One year
I realized earlier this week that today marks my one year anniversary of becoming a French citizen.
Last year, I celebrated the news with C. We'd only been dating for a month or two at the time, and I remember thinking "Is it weird to be celebrating such a monumental event with someone I've just met?" And then my next thought was "Well at least if we stay together, it will become a good story/memory". What I do know is that my no-longer-having-to-worry-about-paperwork has made for a lot less stress, both for our relationship and for myself. I've been watching a few friends go through this issue lately, and I feel for them. As a foreigner, what do you do when the relationship goes sour and your carte de séjour is tied to your partner? It's something I definitely struggled with, and it certainly is liberating to be here now of my own accord. (Btw, if anyone has any advice on switching from a vie privée cds to a salarié one, please post it here so I can pass the info on!)
So I have to say that getting that letter kicked off the start of a really good thing. After a few rough years, things have now been on a general upswing and I feel happy. Things are going wonderfully with C, I absolutely love our new apartment and all is well on the work front. And if that's not a reason for some Friday-night bubbly, I don't know what is.
Labels: Becoming a Frenchie
posted by Ksam @ 9:05 AM
20 Comments:
Congratulations!
I suppose this means I'll need to invent a Citiversary award over at http://www.aTasteOfGarlic.com !
Gad you love your new apartment - is C keeping nice and clean?
I do have to say that you know when life is going well when there's always a good reason for some Friday-night bubbly!
In the nicest possible way, I hope you feel the need to start buying that Friday-night bubbly by the caseload!
All the best
Keith
LOL - Keith, if you had only seen my old place, you would know why - It was probably the size of your bathroom - yet it had no bathroom!
Congratulations!
You deserve every happiness!
Elena
Félicitations & enjoy the champagne! I've been reading your blog for a while now & am glad to hear that things are going so well!
wow, has it really been a whole year? It feels like yesterday I read that!
Enjoy the celebration! Here's to a happy future in France! chin chin
Gosh!! It's been a WHOLE year ALREADY?!!!! I feel like you just got it!! Time flies...
I'm sooo happy to see how much your life has changed for the positive ... I still remember meeting you for the first time at the Starbucks in Montparnasse when you first moved to Paris-- You've come a longgg way, kiddo!!! YAYYYYYY!!! Bring on the BUBBLY, I say!!!!
Yay!!
It's true you deserve all the good things that are coming to you, especially after living in that closet!
Tell the frenchies to calm down with the protests so I can come visit you, see the new place and meet your new man!!
xo
*scratches head* I can't understand why someone would want to change from a vie privée et familiale to a salarié because a vie privée card allows you to work so that negates the need for a salarié card.
Sorry Julie, I guess I wasn't clear - the people I'm talking about are no longer with their partners, so obviously cannot renew their vie privée card. But they have jobs and still want to stay in France, so what to do?
Wow a year already! Time flies.
During my compulsory civic duty classes, they told us that a partner does not have the right to blackmail someone into staying with them in a couple in exchange for papers (i.e threatening to leave them so they wouldn't have any papers and have to go home).
That kind of situation is abusive, so I don't know if it covers just a regular break up. I'm guessing it depends how long they've been in the country. If they are already working, it might be ok. They should contact the office of immigration (I forget what it's called, the OPPI or something) for advice before the prefecture (the office of immigration will be able to give them a clearer picture of their rights, the prefecture will just tell them they have none).
Like Like Like! Reading this puts a smile on my face. I hope that a year from now I can join you with some bubbly when i've got my own citizenship :)
Congratulations! Citizenship is a wonderful thing to celebrate, especially if it's French. I'm very happy for you (and a little envious, too!).
cheers, sam!
(it was i who wrote you email last week from california..)
i am so happy for you.
xxx
Can you please do a post about why you changed citizenship? It sounds so drastic. I have lived in Paris 7 years now, and giving up my US citizenship is inconceivable. And to hear you are not the only one surprises me...can you explain?
I love your blog. You sound like a really nice, down to earth person. :)
Hi Liz, I didn't "change" citizenship - both the US and France allow dual citizenship, so I am now both American AND French.
After all the problems we have had just registering our car a HUGE congratulations goes out to you.
Awesome! I should totally look into that. Although, I'm not sure I really want to give up queuing at the préfecture at 4 am. :)
Congrats!
Congrats! I have now decided to go for the dual citizenship, I just have to figure out at what tribunal to go get the dossier. I guess having a baby is what did it for me. :) And, my baby and your citizenship must have happened at about the same time, as she just turned one!!
Hello,
I need some urgent help on the matter of Carte de Séjour Vie Privée to Salarié please.
I have the CDS VP until 20 January 2016, but unfortunately my relationship is breaking up. I have an excellent job, a CDI, but it is not in a high demand sector (consulting) and I do not earn enough to get an EU Blue Card. If you have any advice, please help!
rosiemccarthy0@gmail.com
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