One Sip at a Time Learning to Live in Provence Keith Van Sickle 9780998312002 Books
Download As PDF : One Sip at a Time Learning to Live in Provence Keith Van Sickle 9780998312002 Books
Keith and Val had a dream – to live in Provence, the land of brilliant sunlight and charming hilltop villages.
But there were two problems they weren’t French speakers and they had full-time jobs. So they came up with a plan…
Follow their adventures (and misadventures) as they quit their jobs, become consultants and split their time between two countries. Laugh along as they build a life in Provence, slowly mastering a new language and making friends with the locals over long meals and just a bit too much wine.
This light and breezy memoir is full of wry observations on France, like the power of cheese to sway elections, the right and wrong ways for men to kiss each other, and the law requiring that blood donors must speak French.
If you’ve ever dreamed of changing gears and learning what joie de vivre is really all about, you won’t want to miss this delightful book.
From the Book
Joyeux Anniversaire The chef had written a cookbook and and signed it for Val. His inscription read, "Valérie, vous êtes jeune et délicieuse comme les fèves du printemps" ("Valerie, you are young and delicious like the fava beans of springtime.") . . . I had so much to learn from the French.
How to Kiss a Frenchman Here, not far from where we had stayed the year before, it was two kisses on the cheek rather than three. How were we supposed to know this? Was there a border we had crossed but somehow missed the sign? (“Welcome to Eastern Provence. Please Follow the Local Kissing Regulations. And Enjoy Your Lunch, Especially the Asparagus, Which is Delicious Right Now.”)
A Night at the Opera There are many words that are the same in French and English, like nation, pause, and danger. If I don’t know a word in French, sometimes I will just fake it by using the English word with a French accent. It works most of the time. But you have to be careful. There are words that exist in both languages and have entirely different meanings. These are the infamous faux amis, or “false friends.” Ask Val about the time she shocked her co-workers by talking about preservatives in food. Oops, preservative means “condom.”
Interregnum France had started to capture our hearts. It wasn’t just a place we visited; it was becoming one of the places we lived. Thomas Jefferson is supposed to have said, “Every man has two countries – his own and France.” Maybe he was on to something.
One Sip at a Time Learning to Live in Provence Keith Van Sickle 9780998312002 Books
What a delightful little read this one is. My wife and I have been traveling and living in different areas of the country and world since we were first married in 1962 and both are entertained and enlightened by stories of others who share our compulsive travel behavior....yes, we are still at it.This work is the experiences the author and his wife have had living in Provence, France, on and off again for extended periods. It is written in a lighthearted and humorous manner but thank goodness lacks the somewhat over the top caustic and sarcastic wit of writers such as Bill Byrson and his ilk. The author is able to laugh at himself and actually gives quite a good and accurate account of the average American who tries to immerge themselves into another culture. It should be noted that this couple started there extended adventure without the ability to speak the native language...and in France that is a real handicap!
Insightful comments are made of food, culture, traffic, living conditions, food and wine and did I mention food? Intermingled with the author’s observations is some very good advice and tips for those who may be contemplating living for an extended period of time in another country and interact with another and different culture. Very valuable information here which is spot on! Our last extended stay in another country was Turkey and while Turkey is far different than France; still the problems and delights are much the same...I suppose they are universal in that aspect.
This is a rather fast read and smoothly written. Were I to whine about anything it would be the fact that I would have enjoyed more of the same.
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Tags : One Sip at a Time: Learning to Live in Provence [Keith Van Sickle] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b>Keith and Val had a dream </b>– to live in Provence, the land of brilliant sunlight and charming hilltop villages. But there were two problems: they weren’t French speakers and they had full-time jobs. So they came up with a plan… Follow their adventures (and misadventures) as they quit their jobs,Keith Van Sickle,One Sip at a Time: Learning to Live in Provence,Dresher Publishing,0998312002,TRAVEL Europe France
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One Sip at a Time Learning to Live in Provence Keith Van Sickle 9780998312002 Books Reviews
Mr. Van Sickle writes 60 short essays about his months in France in this book that isn't long enough to be a book. He and his wife were lucky enough to take at least two three month vacations in Provence.
There are some amusing moments, but there are more moments where the humor seemed so forced it made me cringe.
I do like that he and his wife did their best to learn French and seem to have done very well.
Not bad, but not so good either.
The warm personality and wry good humour of Keith Van Sickle comprise the backbone of this delightful collection of vignettes. He regales us with observations and experiences as a part-time ex-pat in France, accompanied by his wife Val. As they settle into life in the south of France for a few months each year, Keith never ceases to make observations about every aspect of the culture, cuisine, people, language, traditions … down to minute details in some cases. There are many laugh-out-loud moments, all shared with respect for differences and an obvious love for the life he and Val have the good fortune to experience.
Keith has a marvelous way to describe the environment and experience of learning both a new language and a different culture. The book is an easy read of a very tough transition for anyone who decides to relocate to a country with a different way of life, diet and daily tasks. Definitely a must read for anyone who is in love with France and wants to vicariously experience the travels and travails of a couple of Americans in France.
This is a witty book, fun to read. The author has a genuine sense of humor that really comes thru. And the story is inspiring. While a number of people have spent a year abroad in college and then returned later or married a local, Keith and his wife first lived in in a French-speaking part of Switzerland and became enchanted with the French culture. After 5 years there in which he says they never integrated well since they didn't speak the language, they resolved to do things differently the next time. So they moved for several months to Provence and really worked on learning the language, as well as doing that back at home on the several year stretch between returning for another extended stay. So it is clear they devoted serious effort to learning the language.
However calling this a book is a bit of a stretch. A tiny-sized paperback to begin with, the font is extra-large and the spacing between lines is similarly large. Add to that the very short chapters, some just 2 pages and half of the 2nd page a blank, you end up with something just past a large pamphlet. Which is disappointing because I enjoyed reading the stories and wish the author had elaborated on them a bit more as well as written about other adventures in France. As outlined above they put a lot of effort into fitting in to the French culture, I wish Keith had written more about it.
What a great, exciting and fun read. As one who has struggled and stumbled through a similar life transition into a new country, I can entirely relate, and laugh, at the author's steps and missteps along the way. Moving from the top priority being "getting to work on time," to the new priority of "getting to the boulangerie before they run out of butter croissants," can be trying, but oh so worth it in the end.
I salute Keith and Val for their vision of a new, simple and magical life, and for their good humor and perseverance to get there. Of course, they had a lot of help along the way from their marvelous new French friends. Get and read it. You'll be smiling for days.
What a delightful little read this one is. My wife and I have been traveling and living in different areas of the country and world since we were first married in 1962 and both are entertained and enlightened by stories of others who share our compulsive travel behavior....yes, we are still at it.
This work is the experiences the author and his wife have had living in Provence, France, on and off again for extended periods. It is written in a lighthearted and humorous manner but thank goodness lacks the somewhat over the top caustic and sarcastic wit of writers such as Bill Byrson and his ilk. The author is able to laugh at himself and actually gives quite a good and accurate account of the average American who tries to immerge themselves into another culture. It should be noted that this couple started there extended adventure without the ability to speak the native language...and in France that is a real handicap!
Insightful comments are made of food, culture, traffic, living conditions, food and wine and did I mention food? Intermingled with the author’s observations is some very good advice and tips for those who may be contemplating living for an extended period of time in another country and interact with another and different culture. Very valuable information here which is spot on! Our last extended stay in another country was Turkey and while Turkey is far different than France; still the problems and delights are much the same...I suppose they are universal in that aspect.
This is a rather fast read and smoothly written. Were I to whine about anything it would be the fact that I would have enjoyed more of the same.
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