Flashs sur un Américain à Antibes

Andrew attend son muscat frais

Après presque deux ans à Antibes, Andrew est à l'aise comme un poisson dans l'eau. Il a passé son permis de conduire avec brio et Dieu sait si l'apprentissage du code de la route en français est un défi pour un Américain. Il a obtenu sa nationalité française et maintenant possède un acte de naissance français: je le revois les larmes aux yeux lors de la remise de son certificat. Pour parfaire son français qui après un départ prometteur a commencé à battre de l'aile, il prend d'excellents cours à Azurlingua à Nice, conversation, grammaire et exercices de diction. Hier soir sur le balcon, tout en sirotant un bon muscat frais, il récitait "Didon dîna dit-on du dos d'un dodu dindon".

Il lit tous les matins les nouvelles françaises en buvant son café au lait accompagné de pain-beurre ou d'un croissant et s'adresse à Capucine en français bien qu'elle soir bilingue. Après avoir travaillé 10-12 h par jour pendant la majorité de sa vie adulte, il apprécie une vie moins stressée et faut-il ajouter dans un cadre magnifique.


La rénovation de notre grand appartement en quatre studios, l'achat d'un cinquième assure des revenus sans casse-tête. Il a dit au revoir aux grandes maisons, aux grosses voitures, aux assurances médicales hors de prix et trouve sa joie dans les vieilles rues, ses courses au marché, les repas de famille, son adhésion à Europe Ecologie, et tous ses nouveaux amis dans le Vieil Antibes. Il cuisine et s'est même mis au bricolage et au jardinage.



Les vacanciers Américains qui louent un de nos studios lui demandent souvent si les Etats Unis lui manquent, la réponse est toujours non. Je sais qu'Andrew aime et aimera toujours son pays, mais il semble avoir trouvé une nouvelle joie de vivre à Antibes.
Il a également découvert qu'il adore accueillir nos guests Américain, un beau moyen pour lui de partager les plaisirs et la beauté de son nouveau pays.

Flash on an American in Antibes

Under the picture: Andrew is waiting for his glass of chilled Muscat.

After almost two years in Antibes, Andrew is at ease and comfortable in his new country. He got his driving license and God knows that the French written test is a challenge for an American. He got his French nationality and even a new French birth certificate. I remember him getting a bit teary-eyed when he got his nationality. His first move after a cappuccino on the Croisette in Cannes to celebrate, was to go register to vote.

To perfect his French he is taking classes at Azurlingua, a fabulous language school in Nice, and is making tremendous progress with a little bit of conversation, grammar and pronunciation work. Last night, while we were sipping a glass of chilled white wine, he was reciting a French tongue twister; Didon dîna dit-on du dos d'un dodu dindon.

Every morning he catches up with the French news on the internet while having his café and baguette. He's even started to talk to Capucine in French although its not really necessary as she's bilingual. After working most of his adult life 10 to 12 hours a day, he is appreciating a bit more relaxed and stress-free life, in our beautiful Old Antibes.

The remodeling of our big apartment into four studios and the addition of a fifth one is providing us with a revenue stream without too much work, although its been a chore to set everything up. He has said good bye to big cars, big houses, oversized meals, fast food, exorbitant health insurance and is finding joy in walking in the old streets with Capucine, shopping at the market, dinners with family and friends, his new political party - Europe Ecologie/les Verts and all of his new friends in the Old Antibes. He is cooking, cleaning, doing handy work when needed and even gardening! This man has changed.

The mostly American guests who pass through our vacation studio often ask him if he is missing the States. The answer is always no. I know that Andrew loves the places he has lived in the States, Martha's Vineyard, New York, La Jolla, Topanga Canyon, but he seems to have found a joie de vivre here. He loves greeting our guests at the studio to share with them the beauty of his new country.