby to move back out to Asia where I think people are much more open and friendly. I did live in France before, in Paris and mostly in Biarritz and I think both are probably nicer than living in Rennes. I lived in Hong Kong too and I also prefer it as well as almost anywhere in Asia rather than living in France. My ex- is French and I missed Asia a lot, but thankfully was able to regularly return on business trips. But now I am living here I don't miss France at all.

Sure, people can be a little "cold" and arrogant in France. But not all people are like that. In SW France I had so many friends who were friendly, fun and kind. I also worked in one of our stores and was forced to improve my French very quickly.

Hope your hubby will try to find a job back in Asia.

Thank you for your reply and it comforts me.
Yes, my dad is going worse and worse.
His sickness reminds me life is too short, and I dun wanna myself to regret to live in France for keeping myself to make the administrative paper and it takes me almost one year to apply but nothing happens.
Because of COVID-19, I can't see the economy future in France, in other words,
I dun think I can find a job in France.
I recently research the social worker master programme in Hong Kong as being a social worker is my dream to do it since I was small.
I gave it up more than two times and I came back to the starting point to see what's I want in my life.
Cool! Where're you living now?
I agree people in Hong Kong are more open-minded to foreigners,
as one is willing to learn Cantonese (Hong Konger's native language),
the people are already welcome the foreigner and willing to make friends with them.
I'm living in northwest of France and I dun have any French friends here.
I only met two friends but they already left here.
Maybe I will visit south of France one day but not for living.

Hi makedreamcomestrue:

I really sympathize with your thoughts. Actually when I lived in HK (1989 to 1995) I witnessed the huge brain drain from Hong Kong to overseas prior to the handover to China in 1997. So many people moved to the UK and to Canada to cities like Toronto and Vancouver but once they had citizenship so many of them moved back to Hong Kong where they were much happier because they missed the job prospects, chances to succeed in business, food, being with one's own kind of people. France does not have the vibrant lifestyle that Hong Kong has and especially if you lives in Rennes which isn't exactly an exciting place then obviously it might feel like a dead end place.

Apart from that period in the 1990's, I don't really see Hong Kong people as looking to find a foreign country or passport in order to leave HK. Hong Kong is an amazing place despite the latest issue with the mainland and it is one of the most exciting and busiest cities in the world, has one of the major financial markets Hang Seng Index), an amazing property market and one of the best places to start a business. It's also one of the favourite places for expats who want to work in Asia. So I totally believe that you were never after a French passport. I mean, who is? There are far better places to try for anyone wanting to leave Hong Kong such as Australia, Singapore, UK, Canada for example.

Yes everyone's situation is different. When I lived in HK we had many french friends at the time was french). We sent three kids to the French international school, ran our own business and invested in the property market. I knew many Asians who were married to French or other western people, but it seemed those westerners were also much more interested to live overseas rather than to return back to France. Of course there is pressure for anyone who has to live overseas in a country that is not as exciting as Hong Kong and even though I am a Brit I have lived most of my life in Asia and would find living in Rennes boring despite it's rich cultural and historical side. That's why I think living in Paris or somewhere where you have beaches, mountains, near the Spanish border would be totally better than living in Rennes. But it's no replacement for living in Asia.

If I were in your position, I would be trying to persuade hubby to look for a job in Asia.

However, with the pandemic, now is clearly not a good time. The new lockdown in France is on for a month but people think it might be extended to 2 or 3 months. And the lockdown means you must limit yourself to within 1 km from your home. That sounds very depressing.

Bottom line for me is that if I were unhappy in a foreign country, I would be looking to move somewhere nicer. Hopefully your husband is willing to do this for you. You only live once and if you are not happy in France then I'd move back to Asia. I've lived in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Indonesia and have thoughts to one day move to Japan. Love the people, the vibrancy of life here, the food - oh the food!

Shill88 wrote:

Hi makedreamcomestrue:

I really sympathize with your thoughts. Actually when I lived in HK (1989 to 1995) I witnessed the huge brain drain from Hong Kong to overseas prior to the handover to China in 1997. So many people moved to the UK and to Canada to cities like Toronto and Vancouver but once they had citizenship so many of them moved back to Hong Kong where they were much happier because they missed the job prospects, chances to succeed in business, food, being with one's own kind of people. France does not have the vibrant lifestyle that Hong Kong has and especially if you lives in Rennes which isn't exactly an exciting place then obviously it might feel like a dead end place.

Apart from that period in the 1990's, I don't really see Hong Kong people as looking to find a foreign country or passport in order to leave HK. Hong Kong is an amazing place despite the latest issue with the mainland and it is one of the most exciting and busiest cities in the world, has one of the major financial markets Hang Seng Index), an amazing property market and one of the best places to start a business. It's also one of the favourite places for expats who want to work in Asia. So I totally believe that you were never after a French passport. I mean, who is? There are far better places to try for anyone wanting to leave Hong Kong such as Australia, Singapore, UK, Canada for example.

Yes everyone's situation is different. When I lived in HK we had many french friends at the time was french). We sent three kids to the French international school, ran our own business and invested in the property market. I knew many Asians who were married to French or other western people, but it seemed those westerners were also much more interested to live overseas rather than to return back to France. Of course there is pressure for anyone who has to live overseas in a country that is not as exciting as Hong Kong and even though I am a Brit I have lived most of my life in Asia and would find living in Rennes boring despite it's rich cultural and historical side. That's why I think living in Paris or somewhere where you have beaches, mountains, near the Spanish border would be totally better than living in Rennes. But it's no replacement for living in Asia.

If I were in your position, I would be trying to persuade hubby to look for a job in Asia.

However, with the pandemic, now is clearly not a good time. The new lockdown in France is on for a month but people think it might be extended to 2 or 3 months. And the lockdown means you must limit yourself to within 1 km from your home. That sounds very depressing.

Bottom line for me is that if I were unhappy in a foreign country, I would be looking to move somewhere nicer. Hopefully your husband is willing to do this for you. You only live once and if you are not happy in France then I'd move back to Asia. I've lived in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Indonesia and have thoughts to one day move to Japan. Love the people, the vibrancy of life here, the food - oh the food!

Thank you for your reply.
You do know the reality situation and open to discuss the issue.
You had experience which is living in both places as as me, and I can see you're a friendly and an empath person by your warm greetings.
Yes, some Hong Kongers move back to their hometown once they have the citizenship and people should have consider by their reasons.
If they spent some times there and it doesn't fit them, it isn't a big deal to change the country or move back to their hometown.
Japan is a nice country and I spent one year there for an exchange programme.

I went to the U.K and I had a chance to study in Canada. 
The U.K share similar culture with Hong Kong and people I met in Canada were nice.
I'm asking my hubby to move to my hometown as well, I feel lucky and happy that he's someone willing to listen others and he understands the difficulties for someone new in town and underwent lockdown twice.
Exactly, the lockdown makes the situation more depressing.
I feel relieved to leave France and I'm going to book my air ticket to go back.
Once more for thank you for your understanding and kindness.
Hope you all the best.

Hi everyone,

Kindly note that i have removed some inappropriate posts from this thread. (Criticism and hate speech are not allowed here )

Thank you,

Priscilla
Expat.com Team