In the fall of 2023, I got that email: “position eliminated.” After nearly a decade at a global Japanese bank, my long, respectful breakup arrived with a polite “thank you” and a cardboard box. Reader, I carried the box. With dignity. (And a slightly dramatic sigh for effect.)
I did what everyone does: updated the résumé, peered hopefully at job listings, and discovered exactly no one was hiring at my level. Also, a louder question started tapping me on the shoulder: did I really want to sprint like that again, this close to retirement? Meanwhile, California whispered, “early retirement here means you’ll be pairing boxed mac and cheese with your wine.” Ouch. Point taken.
So we looked abroad. France wasn’t even on the list because we’d swallowed all the myths: “The French hate Americans,” “it’s too expensive,” “the visas are impossible,” “the bureaucracy will eat you with a Dijon mustard.” A former colleague in Portugal finally nudged me: “Why not France?” (Best nudge ever.)
We test-drove the idea in February 2025. Since Los Angeles is Mediterranean, we thought, “let’s compare winters in the actual Mediterranean.” We landed in Nice and worked our way west, vibe-checking neighborhoods, marchés, and town squares—not sightseeing, but trying on daily life like a new coat you’re not sure you can pull off.
Our French at that point? Absolute zero. (Unless “watching Géraldine from Comme une Française” counts as fluency. Spoiler: it does not.) But we learned the Golden Rule of France in five seconds: walk in and say “Bonjour !” Add “s’il vous plaît” when you order. Like a charm bracelet for adults, these two little words unlock smiles, patience, and unexpected kindness—even when English is scarce and your accent is… ambitious.
Somewhere between the cafés and the plane trees, we fell hard—for the people, for the culture, for the feel of the place. So we came back just weeks later to do the serious thing: learn the language. We enrolled at IS Aix in Aix-en-Provence and—boom—everything shifted. I discovered I love learning French. We discovered we love Aix. Suddenly it wasn’t a trip; it looked like a life.
That was the turning point: even in “retirement,” my new full-time job would be… French. Three months later, we returned to start exactly that.
From cardboard boxes to croissants, from spreadsheets to subjunctives, this blog will track the adventures: language stumbles, market discoveries, admin mysteries, and all the small confusions that somehow lead to big smiles.
Bienvenue—thanks for walking this Aix-sized road with me.
—Thom
Tiny Language Toolkit (pick your level!)
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A1 (total beginner):
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Two magic words: Bonjour (always, first) + s’il vous plaît (when asking).
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Add Merci, bonne journée ! on the way out.
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A2 (getting braver):
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Excusez-moi, je débute en français. (I’m a beginner.)
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Parlez-vous un peu anglais ? (Do you speak a little English?)
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Ordering: Je voudrais… + item.
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B1 (can survive, might thrive):
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On cherche le quartier… vous nous conseillez quoi ? (We’re exploring this area—what do you recommend?)
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C’est ouvert l’après-midi ? (Are you open in the afternoon?)
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B2 (comfortable shoes):
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On hésite entre deux villes—qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le plus ici au quotidien ?
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Est-ce qu’il y a des associations pour… ? (hiking, dance, etc.)
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Advanced (show off kindly):
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J’adore l’art de l’accueil à la française—ce “bonjour” qui change tout.
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Si je me trompe, corrigez-moi—je préfère progresser que sembler parfait.
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Your turn 👋
What pushed you to study French—or to move, or to dream about it? Was there a single “click” moment (or a spectacular mistake) that changed your path? Drop a comment with your story, your favorite beginner tip, or the kindest thing a French stranger said to you after your bonjour. Let’s make this a gentle corner of the internet where we cheer each other on. 💬