Expat Advice: Relationships in Montpellier, France

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Montpellier

What is your current status? Are you single, dating, in a long-term relationship, married or divorced?

I am in a relationship with a man from France, where I was living for a year. Since I left six months ago, we have tried everything to be together, but the result is expensive plane tickets and empty bank accounts, and one of us can't keep a job because of all the traveling!

What is it like in your country of residence for someone with your relationship status (married/divorced/dating)? If you're single, how do you meet other people? Do English-speaking people tend to gravitate to certain parts of your city?

Very few people have a similar relationship status to mine. Meeting people is not difficult here, although it was in France. People there seem to have their friend "cliques" already carved out and solidified...

If you have children, what advice would you give to others making a similar transition to your country of residence?

We have no children.

If you do not have children, do you generally spend your social time with other expat couples? If not, what else do you like to do as a couple?

When there, we spent the majority of the time with other French people. As a couple, we'd go exploring the local area, since it fascinated me, and he had never thought to pay so much attention to a place he'd always known.

If you are married or in a relationship with a person of another nationality, how has this experience enriched you as a person. What kind of challenges do you face?

The biggest challenge is finding a solution to our dilemma. We haven't spoken too much about it, but it's understood that we will have to get married because of residency requirements. It's too bad we have to possibly rush this, but what we're doing now is impractical and financially destroying us. I see the future with this person of another nationality as one with endless discoveries of each other's traditions, customs, values, and cultures.

If you are a single parent, what advice would you give to others considering moving abroad?

I'm not a parent.

What would be the best advice you could give someone with your relationship status that lives in your country of residence? Any other thoughts?

Advice? I wish I had some for myself. I suppose it would be not to fall in love with a French man! It's too hard to be far apart, and impossible to get a job there....