Marine le Pen and the FN party doing so well in the European elections gives one a jolt. Here in Varen the party was only two votes off winning outright. In Verfeil sur Seye the FN came top. I must check what happened in St. Antonin.
Now however you look at it we do not have any Romanians at all in these two villages but we do have plenty of UK residents and Dutch. So who is the vote partially against here? I am not saying there are not nationwide factors but we have to face facts we need to make more efforts to fit in.
Once again it is the language that is the barrier, you come, you should learn French. It is difficult, you will stumble, you won't always get it right but we have to try harder. I know my French is not the best but it is improving daily and I am persevering.
Yesterday I spoke French all day as I only met French people. I spent the morning canvassing for judges and for support for the Salon du jardin. Sadly numerous French people when I discussed the salon and our mixed nationality group working together, the villagers said " but the problem is you newcomers do not speak our language so how can you integrate." Once again the getting together in big English speaking groups was mentioned, so it is not going to be a simple task.
What concerns me most is it is not just the older Varenois who have this perception but the young French people who because of our young French neighbours we have got to know, generally think we are standoffish and refuse to learn the language.
Easy to dismiss and say " so what" and get on with our anglophone lives but I think we do so at our peril.
We learn French,build on making French friends or eventually life will becoming uncomfortable and we will leave.
These are my views and I welcome yours.
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