No advice, just a word of encouragement: go for it! I think it sounds really exciting. I have two friends who are ex-pats, one in Rome and one in Jerusalem, and they seem very happy. I have to admit, I sometimes get jealous of them. Maybe if I were younger.......
You say you want the culture shock, but do your children want it? It would mean that they will loose all their friends forever and also everything they know and love. Every place, every custom, every TV programme. Even their favourite candy might not be available over here. I think you should ask them and by all means spend a vacation with them in France as a test run before you make a final decision together. This is not just about your life and your wife's but your children's lives, too.
My daughter is 3 and the other is -2 weeks(ish). So they'll be about 8 and 5 at the upper end of the timeline. But yes, we will be making at least two trips before we set it in stone, if and when we do.
Squiggy, I want to add my voice of encouragement. While this road maybe steep and hazardous, I think it's worth traversing.
So..in 2-5 years you're gonna pull a Hemingway... All the power to you friend.. just remember, in Paris, you're likely not going to be the center of attention unlike the States...
Well, the fun carefree Hemingway who lived in the Latin Quarter, not the drunken old Hemingway in Idaho who blew his head off.
People move all the time which can cause people to lose contact with friends, sure moving to a new country is more of a culture shock than moving within the same country.
"I've described my French as "if I'm dropped in the middle of the wilderness I could probably not die". I read it better than speak it and I'm going to relearn it over the next few years." From what I remember, not speaking French all that well would be a huge impediment. Maybe things have changed... who knows. I think the best way to get over there is to switch to a firm where they've got a strong presence in France (Paris region) and provide ample opportunity to work there for a time. Via this, you have the chance to live in France without a complete commitment. See how it goes. If you really, really love it then being there already would help you make the leap towards living independently on the French economy.
At those ages your kids will soak up the French culture and language like a sponge. After five years, they'll be French! As languages go, French isn't that difficult. What is difficult is learning to speak it so that native Francophones don't immediately recognize you as an American or Brit by your accent.
Meh, I'd be fine with having an accent. The French are fine if you make an effort, like someone moving here and being able to speak English through a heavy accent.
I thought about doing something like this myself, alone, though with Germany instead of France. Can't even imagine doing this with a family. You should probably get fluent in French before you attempt this. Although, in my experience, the mystique of the foreignness wears off pretty quick once you can read the signs and understand what people are talking about. As for jobs, you should study the market, at least on linkedin, to gauge whether or not you'll be marketable and what sort of skills you'll need to work on, if there are any jobs that don't require knowing French, what they might pay, etc. Gainful employment is obviously a huge part of this and France has a very high unemployment rate, more than double that what it is in the U.S. literally millions of people are looking for jobs, so you should start polishing your resume and adding necessary skills now - you can take an online course, for instance, to add a desirable qualification to your resume. Your best bet is to distinguish yourself from the local job seekers and the way to accomplish that, in your case, is by being a native English speaker, so I'd look for some kind of an international capacity, maybe a foreign company based in Paris. I also recommend traveling some more around Europe, to confirm that you indeed desire to live in Paris and not just in a random foreign place, since there might be better choices for that. Essentially, the further east you go, the higher your chances for quality employment are just being an American with higher education, because that alone is a desirable qualification in former socialist countries and by now they're all safe and comfortable for the most part.
I spent several years learning German, so if you need advice on heavy foods and chocolates, how to talk and view the world like Werner Herzog or someone to invade your new pad in France after you, the wife and the Bean get settled in just let me know. I get the feeling the Herzog skills are gonna be coming in very handy during the near future. #OnlyATrumpReferenceIfYouThinkItIs
I didn't read that because I don't go to much outside TNZ. 3500€ for a 3-4 bedroom flat is still the right price I think. The bad new is that to rent, a landlord will accept youto rent you something only if you earn (net) 3 times the rent per month.
I have nothing helpful to add in your relocation, but I--white bread Canadian--lived in Malaysia for about four years when I was a kid, and I think the experience broadened my worldview immensely. I was in grade one when we went over there. Your kids would be fine--better off, I'd argue--with that type of experience.