Four Years in France

Carol and I have spent 3 1/2 and four years respectively living in various parts of France. In fact, we met there in the mid 1960's. We have especially lived in the northern portion of France, from east to west, plus several months in Belgium, We have visited nearly all of France, as well as various portions of Belgium and tiny Luxembourg. We have been the recipients of wonderful customer service in France and have grown to love and admire our scores of personal French friends. France is an enormously beautiful country with so much that is green and with extensive coastal areas. We have explored the battle fields of World Wars I and II and have toured many grand castles, cathedrals and basilicas. We have enjoyed numerous art galleries in Paris and elsewhere, where we were privileged to see famous paintings and art objects. I  lived in France for 30 months in 1964-67. I first re-visited the country in 1987 and then resided there for 18 months in 2011-2012. These windows have allowed me to observe quite a few transitions in French society. I feel honored and blessed.

To understand the history of France is to better understand the world at large. France has not seen the end of us, which means we need to not allow our language skills to go dormant. Mostly we want to return and see old friends and experience their culture. We hope to return when the LDS Temple is completed in the Paris region in 2016. We have enjoyed visiting other French-speaking nations in the West Indies and Canada. We would love to go to French-speaking Africa. The only portion of Africa we've visited is Egypt, where French was not useful.