Moving to Toulouse with husband and 3 young kids - HELP!

Hi Charis!

Welcome to Expat.com

Armand

Chris - is that THE Elgin?

First of all work. No work means no health insurance, after a period of grace where you will be covered here (to the tune of 70%) by the UK. After that - nothing. If you haven't a job lined up it is a difficult decision - how much cash do you have to buy a house and keep the family fed? The French won't subsidise your move. But if you do find regular employment then some help should be available - eg financing your health insurance, and possibly the full 100%.

If you are desperate then you will find work (gross 9€ per hour) working in a cold store at -25C making up orders. This is the type of work that is most often advertised.

Teaching English is also a possibility but again badly paid. There are the usual international English schools in Toulouse.

Renting can be difficult unless you have a history of employment here. Or someone might relent and accept 6 or 12 months rent in advance.

Schools - very different from Scotland. In theory the curriculum is the same in all French state schools. But a decent area normally means a decent intake.

We are in Montauban - about 30 miles to the north - think Stirling but home to Bourdel and Ingres - and for the weather just now think Oban.

There are a lot of Brits in and around Toulouse thanks to Airbus.
The population is about the same as Edinburgh but with over 100,000 thousand students. I can't say the centre is particularly arty but I am sure you will find a lot of information on the town's website.

If you can manage it a quick trip from Edinburgh to Toulouse with Jet2 might be the thing to do - flights until September.

There is also at least 1 mother + toddler group among the British expats in Toulouse - and excellent rugby.

I'll try to answer any more questions - you'll get my private email address on montaubanglais fr - 14 hours to teach this week and August is just going to be mad.

Ian

Hi Ian - Yes, it is THE Elgin. What have you heard? is it Bad?

This is great info, thank you.

Our plan was to get TEFL trained as a way of ensuring we had a source of income.

It's disappointing about leasing property. We were hoping to rent.

cheers very much.

x

Sorry - spelled your name wrongly first time. Elgin isn't too big - perhaps you've come across my friends Hilary + Peter Adamson in Newton.

Re renting - you could try an ad in leboncoin offering to pay 6 months upfront for a private rent.

Re teaching English some schools require a TEFL certificate, while others are happy to accept business experience - as most of their pupils are businessmen/woman.

It is quite simple to Google "English schools Toulouse" and you'll get the links you want. But the ability to explain grammar and vocab in French to beginners is a plus.

But beware - many schools now require their freelance teachers to be self-employed - that way the schools do not have to pay their share of the teacher's social security charges.

There are probably about 5000 students from America, Canada and the UK in Toulouse and many of them are trying to get some work teaching English. And you simply need to be here to be offered that type of work.

You will have other opportunities in satellite towns like Albi (Toulouse Lautrec country)or Auch (d'Artagnan) and there is definitely a growing market for taking in French kids for immersion course - but during school hols only.

I wouldn't even consider offering "learning to paint hols" - so many people doing that just now.

To save you hunting there is another post somewhere from an English female who has been in France for almost 20 years - and she has seen so many British expats forced to go back home with nothing, and going back to nothing. There is even a story of an English couple selling their furniture so that they can feed their children. Others become depressed alcoholics. Others simply miss their friends + family + nights in pub and end up going back.

Yet others survive and flourish - with a lot of planning and a sound business plan.

I decided in 1974 to move here - and arrived in 2008. France is a great country to retire to.

Sorry to sound so downbeat but it is my Scottish streak

Ian

Hello,

Sorry to intrude of the conversation but i noticed 'harryhere' said 'If you are desperate then you will find work (gross 9€ per hour) working in a cold store at -25C making up orders. This is the type of work that is most often advertised.' I am looking for any type of work and this would be ideal for the next couple of months. Where do you find these advertisements and do you know of any possible work in Toulouse(willing to do anything). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Robbo

I usually see them in employment agency windows - but have a look at the pole emploi website or sudouestjobs.

Fruit picking will be starting soon too but you'll need some sort of transport to get to the orchards.

You could put a small ad in leboncoin for Toulouse - but make sure it is in French.

Ok thanks for your help, i'll have a look now