Another interview experience!! But this was on the French Side!! Grrrrr....

The French Maid

Registered Users (C)
Ok, so as most of you know, my husband and I went through the interview and it was quite smooth. Now... we are going through the beginning process of paperwork for me to one day be a French citizen.

A bit of background before I jump into the story....

We are working through the French Embassy in San Francisco to obtain a "French family book"... all French people have one and once we get one, it will make other things smoother such as getting my Carte De Sejour or "greencard" once I live in France.

What we didn't know was we were supposed to file some paperwork BEFORE we got married with the French government. In order to fix this loophole, we were told we needed to meet with a Representative of the French Consulate. Well, it just so happens to be there was one here in my city.

We had an appt to meet her yesterday...I brought my passport, birth certificate and my original divorce decree. Now keep in mind I thought this was just me showing some paperwork, I had no idea I was going to be thrown over a BBQ.

We sat down and she proceeded to talk in French to my husband. I can understand some now so basically it was just small talk.

Then she told him to leave the room so she could ask me some questions.

First she asked me if I spoke French and I told her in French that I spoke and understood a little. She said "what are you doing to learn?" I said "well, I listed to French news every night and try to read it on the internet as well as listening to French lesson CD's on the way to work and back. I guess that wasn't good enough because she said in a very condescending way, "well, you really should learn to speak it" and I said in a firm way, I AM LEARNING IT.

First she asked me if when we met, how we met, where we first had our date etc. Then she asked me if I had any French friends BEFORE we had met. I answered "no"... then she asked me if I had any French ancestry to which I replied "not to my knowledge" then she asked me why my first name is French.:confused: Ok ummm... I said because my mother named me after a famous person from the 60's.

Being a bit thrown off and perplexed, I asked her, "gee, I don't know if there is a wrong or right answer to these questions but is it bad that I didn't know any French people before"??? She said well, these questions are asked because we want to know your intentions for marrying a French person and that alot of people want to get out of America and go to Europe. This was prob a bad thing but I started to laugh a bit.. and said "oh ok, well, usually its the OTHER way around. And she said "well, you will be surprised at how many people marry a European just to get the passport and work in the Europe. I kept thinking to myself "gee, the last time I checked, America isn't a third world country"...

Then she asked me how long I was married before and when I got a divorce......then she asked me "what KIND of divorce it was" I said "uh, what KIND was it?" hoping that she would clarify.. she said "yeah, what kind was it?" I finally realized she wanted to know WHY I divorced and I said "well, he was a serial cheater and had roughly 8 girlfriends over the course of our marriage"... I was hoping this would sort of embarrass her because I was put off with the fact that she wanted to know something so personal.

She then asked if I had ever been to France before I met my husband and I said no but that I had traveled several times to Europe over the years to which she once again, asked if I had ever been there in all those times I had been to Europe. <sigh> I said no.

Then she asked my husband to come in and I left the room... It was a total of 5 minutes or so...

then she asked us to both come back...

The second I sat down she said I should start taking classes at the local university (by the way, she works there) and she said they have morning classes and I said "well, that wouldn't work for me" and she said WHY? I said "um because I WORK?!?!" and then she asked me what I do... before I could even get my first breath inhaled she laughed in my face and said "NOTHING?":mad::mad::mad:

At this point, I was F-U-R-I-O-U-S. I said in a rude way "I was GOING TO SAY that I work at (name company here) and I am a (occupation here).
This woman was so arrogant and condescending that I couldn't wait to get out of there. I knew I had to keep my cool but it was getting tougher by the minute.

Then of all things she had the nerve to ask me if I ever planned on changing professions... and she didn't just matter of fact ask me.. she said it in a degrading way as if my current job isn't good enough. I said "well, I haven't really thought of it too much because at this point, we might move to France in the next couple of years. She said "oh what would you do in France?" Not really knowing the answer I sarcastically said "Gee, I don't know, be a journalist?" Actually, this is my dream job but she doesn't know that and you know what she said?

She said "well, I don't know if there are any jobs for English speaking people, I mean maybe there are but you need to know French and you need to learn it. Then she swung her hair back and said "honey, after all, you married a Frenchman!":eek::eek::eek:

At this point, my ears became red and my face became the color of a lobster. It took every single piece of my restraint to NOT kick my foot up her nose. Believe me, I could have done it because my foot was only 2 feet away from her face... and trust me... I thought about it! :D

Finally after talking to my husband some more in French, she stamped the paper and said she would "send her report to the French consulate"

She said good bye and told me in French to "not to forget to learn French"

The second I walked out of there I told my husband she was a ^$&)@)^&#@& I can't say it here on the boards...

I told him it is that VERY reason that some Americans have the impression that French people are rude. I had never met a rude French person until meeting one in my own city! Go figure! You hear about Paris and the French, believe me, they are wonderful and friendly there.

To add insult to injury, when I got back to my car, there was a ticket on my car, soaking wet from the rain and stuck to the windshield. It was a visitors parking lot and there were NO signs that said I had to pay but when I searched around, there was one parking meter hiding in the bushes!

ARRRGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I have a few French friends and I can tell you they're very "patriotic people". They will defend their country and their language at any given opportunity. You see the fear of the "French person" is that their country is gradually loosing worldwide prominence and they are afraid their language will be lost just like Latin did. Just think of it, how many countries on planet earth speak French? Just France and a few African countries! Spanish has taken over as the worlds second language after English and our French friends don't like that!
 
I can certainly understand being patriotic about ones own country but I didn't know that was synonymous with being rude. wow. :eek:

She could have been a bit more polite to me. If she really is angry then maybe she should speak to some of the North African immigrants that are flooding France.... I bet they don't go through the grilling process and many of them leech off of the French system, cause huge riots, are violent as well as not integrating into the country... (I am sure I will get bashed for this statement)

Either way, I was offended and maybe she should have taken some cues from me to see whether I wasn't going to intigrate into French society... which I have every intention to do...
 
French singer of the 60's ... Mireille Mathieu?

What are the basic requirements for French citizenship?

I've also looked at what it takes to get Austrian citizenship for my wife... (alright nobody tell her I looked at this, it shall stay our little secret in this forum ;)). Used to be where we just had to be married for 5 years and she would automatically be eligible without ever setting foot on Austrian soil, now I believe there's a 6 year continuous residency requirement. My wife would have to give up US citizenship.
 
Austriacus

Do not worry Austriacus, I will keep the secret... but you know, if she ever does give up her US citizenship... since you'll have yours, you can file for her GC ;)
 
Austriacus,

they have made the restrictions tighter for French citizenship. I believe we have to be married for a total of 4 years where it use to be 2 or 3 I think but I can get a greencard within the first few months that I am living there. Then after 4 years I can apply for French citizenship.

Also, your wife would NOT have to give up her American Citizenship. She CAN hold dual. There is a website that has a gentleman that basically researches this stuff all day long. Let me find it and I will post it so you two can read it.

By the way... Austria is a BEAUTIFUL country:)
 
Thanks for the laugh (sorry, couldn't keep it:) ). I think you will do well in journalism, English or French!

A couple of weeks ago I was reading an article about the French government finally deciding to start up a English-languaged broadcasting company because, as sad as it sounds, their excellent and fair news reporting (which I truly believe) is just not reaching out far enough. Maybe you can find a job there and interview the lady? :)
 
Ms. French bread....


Who needs the French....:confused: Without North Africans, I think France will be swimming in a french bread of sorry crap.... they are cheap labor which fund the entire system.....

If integration means accepting being treated as sub-human... then screw integration. :pThe french are very notorious for bigotry and hate of other people who don't look like them or speak like them. When are they going to accept Thierry Henry for being a person, instead of being a soccer star playing for France. What about Zidane? His parents are Algerian and went there as a boy, but because he had what the French didn't have, he's a good French.....:cool:

So... I think you should be mindful of what makes these societies attractive to immigration... the same with the US. You see how GOP treats hispanics? let them stop picking tomatoes, and tell me how much people will pay at their local store....:rolleyes:

who needs the french....? maybe Sarkozy need the french more than he needs his wife....:)
 
The French Maid,

thanks for the link. The problem is not with the Americans, it's with the Austrians that generally don't like their citizens having multiple citizenships.

She is only allowed to naturalize in Austria if she gives up US citizenship. If I would like to obtain US citizenship, I have to petition to keep Austrian citizenship, otherwise I lose it automatically. That petition is granted only if the person has very good reasons.

One way (maybe the only way) for my wife and I to both become dual citizens of the US and Austria is if one of us accepts a professorship at an Austrian university ... in that case, the professor and his/her immediate family are awarded Austrian citizenship without having to renounce their old citizenship. I've been thinking for a while about some day becoming a teacher in my high school, but it's not exactly the same as a university professor. :D

In any case, these dual citizenship laws in Austria keep changing so I don't worry about it too much now.
 
Without North Africans, I think France will be swimming in a french bread of sorry crap.... they are cheap labor which fund the entire system.....

That's true - our French Maid is unable to remain unemployed and has no demonstrated ability to set cars on fire.... clearly unqualified to be an immigrant to France. :)
 
That's true - our French Maid is unable to remain unemployed and has no demonstrated ability to set cars on fire.... clearly unqualified to be an immigrant to France. :)


Fake Canadian,...:p

Only if they could hire immigrants without subjecting them to the No asshole Rule...:eek: and maybe they will stop setting cars on fire...:rolleyes:

Google "No asshole rule"...to get the gist of my point...:cool:
 
What would USCIS be like if they applied that rule? :cool:

A mean machine functioning at high level of efficiency and productivity...:D My company is going to bid on a contract to improve the efficiency within the federal govt...and USCIS should be my first big govt contract....:eek:

I will fire all those obese in attitude people, hire people who understand customer services and who have a heart to serve their fellow mankind values. If you have ever been to Disney, you will know what I am talking about..... ;)

USCIS can improve a great deal, if they fire all those ignorant, pompous and rude people....:rolleyes:
 
A mean machine functioning at high level of efficiency and productivity...:D My company is going to bid on a contract to improve the efficiency within the federal govt...and USCIS should be my first big govt contract....:eek:

I will fire all those obese in attitude people, hire people who understand customer services and who have a heart to serve their fellow mankind values. If you have ever been to Disney, you will know what I am talking about..... ;)

USCIS can improve a great deal, if they fire all those ignorant, pompous and rude people....:rolleyes:

There is a clear distinction though, For Disney, there is an obvious need to provide great customer support;profit. USCIS on the other hand can care less about customer support, no matter what, they'll always get customers.
:mad:
 
There is a clear distinction though, For Disney, there is an obvious need to provide great customer support;profit. USCIS on the other hand can care less about customer support, no matter what, they'll always get customers.
:mad:

N,

I agree. However, can't people just treat other people nicely because it is a human thing to do? :rolleyes: I find that some USCIS officers are just arrogant and full of themselves for no apparent reason...:confused: Am I am missing something here? :(

I work with people from all over the world, and each person who comes to my office, I endeavor to ensure that their experience is unforgetable one...:( I don't get paid more money because I treat people well, but because I view it as a responsibility to each person to be treat another person with dignity and
respect. What do you have to lose for being nice....:rolleyes:

I get to deny request for my clients, but I do it in such a way that they can be upset, but understand my reasons and don't feel like asses...:) I rather be nice and respectful about each issue under my consideration, deny it and still give the person a sense of their humanity....
 
I can't understand why some people are just so unprofessional. I remember a very rude woman i met at the counter of my local USCIS office. The tone and manner she used to talked to me and my wife was ludicrous. As soon as i gave her my carefully arranged paper work she was like "remove all these binders, and rearrange your papers" she immediately followed with another rude question " where is your passport so that i can check you didn't come here illegally?" I asked politely, mum should i come back to the counter when I"m done rearranging my paper work. she looked at me and said sarcastically; "no go sit I"ll call you when i finish up with these people" I waited for about 30mins before she called me back. All the time I was thinking what have i done to this woman?
 
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