I’ve been honored to be interviewed by James Dalrymple in his Grenobly-anglophone website Grenoble Life!
Grenoble Life is THE reference for expats in the Grenoble area. The website offers LOTS of tips about what to do in the city, features all the new trendy anglophone entrepreneurs and brings a good help for newcomers.

As I tell you in the free video Present yourself, you must master your presentation. Prepare and practice. It is the best way to make friends. Allez ! Don’t be shy. Present yourself!

Learning French is a loooong process. It is not easy. And you will have hard times. BUT don’t let important information pass you by! When you ask a question to the paediatrician, the head teacher or the butcher, but don’t understand a single word of the answer, ask them to repeat! You are not fluent but not stupid. Ask again and you will figure it out. If not, ask to have to have it written down. How? Like this.

The phone is such a problem for so many of you. This subject comes back a lot. You can’t see the person you are talking to, French speak too fast, you understand nothing…
Well. Part true. But instead of freaking out and sticking to emails, prepare and practice what you can. Which is: the beginning of the call. The « bonjour, blablabla. »

A 15 seconds message can take hours to record. These are ready to use French scripts for yours. Easy.
And as I know you might be stressed by leaving a message after the tone, here are the scripts as well. Enjoy!

Good weather Il fait (super) beau! It’s a beautiful day. On crève de chaud (familier). Il fait (très/super) chaud. We are boiling. It’s hot. Bad weather Il ne fait pas beau. The weather is bad. Il pleut. / Il flotte. (familier) / Il pleut des cordes. It’s raining. Il y a de l’orage. There’s a …

When you are in the lift in France, with your charming old French neighboor with white hair, you have no idea, what you are supposed to tell her. So you stay mute and watch the ceiling or your boots. She thinks you’re deaf or mute, or very impolite. These are the very classical everyday scripts of what French say in the lift.

As a reader of Comme une Française, you are interested in France and its locals. You are willing to integrate. This is awesome. I’m so proud of you. So, in order to live « Comme une Française », please, stop asking the questions below. Or I will come and slap you, as a reminder of the article. Why? Just accept the facts and move on. Don’t try to change a whole country at once. Others have tried.

The first step is to find a « salle de sport » next to your home. The best is a recommandation of a friend, of course. Next, Google and lespagesjaunes.fr. You can either call them « une salle » ou « un club » with « de sport », « de gym » or « de fitness ».

110 cultural facts about Parisians. As a former Parisian, I can certify that it is 100% true and hilarious. From the love of « caramel au beurre salé » to the complex relationship status, read Stuff Parisians like and you’ll be closer than ever to becoming a true Parisienne. If you still want to…