These French frustrated to spend their holidays in France

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Spending your holidays in France. In addition, in the family, or elsewhere under the sun, it is the dilemma of the French in Barcelona. Therefore, Between financial constraints, distances and family expectations, this choice generates its share of frustration for expatriates.

Photo: Clémentine Laurent

For the French expatriates in Barcelona, summer is synonymous with dilemma. Moreover, On the one hand. Meanwhile, the desire to enjoy the long summer evenings in their city of heart or in a destination at the end of the world. Moreover, On the other, the family duty that pushes them to return to France. Moreover, Thus. Furthermore, every summer, the same question returns to haunt their minds: “Should we really leave this little corner of paradise to return ‘to the bled’?” »» Between the nostalgia for the family. Furthermore, the desire these french frustrated spend their to continue to enjoy the Catalan sun or to leave elsewhere, the choice is Cornelian.

Anne, from Bordeaux, is expatriate in Barcelona, married to an Italian and has family in Paris and Switzerland. Moreover, Suffice to say that all these beautiful people are well scattered. Therefore, “The problem is to go see the grandparents. Similarly, the cousins, a little everyone, on the Spanish paid holidays which are not huge, and to make it stick with the school holidays”explains this mother of 6 -year -old twins.

“Until last year. Similarly, my husband took his holidays and I did a little telework at my vacation place in France, in Bordeaux, then I took holidays and he returned to work. Nevertheless, But this year, we took the famous 8 -week parental leave. Therefore, We will take the opportunity to go to the Bordeaux campaign 3 weeks. Moreover, »»

They thus return to the these french frustrated spend their famous wine region every year to visit their families. Meanwhile, while the grandparents of children come to Barcelona once or twice a year. In addition, “If we decided not to go, they would be sad, more than angry, since they want to see the grandchildren. Therefore, »»

These french frustrated spend their

Holidays in France. not always relaxing

This feeling of frustration of spending your holidays in France, many French people living in the Catalan capital share it. Far from their favorite beaches. their cosmopolitan atmosphere, they find themselves faced with the realities of life in the provinces … or the stress of a capital they have left for a better life in Spain. This is the case of Alexandra. expatriated to Barcelona for five years, but who returns to Paris twice a year in her family … a moment that she always anticipates with great apprehension.

“I lost the habit these french frustrated spend their of Parisian rhythm, people, atmosphere. Yes. it is the apprehension of returning to Paris, and because of the Olympic Games, I think there will be a lot of people, so it will be complicated to move, and I am not likely to relax … Now that’s the goal of the holidays. If I had the choice. I would have taken a hotel room somewhere, outside of Barcelona, on the beach, to relax and do nothing else ”she regrets.

The reasons that push the French expatriates to Barcelona to return to France for their holidays are multiple. Family ties, the weight of traditions and social obligations, as well as financial considerations all play a role. If the call of the Mediterranean is strong. the need to regain its roots and to share precious moments with his loved ones often ends up.

The guilt not to go into the family

Spanish expatriate in France. Silvia saw the mirror situation, returning to Spain for her holidays. It’s the same fight. “With my holidays, I go home, in Sabadell, to see my family and friends. But we realize after that at the holiday budget level and days we have over the year, it’s not simple. This is the expatriate dilemma ”she these french frustrated spend their explains. She also devoted the 55th episode of her Podcast, professor, on this subject.

To this is added a feeling of guilt if we choose not to go back to the fold for. our holidays. “There is the pressure to go back to see the family. Even more if we have children. we tell ourselves that they will grow, that they must see their grandparents, their cousins … There is always this pressure, which is understandable, but which prevents us from taking real choices. Sometimes we just want to say that we are going to go to the other end of the world. to spend our holidays there ”she says. “And then. sometimes there are a lot of people to go see, it’s really the race, it’s not even a vacation when you get into the family. And it is we who must sacrifice ourselves. because it is we who these french frustrated spend their have chosen to leave, while the distance is the same for everyone. »»

Alexandra also suffers from this feeling of guilt. but vis-à-vis her grandmother, who lives in Serbia, where her family is from. However, it cannot always return for financial reasons. “This feeling of guilt. I always had it, even by living in France, because in far, we see events on social networks, but we do not attend. There are births. weddings, it moves, and I live it a little with a different look, with a distance that sometimes makes me suffer. But hey, it’s expatriate life. People think everything is pink, but sometimes it’s really hard and you feel alone. »» Welcome …

Replay – This summer, we are immersed in our most read, shared or commented articles of the year. Humorous reports, portraits or chronic that marked our readers and that you may have these french frustrated spend their missed. To read or reread at the beach, by the swimming pool or on the work road.