Étranger Things: Why I Started This Little Corner of the Internet

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When we decided to move to France, we came to Aix-en-Provence in March 2025 for two weeks of immersive French. I thought it would just be a “prep trip” before the real move. Instead, something switched on in my brain: a full-on intellectual crush on the French language and a deep curiosity about French culture. Suddenly, it wasn’t enough to just say bonjour correctly—I wanted to understand why things here are done the way they are.

Étranger Things is my journal of that journey: everything I don’t want to forget about moving to France, learning the language, and slowly (and sometimes clumsily) becoming a little bit more Aixois every day. It’s where I park the stories, the admin hacks, the tiny cultural shocks, the “wait, do we say tu or vous here?” moments, and all the little details I know Future Me will forget if I don’t write them down.

And, if I’m very honest: I also started this blog because I was tired of typing the same long answers every time someone asked, “So, how did you move to France?” or “Which French school did you go to in Aix?” Now I can just smile, paste a link, and pretend I’m organized. This is how a blog is born. 😄

If you’d like to follow along, you can join the Étranger Things WhatsApp Channel. I use it to share little snapshots that might one day grow into full blog posts—and it’s also an easy, low-pressure way to be alerted when new posts go up. Pro tip: join the channel, then immediately turn notifications off so it stays useful and not annoying.

Thanks for being here, whether you’re planning your own move, dreaming from afar, or just curious how many times one person can overthink the word bonjour. Spoiler: a lot.

Your turn 👇
Why are you interested in France or French?

  • A1–A2: Tell us in simple French: Je veux apprendre le français parce que…

  • B1–B2: Share one small culture shock you’ve had in France.

  • Advanced: What’s one French expression that changed how you see the culture?

Drop a comment and say hello—on papote à Aix starts right here.

Location: Aix-en-Provence, France

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