Totally Frenched Out

From the blogger formerly known as Samdebretagne

Monday, November 2, 2009

Allons enfants de la patrie....

Today is one of those days I will remember forever. I woke up today as a French citizen (though technically speaking, I was granted French nationality on October 22 - I just didn't find out until late last night). It's a beautiful day out too, especially after yesterday's rain. In many ways, it reminds me of the day I found out my dad had died. I was in a similar situation - living abroad, high up in a tiny room. That day, as well as this morning, I looked out my window and down on all the people below, thinking about how my life had just changed in an enormous way. And there they all were, going about their daily business as if nothing had happened.

I shed a few tears when I found out - all the emotions of the past 18+months just bubbled up - but in a way, it all felt sort of anti-climatic. I'd been trying to use positive manifestation for some time now, and part of the process has you spending so much time imagining what your chosen event will feel like when it happens, that when it actually does happen, it's not really a big deal. I don't necessarily believe in that kind of stuff, but I do know that focusing on putting positive energy out there has really paid off for me these past few months or so. Things are really going well for me both personally and professionally, and now this is just the cherry on the cake.

It will still be up to another six months before I can get my French ID card, so I can't exactly cut all ties with Fab yet, but it's a relief to know that there's an end in sight and that I will no longer be dependent on him for anything. And that one day soon I will finally be able to start living my life 100% as my own.

Either way, I couldn't have asked for a better start to my roadtrip/week away with my lovely new Frenchman. :)

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36 Comments:

Blogger Jennifer said...

Couldn't be more excited for you Sam! Break out the Champagne!

November 2, 2009 at 12:43 PM  
Blogger MilkJam said...

Just to say again - congrats!!!! I'm sooooooo happy for you!!! Plus it gives me hope :-) winter project coming up!
Biiiiig hugs for the American Sam and grosssssss bisous for the new French Sam!!!!

November 2, 2009 at 12:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yay! I agree with Loulou - champagne is the order of the day! big grin!!

November 2, 2009 at 1:11 PM  
Blogger Penny said...

Wow! That is great news! Congratulations :-)

November 2, 2009 at 1:13 PM  
Blogger Beth said...

Congratulations! That's wonderful news and a big step ahead for you.
C'est genial!

November 2, 2009 at 1:51 PM  
Blogger jonnifer said...

Wow, that's amazing! Thing must look differently now that you're a real French (as a French might say). Big congrats to you!!!!

November 2, 2009 at 2:15 PM  
Blogger Justin said...

Congratulations! Hooray for new beginning, positive thoughts, and a week away with your new Frenchman! I am so happy for you, you deserve everything good that is coming to you!

November 2, 2009 at 2:27 PM  
Blogger Pierre said...

BRAVA!

November 2, 2009 at 3:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congratulations! This is very exiting for you. It sounds like things are really coming together for you and you certainly deserve it. Enjoy your week away with your new special friend.

Sue B

November 2, 2009 at 4:06 PM  
Blogger Cécy said...

Felicitations. I didn't know you were trying to obtain the French Citizenship.
What does your family think about it?

November 2, 2009 at 4:39 PM  
Blogger judyb said...

Congratulations! I know you've been waiting for a long time :)

November 2, 2009 at 4:54 PM  
Blogger Anne said...

Congratulations.

November 2, 2009 at 5:30 PM  
Blogger Veronica said...

I am so pleased for you! I know exactly what you mean about the moment when you get the letter and realise that This Is It -- we waited 5 years for ours!

You may get your card faster than you think -- it was only a couple of weeks for us. When you collect your card and printed copy of La Marseillaise, you might want to ask about the formalities for getting a passport too

November 2, 2009 at 6:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ps, I hope you didn't have to sign a 'I will not moan about france on my blog' paper did you to get accepted? ;o)

Can you point us in the direction of info concerning getting dual-nationality please when you get a moment from celebrating?!!

November 2, 2009 at 6:49 PM  
Blogger The Duchess said...

Hooray for you! I know how long you've been waiting for this moment, so enjoy. And definitely some champagne is called for....

November 2, 2009 at 8:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

November 2, 2009 at 9:16 PM  
Blogger Megan said...

Oh I am so jealous! I am still working on getting all my darn paperwork together!

November 2, 2009 at 10:15 PM  
Blogger christine said...

Yoopi!!! congratulations Sam you definitely deserve this after all you've been through :)

November 2, 2009 at 10:29 PM  
Blogger PutYourFlareOn said...

Congrats!! This is just awesome news and I am so happy for you. I know you've been through A LOT the last 18 months and this is just wonderful news.

OK. I have been waaaay out of the loop and missed that you have a new Frenchman in your life. I am going to be giving birth in like 4 weeks but I hope that we can catch up and you can fill me in the details. I want to know.

Have fun on your roadtrip, Frenchy!!

November 2, 2009 at 11:32 PM  
Blogger emaleejayne said...

Congrats Sam!

November 3, 2009 at 1:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Beaucoup, beaucoup de félicitations - et amuse-toi avec ton nouveau compagnon!
You totally deserve all this happiness!

November 3, 2009 at 2:54 AM  
Blogger Jadie said...

isn't it something when suddenly, everything comes together? all the day-by-day efforts, seemingly inconsequential...and then, an "overnight success"!!

November 3, 2009 at 3:51 AM  
Blogger shakesrear said...

Congratulations! I didn't know that you were applying for citizenship. Can I ask you why? I always get asked when I'm going to apply for citizenship, but I don't really see why I would. What're the advantages?

November 3, 2009 at 10:12 AM  
Blogger Amber said...

Wow, congrats! When you get a second I would love to know what you had to go through in order to do this (even if it's just a website listing all of the paperwork or whatever) because I didn't even know this was a possibility!
What a great way to turn over a new page. New citizenship, new man.. hope you two had a fabulous weekend celebrating :)

November 3, 2009 at 11:58 AM  
Blogger Rebecca said...

Félicitations ! Tu le mérites !

November 3, 2009 at 6:20 PM  
Blogger Elena said...

Congrats! Very happy for you.

November 3, 2009 at 8:19 PM  
Blogger Starman said...

Congratulaions, Sam., on both the French citizenship AND the new French beau.

November 3, 2009 at 10:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i'm so proud of you and so happy. you deserve everything good. allons indeed!!!

November 4, 2009 at 5:11 AM  
Blogger doomed to be fabulous said...

CONGRATULATIONS!! I'm so proud of you! (I'm a longtime lurker, but I do remember you commented once on my now-defunct blog. Anyway, grandes félicitations!)

November 4, 2009 at 6:20 AM  
Blogger Stacy said...

That is wonderful news!!! Congrats on the citizenship, your life just got a whole lot easier! Lucky duck!
And enjoy your getaway! :)

November 4, 2009 at 10:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now you know it was totally worth going through hell to get to this juncture!

I'm so thrilled for you, Sam. Congratulations!

November 4, 2009 at 12:14 PM  
Blogger theycallmecyn said...

Félicitations!! from another lurker. You often say that if someone had told you a that you'd be living in France you wouldn't have believed them. Imagine them telling you that you'd BE French!

November 4, 2009 at 3:12 PM  
Blogger The Inside Skinny Girl said...

Well, now you really ARE "totally frenched out"! How divine!

November 4, 2009 at 5:32 PM  
Blogger The Inside Skinny Girl said...

PS to Shakespear... I haven't yet applied for my French citizenship (American married to a Frenchie) but I do plan to once I'm eligible. I can't speak for our newly French Sam here, but for me, my motivation is simple: since I will be living here the rest of my life, and will have to pay taxes here even on my American income, I not only want a vote but also want the ease of having the second passport especially when re-entering France and traveling with my husband (now we have to go in different lines). Lastly... I want to know that I will never again have to have the hassle of renewing the Carte de Sejour. Sure, I'd still have to renew the passport but that's pretty cut and dried; not so with the Carte de Sejour which requires an entire dossier of documentation.

In Sam's case, I just think it's cool that she got the 2nd passport mainly because now she'll have more freedom and options as a single girl here in France. She can come and go as she pleases, live where she likes in either country. Kind of a sweet deal, yes? Especially since we don't have to give up our American passports in order to get French citizenship; if THAT were the case, I don't think I'd be willing to do it.

November 4, 2009 at 6:03 PM  
Blogger Habebi said...

A bit late here, but, congratulations!!! What a milestone for you- start of a new chapter. Hope you are having a great time celebrating.

November 10, 2009 at 7:20 PM  
Blogger islandgirl4ever2 said...

CONGRATS!!! Sorry it took me so long to read this... I have been gone and I just was catching up on your FB page and came here to find out more!!

I am sooo happy for you Sam!! Felicitations again!

November 18, 2009 at 10:37 PM  

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