Some Breakthroughs?

It is still rainy in North of France.  We had rain 2 weeks in a row, luckily météo France predicts more sun for the rest of the week.  Other than that, nothing much around here on the Farm.

On another subject, I just read that the Interior Ministry has facilitated  naturalization process.  As I said on a prior post, I may want to apply for it but there are too many papers to provide:

-criminal record from your home country (not needed if you can proof that you have been living in France for more than 10 years)
- the applicant must understand/speak French and has to take a test, that is around 100 euros!
-Birth certificates for the applicant and his parents (documents must be translated in French by sworn translator, 80 euros a sheet).  Not easy to provide when in Canada, we never had to use it because we were refugees.
-and so on....

I'm still not certain wherther or not I want to be naturalized.  I have a few obstacles.  As of today, I have not yet received my criminal record from Canada.  I have sent it 2-3 months ago.  Of course, the cheque has been cashed in already.

My major concern is that I have some great difficulties to have my father's birth certificate.  I was born during the war in C.a.m.b.o.d.i.a and my father was "naturalized" Cambodian, since he was born in Vietnam and left during childhood.  (A part of Cambodia was annexed to Vietnam, and Cambodians minority are still there). My birth certificate and my mother's were not too hard to obtain, but the Cambodian authorities did not want to issue one for my father.  So, I only have a bad photocopy of an old Birth certificate for my father that was from the '70, when he was studying in France.  Of course, all the civil records have been destroyed during war.

 There are breakthroughs for the naturalization process:
-Foreigners who have studied in French from a francophone country do not have to take the French proficiency test. (still to be verified).
-documents like Birth certificates are not needed to be less than 3 months-old and we can give a photocopy

I'm not in a hurry to be French, but my life can be a little easier when traveling in Europe or for retirement pension, or voting.  I'm still here as an expat, but will I ever do the jump to be French?  I think I will need more than luck to deal with this French bureaucracy.

Why are salaries so low in France

One fellow blogger was wondering why salaries are so low in France.  I had to do some research on that.  I found one article (in French) that explains partly the problem.  An employee only bring home half of what he costs for an employer.  The social charges (costs on salaries) are used to pay retirement pensions, and social security.  The most surprising thing is that only half of the households in France pay income taxes, because of their low salaries, so less revenue for the government.   France comes in second for the highest social charges on salaries within the OECD.  In this article, it says that the Government collect 3 time less Income taxes than Germany.

In Canada, unemployment is stable.  In France, it is high 10,9%, and amongst the young workforce (15-24 years old) is around 24,6%. I suspect the unemployment rate is higher than the government officials want to admit.

Labour : Canada VS France

In Canada, we start working really early.  At 16 years old, teenagers get their first jobs, working at McD...etc.  Maybe because they want to buy a car since they are allowed to drive at 16. In my time, student jobs are partially subsidied by the governement (less taxes on salaries for instance).

When in college, we have to work too, to finance our schooling and appartment.  We can also apply for a student loan from the Province.  After graduation, we just work, in our field of studies or not...There is not a long period of wait after graduation to land a job. We already have some experience in the job market.

In France, teenagers and young adults depend more on their parents for financial aid.  Since their work load in school is greater than in Canada, they can't really have a part-time jobs.  Or shall I say (without ruffling  feathers) that young French people don't want to have a minimum-wage job because it is not related to their fields of studies.  Of course, I may be generalizing...They also have internship where they work for free or less than 300 euros per month.  Talking about cheap labour. Internships don't even count as work experience.

Consumption

In Canada, having a job is important, because we are such a consumer society.  We spend a lot more than in France.  Where here, the majority of businesses are closed on Sundays and clearance sales are regulated by the government.  The wages are so low that people would only spend during those clearance sales, which occur only 2 times a year.  Households spending is a motor for the economy, no consumers no economy.

Hiring

I got to learn a lot on human ressources in France.  A couple of years ago, we had a a peak activity for the business. We had to hire because we had deadlines.  We used subcontractors but thought it was too expensive and they don't really care about quality work.  We hired a few young people, who we thought were willing to work.  Shortly after we gave them their CDI (permanent contract), we started to get various demands and a rise of absenteeism.   

When the French government changed its policy on green energy, we had a dropped on our activity.  So we had to lay off some of the employees.  We did not know that this could turn into hell rapidly.  Not only they have rights, but the process can drag for weeks.  You have to inform the employee that you no longer need him either in person or by a registred letter.  

Then, 10 days later, you will need to have a meeting and explain to him why you have to let him go.  Then, you have to wait 20 days or 30 days (I forgot) to finally see him leave.  Of course, you have to pay a month of salary plus the month that he is not really working (the 20-30 days waiting period) and all the social contributions that you owe to the unemployment agency and other social agencies.  Since we install solar panels, we are under the "construction and public works" regime, one of the highest social contributions on the salaries. It costs an arm and a leg to hire in this field, even at minimum wage. 

Now we are overloaded with work but have to deal with less employees, because employees are difficult to manage and are costly.  Hire and fire employees is difficult, more than in Canada.  In France, they will take their time to hire someone because they know it will be difficult to lay him off.  Here, people hang on to their job and don't expect to leave their position.In Canada, we switch job when we are over it or find another job that is more attractive elsewhere. This usually happens amongst young professionals.  

In France, you will notice that when you want to call a plumber, he will not come immediatly because he doesn't have a bunch of employees available. You will also find closed businesses during July or August, they can close for almost a month.  You would never find that in Canada. 

If only French Government could understand that reducing salary contributions is one of the answer to lower unemployment.  If more households have income, they will pay more taxes.  It's a win-win situation. 

Strange Marketing Strategies

Warning : Rant about French leading phone company that starts with O.

We have 2 phone lines for the Business.  One is for our fax.  We can receive up to 3-4 "unknown calls " a day on the fax line. The caller would then hear the fax ringing, not a sweet sound in his ears.  Sometimes, I purposely disconnect the fax so I can pick up the "masked number".  I yell after the caller or I try not too be too rude to them.  These people are just doing their jobs after all.

But what I find ridiculous is the way this Company is trying to sell some other services to their clients.  Ripping off their current clients is not enough. 

One time they called to renew my subcription by combining the 2 lines in one, so I can pay less.  I did the counting, and there was no rebate of any sort.  Currently our business doesn't have a contract, so if I close down the lines, I can do it after 10 days.  If I accept their "new subscription" I would be tied to them for another 2 years and can't terminate the contract whenever I want.

Now This Company has another offer for their business clients: "we have a partnership with g.o.o.g.l.e. and we can help you with your marketing with a.d.w.o.r.d.s." I found this call so ridiculous that I had to check if this is for real. The phone Company is selling their a.d.w.o.r.d.s service for 100 euros a month.  We've been already using the g.o.o.g.l.e  a.d.w.o.r.d.s for years on our own.

I was so fed up with O...., but since we are moving out next year and it would be a hassle to change our business phone number, so we are not cutting the cord just yet.

I was about to call them to complain or send a registred letter but is would cost me and this is a just a waste of time.

I've checked on the CNIL, a governmental organization that is supposed to protect personnal informations on people. 

Apparently,  O... has the right to make marketing phone calls to their clients.  It doesn't say if other phone companies are allow to do the same.

So for the French leading phone company, they have the right to call their customers even if they don't want to be called.  You can be removed from their prospection list by filling this form.

They claim it is a free service, but it is actually our right for not being disturbed!

I don't know if their highly paid marketing strategists know that this is the most ineffective way to do marketing, harrassing their current clients by phone to sell stupid gimmicks.

Are you a foodie?

We were watching TV and it was about foodies who grow their own vegetables and go out of their way to have the best food on their table.  My husband jokingly asked if I were a foodie.  He already knew the answer.  I have always loved food and cooking.    These last couple of years I pushed my food obsession a little farther.  I'm buying local products, and I have started to grow some vegetables.  Since I'm living in the country, I can buy food directly from farmers.  My neighbour is selling pork, my other neighbour is growing organic veggies.  Also, in our village, there's a farmer who makes great cheese. I no longer have the urge to go to the supermarket. Here's a few products gathered in my village.

Local produce and the vegetables are organic.  

When I first arrived in France, my father in law had a huge garden.  He grew tomatoes, beans, potatoes. etc. He was also foraging blackberries and wild pears in the woods and then made jellies and jams.  I enjoyed it but never thought that it was such hard work and that everything was organic.  Organic food should not be a trend, this guy was doing it for more than 30 years.  It's a good thing my neighbour decided to sell some of his organic veggies, the organic stores are ridiculously overpriced.  I'm not "organic" obsessed, but I like fresh products, and try to buy local food as much as possible.

 

 

Spinaches, so easy to grow.

 

Nappa cabbage, it will never be as big as the ones in the 

supermarkets, but these tender leaves are tempting.

 

Second batch of pak choy of the summer, I planted those last

 month but this time around some bugs are eating my leaves.

 Maches lettuce, I don't know if we can find them in Canada.  

They will get better when the first frosts will hit.

 

 The only surviving pumpkin plant.  Despite these plastic wraps, 

the slugs managed to get inside the pot.

Postponing things

I have been lazy about my blog lately, last time I posted something was more than a month ago.  I admit to be a bit of a slacker, postponing things.  One thing that I didn't do is paying a visit to my grand-mother.  I kept on postponing going to Dijon.  I finally went two weeks ago, but it was for her funeral.  This is pretty much a lesson for being such a slacker.  Sorry if I bummed you.  I was sad but it is part of life.  She had a rich life, and went through wars, moved from many countries.  She was a tough woman, raised 6 kids, travelled everywhere alone.  The sad thing is that some of her children were in Canada and two were in France. We didn't get to say goodbye.